Overall, 46 per cent of plastic waste is landfilled, while 22 per cent is mismanaged and becomes litter. Unlike other materials, plastic does not biodegrade. This pollution chokes marine wildlife, damages soil and poisons groundwater, and can cause serious health impacts.
Is pollution the only problem with plastic?
No, it also contributes to the climate crisis. The production of plastic is one of the most energy-intensive manufacturing processes in the world. The material is made from fossil fuels such as crude oil, which are transformed via heat and other additives into a polymer. In 2019, plastics generated 1.8 billion metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions – 3.4 per cent of the global total.
Where is all this plastic coming from?
The packaging sector is the largest generator of single-use plastic waste in the world. Approximately 36 per cent of all plastics produced are used in packaging. This includes single-use plastic food and beverage containers, 85 per cent of which end up in landfills or as mismanaged waste.
Farming is another area where plastic is ubiquitous: it is used in everything from seed coatings to mulch film. The fishing industry is another significant source. Recent research suggests more than 100 million pounds of plastic enters the oceans from industrial fishing gear alone. The fashion industry is another major plastic user. About 60 per cent of material made into clothing is plastic, including polyester, acrylic and nylon.
I have heard people talk about microplastics. What are those?
They are tiny shards of plastic measuring up to 5mm in length. They come from everything from tires to beauty products, which contain microbeads, tiny particles used as exfoliants. Another key source is synthetic fabrics. Every time clothing is washed, the pieces shed tiny plastic fibres called microfibres – a form of microplastics. Laundry alone causes around 500,000 tonnes of plastic microfibres to be released into the ocean every year –the equivalent of almost 3 billion polyester shirts.
What is being done about plastic pollution?
In 2022, UN Member States agreed on a resolution to end plastic pollution. An Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee is developing a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, with the aim of having it finalized by the end of 2024. Critically, the talks have focused on measures considering the entire life cycle of plastics, from extraction and product design to production to waste management, enabling opportunities to design out waste before it is created as part of a thriving circular economy.
UN Environment Assembly President brings down the gavel on the resolution. Credit: UNEP
What more needs to be done?
While this progress is good news, current commitments by governments and industry are not enough. To effectively tackle the plastic pollution crisis, systemic change is needed. This means, moving away from the current linear plastic economy, which centres on producing, using and discarding the material, to a circular plastic economy, where the plastic that is produced is kept in the economy at its highest value for as long as possible.
How can countries make that a reality?
Countries need to encourage innovation and provide incentives to businesses that do away with unnecessary plastics. Taxes are needed to deter the production or use of single-use plastic products, while tax breaks, subsidies and other fiscal incentives need to be introduced to encourage alternatives, such as reusable products. Waste management infrastructure must also be improved. Governments can also engage in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee process to forge a legally binding instrument that tackles plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
What can the average person do about plastic pollution?
While the plastic pollution crisis needs systemic reform, individual choices do make a difference. Such as shifting behaviour to avoid single-use plastic products whenever possible. If plastic products are unavoidable, they should be reused or repurposed until they can no longer be used – at which point they should be recycled or disposed of properly. Bring bags to the grocery store, and if possible, striving to purchase locally sourced and seasonal food options that require less plastic packaging and transport.
Should I lobby governments and businesses to address plastic pollution?
Yes. One of the most important actions individuals can take is to ensure their voice is heard by talking to their local representatives about the importance of the issue, and supporting businesses that are striving to reduce single-use plastic products in their supply chains. Individuals can also show their support for them on social media. If people see a company using unnecessary plastic (such as single-use plastics covering fruit at a grocery store) they can contact them and ask them to do better.
For more information on how you can help tackle the plastic pollution crisis, download the Beat Plastic Pollution Practical Guide.
About World Environment Day
World Environment Day on 5 June is the biggest international day for the environment. Led by UNEP and held annually since 1973, the event has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach, with millions of people from across the world engaging to protect the planet. This year, World Environment Day will focus on solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.
Here are some often-asked questions that may help you understand the thermoforming process, and Waveform Plastics. Should you have any questions, feel free to contact us at any time, at info@waveformplastics.com.
1. What is thermoforming and vacuum forming?
2. What are the benefits of thermoforming?
3. What parts are a good "fit" for thermoforming?
4. What do you need from me to make a part?
5. Is tooling (the mold, in this case) expensive?
6. What do you make molds from?
7. What's the difference between a positive and a negative mold?
8. What is a typical minimum run (part quantity)?
9. What's the typical lead time?
10. Should I thermoform or injection mold my part?
11. When thermoforming a part, why can only one side be controlled?
12. What types of plastic can you form?
13. What material thickness can you form?
14. What type of product or shape "fits" the thermoforming process?
15. What standard products does Waveform Plastics offer?
16. Where can you ship to?
17. How do I get a quote on a part?
18. What are the best methods of transport from Waveform Plastics?
19. Where can I find answers to my other plastics and thermoforming related questions?
20. Glossary of Terms
1. What is thermoforming and vacuum forming?
Thermoforming is the process of heating a sheet of plastic material, and using pressure to shape it using a mold. Vacuum forming refers to the use of vacuum to force the plastic into the shape of the mold. We also do pressure forming, which, as you might guess, uses pressure, along with vacuum, to force the plastic into the mold cavity. Drape forming, the simplest form of thermoforming, primarily uses gravity to form the part over a mold. Each type of forming has it's own specific advantages. To learn more about the thermoforming process, see this guide (Adobe Acrobat pdf format).
2. What are the benefits of thermoforming?
Thermoforming is efficient and very cost-effective for the production of many plastic parts depending on the part size, shape, and quantity. Up-front costs are usually much lower, and lead times to tooling and production are generally much shorter than other processes such as injection molding. Temporary tooling offers an inexpensive short-term test for design issues and product market acceptance.
3. What parts are a good "fit" for thermoforming?
Large panels, housings, enclosures, and other similar parts are ideal for thermoforming. Tooling costs for these parts is considerably less than for injection molding, which due to the large part size may have prohibitive tooling costs. Parts with features mostly confined to one side of the part are best suited to thermoforming, but it is often possible to implement or add features to the uncontrolled side during forming, trimming, fabrication, and assembly.
4. What do you need from me to make a part?
We've started from a drawing on a napkin! If you have a concept, then we can create a design, including CAD models, renderings, and detailed drawings. If, on the other hand, you already have a CAD model or design, we can start from that and create molds and other tooling that will allow us to make the finished product. Our services include everything from design to prototypes to production, and we can do as much or as little as you need us to do.
5. Is tooling (usually the mold and trim fixtures, in this case) expensive?
The molds used in thermoforming are designed based on a variety of factors - life expectancy, finish, complexity, and tolerances, to name a few. Generally speaking, tooling for thermoforming is much cheaper than that for other processes, such as injection molding. Molds can be as cheap as a few hundred dollars, depending on the specific requirement. Don't be scared away by up-front costs. Thermoforming can be extremely economical, especially for low to medium volume applications.
6. What do you make molds from?
Production molds are typically cast or machined from aluminum. Deeper molds are usually cast, while shallower molds may be machined directly from a block of aluminum. Aluminum molds can be temperature controlled, which allows tight tolerances, better detail, and shorter cycle times (which translates into a lower cost part). Molds may also be made from various composites which offer short or medium life and easy machining. For prototypes or lower quantity production runs, we'll often make a mold from varying densities of polyurethane board (such as Renboard or Prolab). For prototypes, we can also use medium density fibreboard (MDF), a wood product. We will recommend the best tooling option based on your design requirements and volumes.
7. What's the difference between a male and female mold?
The decision to use a male (or positive) mold or a female (or negative) mold depends on the shape of the part, where tolerances are important, surface finish, mechanical requirements of the finished part, and many other factors. With a male mold, the plastic is stretched over the mold, and then vacuum is applied to draw the plastic down onto the surface of the mold.
With a female mold, the plastic is drawn down into a cavity by the vacuum.
8. What is a typical minimum run (part quantity)?
There are two minimums: production and material. Production minimums vary greatly, based on setup times and part complexity. We'll do just a few parts if needed, especially for prototyping. There is really no production "minimum". Materials also affect minimum quantities. If we can use a stock material, then there is typically no minimum quantity. However, if you require a specific colour, or have special material requirements, minimum quantities are often based on a minimum extrusion run for the plastic, typically 2500 to 5000 pounds.
9. What's the typical lead time?
Simple prototypes are often prepared in two to three weeks. Again, this can vary, but we do try to minimize prototype turnaround to keep your design cycle short. Production lead times can vary based on material requirements and availability, and quantity. From approval of a prototype, typical production lead time is from as little as one week to a month or two for more complex parts, or in cases where production tooling needs to be fabricated.
10. Should I thermoform or injection mold my part?
Both process are unique, and offer specific advantages and disadvantages. Thermoforming typically has a lower up-front cost, while injection molding is ideal when you're producing hundreds of thousands of parts. Look here for a more detailed comparison.
11. When thermoforming a part, why can only one side be controlled?
The mold defines the shape of the plastic, and tolerances can be controlled on the side of the plastic that contacts the mold. The opposite side, away from the mold, is predictable, but not controlled, because the plastic will stretch around the mold and produce varying thicknesses. There are a number of techniques that we use to minimize this effect, when it's important.
12. What types of plastic can you form?
There are many plastics that can be thermoformed. Many are designed specifically for thermoforming. You can choose from a wide range of engineering plastics to precisely meet your job requirement. Just few of these materials that we work with include:
13. What material thickness can you form?
We typically use materials in the 0.040" to 0.375" range, although we have occasionally worked with materials as thin as 0.020" and as thick as 0.500". While we don't typically form materials thicker than 0.500", we can machine parts from thicker plastics on our in-house 3- and 5-axis CNC routers.
14. What type of product or shape "fits" the thermoforming process?
We are always happy to evaluate anything, so feel free to send us your drawing or picture. There are often ways to make even complex parts using the thermoforming process, whether it involves making the part from more than one component, or performing post-machining or assembly. The following guidelines do not define the limitations of thermoforming - they are tips to help you design the most thermoformable part. It is often possible to incorporate features into a part that help the thermoforming process, without impacting the functionality of the part.
So, as a general guideline, here are some tips to help you design a more thermoformable part:
There are always exceptions, so we encourage you to contact us with your drawing or picture.
15. What standard products does Waveform Plastics offer?
Everything that Waveform Plastics manufactures is custom to each of our customers. We do not sell any "standard" products. None of the pictured products on our website are available for purchase directly from Waveform.
16. Where can you ship to?
We have customers throughout North America. If you require overseas shipment, let us know, and we can probably arrange that, too.
17. How do I get a quote on a part?
Complete our online quote request form, or contact our sales staff for assistance. For us to quote a project, we really need to see a sketch or CAD model, plus we need to know quantities to quote, material type and gauge (or let us know what your design goals are and we can probably offer some suggestions), and the number of parts you expect to make over the life of the project - that helps us determine the type of tooling (molds) you will need.
18. What are the best methods of transport from Waveform Plastics?
All couriers typically deliver next-day within Ontario. However, for urgent small packages, we strongly recommend using Purolator due to their pickup scheduling. Purolator picks up and drops off daily between 2:00 and 4:00PM. Purolator pickups must be booked no later than 1:00PM same-day. Other couriers, such as FedEx, UPS, or CanPar also pick up daily, but typically require the pickup request to be submitted the day before shipping. We recommend that you contact the courier company to confirm pickup and delivery times for urgent packages. We work with a number of companies that offer excellent and prompt LTL service for larger loads. Please contact us for more information.
19. Where can I find answers to my other plastics and thermoforming related questions?
Contact our staff for answers to any questions you may have!
20. Glossary of Terms
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