Question

Which plastic is used for replacing materials like glass for making bottles and jars?
A.PET
B.PVC
C.Bakelite
D.Teflon

Answer 1

Hint: To solve this question, we must first understand why glass was used in the first place for making bottles and jars. Then we can compare the properties of glass with the given plastics to find a suitable alternative.

Complete Step-by-Step Answer:
Before we move forward with the solution of the given question, let us first understand some important basic concepts.
Glass is made from silica, which inherits certain useful characteristics in this material. Glass is a highly non – corrosive and non – reactive material. This is one of the biggest reasons why glass is used to store not only food items but also highly reactive and toxic chemicals. But for being able to store and manage food items hygienically, being only non – corrosive is not sufficient. There are no external dyes or chemicals used in the manufacturing glass containers for food products. This prevents leaching of chemicals as well degradation of food. Also, with the appropriate lid, Glass containers can become airtight. This ensures that no external air is moved through the container, and this in turn slows down the decomposition process. Also, glass is biologically non – degradable and can be heated again and again, which makes it microwave – friendly. Now, let us discuss the options given to us:
A.PET: PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate. This plastic can be easily moulded into different shapes and sizes. It does not allow microbial leaching inside the container, which could keep the food from getting spoilt. Also, there are no harmful chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) or any other chemical phthalates present in PET bottles. Being a plastic, it is biologically non – degradable.
B.PVC: PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride. This plastic is widely used in a variety of fields and is highly useful. However, there are chances of PVC leaching out chemicals like BPA, which can be harmful to food products.
C.Bakelite: Bakelite containers have the potential of leaching out chemicals like formaldehyde, which are harmful for our bodies.
D.Teflon: Similar to Bakelite, Teflon too tends to leach out harmful chemicals like perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA, which is a carcinogenic chemical.

Hence, Option A is the correct option

Note: PET is a clear, strong, and lightweight plastic that is widely used for packaging foods and beverages, especially convenience-sized soft drinks, juices and water. Virtually all single-serving and 2-liter bottles of carbonated soft drinks and water sold in the U.S. are made from PET.