Plastic is an organic substance, such as wood, paper, wool. Arises from natural resources, mainly coal, common salt, gas and especially oil in world production of plastics accounts for about 4% per year.

The process of treating the oil to get that cracking is derived. To produce the plastics you use two main processes: the process of the polymerization process of polycondensation Both processes occur in the presence of specific catalysts. In the polymerization the monomers (such as ethylene and propylene) are riaccorpati and linked in long chains. These are polymers, each of which has properties, structure and size as a function of several different types of basic monomers.

To form chains of polymers, and thus give life to plastics themselves, using various methods. Another widely used process is the polycondensation which serves for example to produce the PET (polyethylene terephthalate): the union of monomers is facilitated by eliminating the molecules that are formed in the reaction, such as water and methanol.

To achieve the final product ready for use, to join plastics additives, ie substances that enhance or attenuate the properties, such as coloring agents with special features such as flame retardants, antioxidants, antistatic Member, plasticizers; fillers natural or artificial, to increase rigidity and improve the mechanical properties, expanding to obtain a lighter product, such as polystyrene foam. The most widely used polymers derived primarily from four basic chemicals, in turn derived on oil: ethylene, propylene, butadiene and the styrene.

The use of plastics can achieve interesting results to the environment. These are some examples: BUILDING Insulation Using plastic for every kilo of plastic is an annual saving of 75 kilos of fuel for heating. A European research has shown that the use of 50 pounds of foam to insulate a house involves a saving of 3700 liters of heating fuel in 25 years, ie 150 liters per year. TRASPORTS :Plastic improves the aerodynamics of a ' car, it decreases the coefficient of penetration in the air and the weight, so a lower fuel consumption and reduction of pollutant emissions. The car is the sector where there is the highest level of use of recycled material. Some components, such as the bumper, are now recycled in closed circuit.

PACKAGES A recent study conducted in Germany has shown that without plastic packaging in the weight of the product packaging will increase by 291%, the energy used to produce the same 108% and the volume of waste by 158%. In the food, the use of plastic packaging can contain 2% the volume of goods that can not be used otherwise reach 50%. In terms of mechanical recycling, the plastics used in this area is usually clean and smooth, and allows you to get through a closed-loop processing a material of high quality which has a large market.