Abstract
Plastics are now being used as the principal packaging material. They are utilized for a variety of packaging and containers, including flexible packaging, sheet-mold containers and blow bottles. Compared to glass, metal or paper, plastics are a relatively new comer to the world of packaging. Flexible packaging began with the use of cellophane film, and multi-layered film packaging is now used widely as well. Sheet-mold containers were first used as consumer packs in supermarkets. The first applications for blow bottles were as containers for edible oil and liquid seasonings but these are now used in a major way as containers for beverages. Among the many functions needed for packaging materials, the gas-barrier property is seen to be the most important function. Recently, many kinds of gas-barrier materials and gas-barrier technologies are being developed for application in plastic packaging. Since packaging materials become waste after use, the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) philosophy is being taken into consideration with the design of these forms of packaging.
