How are plastics made?
Plastics begin their lives in a refinery or chemical facility as feedstocks that are processed into polymers. Many polymers are then shaped into small pellets that can be shipped all over the country to be made into plastic consumer products, including packaging.
It’s a sizeable enterprise—the U.S. plastics industry employs approximately one million workers and contributes $375 billion to the economy.
Many of the companies that produce feedstocks and plastics belong to Responsible Care®, the chemical industry’s performance initiative on safe, responsible and sustainable management of their products (every American Chemistry Council member company belongs to Responsible Care). » learn more on how plastics are made and where they are used, including packaging