lass and plastic products certainly have their place in every laboratory, but the advantages of metal in some settings are undeniable. Several reasons to use metal include: recyclability, durability and standardization.
Metal has a lighter environmental footprint than plastic because metal is easy to recycle and can deteriorate through natural processes.
Plastic is susceptible to heat and glass can be too frail for some responsibilities. Stainless steel is a metal that can withstand more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Metal is also extremely durable for its size and thickness, lending it to use in transportation.
Metal packaging tends to adhere to uniform volumes that align between labs and across borders. Standard sizes include: pints, quarts, gallons and liters.
Other strengths include non-combustible construction, choice of linings and price. Although the cost of metal is influenced by raw materials and labor factors, competition with plastic has kept the price low, making it as stable as any other packaging material on the market.