It is hard to imagine many modern sports and leisure pursuits that do not involve the use of plastic materials in one way or another. For example if you have ever played soccer in the rain with an old fashioned all leather football you will appreciate how they used to absorb water and started to weigh a ton. You certainly needed guts to head one of those! Now plastic coatings have made footballs water resistant so a whole generation of footballers can bend it like Beckham, no matter what the weather.

It is not just football – next time you participate in a sport have a close look at the equipment you are using or wearing and you more often than not find a plastic component that is vital to it.

The use of plastic has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. Plastic is now a vitally important component in many different industries and business sectors.

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PVC blood bags, surgical appliances, even plastic blood, our health has improved with the help of plastic.

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Plastic helps us travel more efficiently in lighter and more durable, planes, trains and automobiles.

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Reducing waste, saving energy and recycling, just some of the ways plastic is helping us improve the environment.

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Efficient PVC windows, plastic foam insulation and water pipes, plastic helps us build better homes.

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Lighter footballs, waterproofing, moulded shoes, plastic makes it comfortable and fun.

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Preserving food, preventing waste, plastic makes the earth's natural resources go further and last longer.

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PC's, laptops, mobile devices, plastic protects technology and allows us to communicate wherever we happen to be.