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Advantage: Supply
Plastic makes up for a limited supply of materials. In aviation, plastic was introduced in World War II as a replacement for rubber in items such as pilots' boots and fuel tank liners. Plastic is much easier to use in manufacturing due to its volume and weight. Helicopters also utilize plastic because it is rigid, durable and can absorb vibrations. Plastic's bountiful supply makes it appropriate for its wide use in the packaging industry, as well as in construction, where it is used for plumbing, railings and other additions.
Advantage: Material
In radar systems, plastics are preferred over other materials because it allows waves to pass through without significant interference. Plastic also can withstand heat, which is important on aircraft because of their low margin for error. Rockets and other space exploration vehicles use plastics as a shield to reenter Earth's atmosphere with minimal damage. The material is also light, which makes it ideal for vehicles that need to launch.
Disadvantage: Longevity
Though the durability and longevity of plastics make them an attractive ingredient to use in manufacturing, it is also what makes them bad for the environment. Plastics take many years to break down. Approximately 20 percent of the material in landfills consists of plastic. The material is even in blood and urine, according to research from ASU. People sometimes eat plastic when consuming food that is packaged in plastic. Plastic is also found in water and in other ingested sources.
Disadvantage: Environment
Plastics in the oceans exceed plankton by six times and some patches of oceanic garbage, which contain a high amount of plastic, are larger than the state of Texas. Birds and fish fall victim to these plastics. Many of the toxins in plastic leach into the environment over time. "We are doomed to live with yesterday's plastic pollution, and we are exacerbating the situation with each day of unchanged behavior," Halden from ASU said.