Environmental Issues Material choice

Woods Metals Plastics

How do these materials impact on the environment? Keywords – Sustainable – Non-renewable – CO2 – Oxygen – Recycle – Fossil fuels Keywords – Biodegradable – Toxic – Energy – Landfill – Ores – Gases

Environmental impact of using wood Wood is a sustainable resource as it can be reproduced. Wood should only be used from managed forests where trees are replanted once they have been cut down. Wooden products are relatively easy to repair. Wood is capable of being recycled into chipboard, MDF, card and paper. Wooden products can be re used Wood has the less effect on the environment than many other resistant materials. Wood is biodegradable and will return nutrients back into the soil Wood should not be burned-gives off carbon dioxide leading to a reduction in the ozone layer adds to global warming. Wood should not be used from unknown sources as it may have harmed the environment when it was cut down. Used wooden products can fuel bio mass power stations Trees convert carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) into Oxygen ( O ) Provides a habitat for flora and fauna

Environmental impact of using metal -Steel comes from pig iron that comes from iron ore which is a non renewable resource -It has to be mined which leaves scars in the landscape -Processes cause toxic gases to be produced, this leads to a reduction in the ozone layer AND/OR the formation of acid rain, AND/OR adding to the process of global warming -Tend to last a long time as they are durable -Most metals can be recycled after use therefore helping the environment The iron ore has to be transported to a sinter plant by ships/lorries/machinery The iron ore has to be smelted to form iron/steel The steel has to be processed into the shape of the product At the end of its life a steel product should be recycled At the end of its life it could end up in a landfill Steel corrodes and will eventually rust away

Environmental impact of using plastic Plastic is a non-renewable resource as it is made from oil which is a fossil fuel. Most plastics can be recycled which we should encourage to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Plastics take a long time to degrade unless they have been made biodegradable. If we do not recycle plastics they will end up in a land fill site and stay there for thousands of years. Toxic fumes given off during the processing Some plastics are hard to recycle currently and therefore end up in landfill

The Three R’s We must reduce the amount of plastic we use We must reuse plastic We must recycle plastic We must refuse to accept plastic We must repair plastic products We must rethink how we make/design products We must improve the quality of products to make them last longer

Sustainability Sustainability is the ability of a product to be used indefinitely with limited impact on the environment. A product manufactured from wood is considered to be very sustainable as it is renewable, can be recycled, reused and has limited effect on the environment when being processed. A product manufactured from metal can be sustainable if it is recycled and/or reused at the end of its life. However, metal is a non renewable resource and harms he environment when it is being processed. A product manufactured from plastic can be sustainable if it is recycled and/or reused at the end of its life. However, plastic is a non renewable resource and will eventually run out as we run out of oil.

Product lifecycle In the lifecycle of a product the materials need to be: – Harvested or extracted from the ground – Transported for processing – Transported for manufacture – Transported to the consumer – Transported to a place for use, disposal etc. Each of these can use huge amounts of energy. Consider how long the product will last for and therefore if will be low cost or high cost. High quality materials or low quality.