Impacts on the Environment

Stage
Positive Impacts on Environment
Negative Impacts on
Environment
Extraction



  • Mining for non renewable resources that create polyester, (coal and petroleum) destroy natural habitats during the process.

Transportation

  • Fuel released by vehicles used to transport the raw materials before and after manufacturing pollutes the atmosphere.

Manufacturing

  • The process of creating polyester reduces energy consumption.

  • Polyester itself does not leave behind many by products during production, therefore produces a low toxicity level.



  • Industries are multiplying and manufacturing polyester at a very fast rate, which produces pollution.
Packaging
  • PET bottles are recyclable which don’t require as much packaging as other polyester products.
  • To keep the product new and undamaged of whatever polyester may be used for, packaging is always excessive, and mostly ends up at a landfill.  
Disposal

  • Recycled PET polyester from soda bottles is remade by re-melting and extruding the fiber.

  • Polyester reduces the amount of solid waste sent to landfills.



  • Sometimes polyester is blended with other materials such as nylon, taking 30-40 years to decompose.


Thanks to Polyester being recyclable, it makes up 1/4 of today's bottle industry and the EF it leaves on the environment is not as harsh. 



*The information provided was brought to you by Khan in 2010.