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Pickles come in glass jars. so does salsa. So does some types of juice. I'm not sure why you are concerned about this because it is obviously not a big problem

Pickles come in glass jars. so does salsa. So does some types of juice. I'm not sure why you are concerned about this because it is obviously not a big problem.

chrisco255 7y ago
It is a problem, especially in transportation and distribution of products. It costs more for glass. It's heavier, there's more loss from breakage, etc. There's a reason society went from using glass for every container to plastic. Plastics are convenient, resilient to drops, lightweight, flexible, and easier to form in various shapes.
- okcando 7y ago
  The point is that we already deal with glass through the entire process of production, distribution, use, and disposal and it is not a problem. Plastic is of course cheaper (ignoring externalities) and of course has advantageous qualities. That's why we use plastic. It is a good material. But we can deal with glass if we decide the true cost of plastic is too high, even if the glass breaks.
- darkpuma 7y ago
  > "There's a reason society went from using glass for every container to plastic." We didn't though. Glass is still the standard packaging for a wide range of products.
  - chrisco255 7y ago
    Relatively few. Have you walked into a supermarket since 1952?
    - darkpuma 7y ago
      I have. There are a ton glass packages in my fridge and pantry right now that came from grocery stores. Maybe keep your eyes peeled next time you go to the store and look for yourself. Mustard, olives, oil, beer!, pickles, apple sauce, cocktail sauce, salsa, spaghetti sauce, mayonnaise, anchovies, archichoke hearts, various ground spices, balsamic vinegar salad dressing, and much much more. That's just a small sampling of the glass packaged foods I've bought from the grocery store in 2019. If glass is such a logistics nightmare, then why is the pickle industry still using it? Because it actually not a logistics nightmare. It weights a bit more, and it's a bit more fragile, but neither are a serious enough factor to actually remove glass containers from the market. Beer you might say is a high margin item, except there are a lot of really cheap beers that come in glass. My six-pack of coors light is not exactly a $20 bespoke hyper-IPA west coast microbrew, you know what I mean? It's in the same price (and class) range as a six-pack of Al-canned rolling rock. Also my glass jar of pickles were the dirt cheap generic brand pickles.
      - chrisco255 7y ago
        We all know the drawbacks of putting viscous fluids like ketchup in glass. Yes it's possible. Most salad dressings, sauces, sodas and juices, etc are served in plastic containers. Plastic is more moldable than glass. It can be shrunk fitted to the object it contains, such as sliced cheese, sliced turkey, etc. It can be molded into odd shapes like a 6 pack of Apple sauce that is easily packed with a kid's lunch bag (and a parent need not worry about damage to the containers in transit). Tons of benefits to using plastic. Glass is used with beer because glass is a worse insulator than plastic, so the container is as cold as the liquid inside. That's why consumers prefer it for beverages.

Pickles come in glass jars. so does salsa. So does some types of juice. I'm not sure why you are concerned about this because it is obviously not a big problem.

chrisco255 7y ago

It is a problem, especially in transportation and distribution of products. It costs more for glass. It's heavier, there's more loss from breakage, etc. There's a reason society went from using glass for every container to plastic. Plastics are convenient, resilient to drops, lightweight, flexible, and easier to form in various shapes.

okcando 7y ago
The point is that we already deal with glass through the entire process of production, distribution, use, and disposal and it is not a problem. Plastic is of course cheaper (ignoring externalities) and of course has advantageous qualities. That's why we use plastic. It is a good material. But we can deal with glass if we decide the true cost of plastic is too high, even if the glass breaks.
darkpuma 7y ago
> "There's a reason society went from using glass for every container to plastic." We didn't though. Glass is still the standard packaging for a wide range of products.
- chrisco255 7y ago
  Relatively few. Have you walked into a supermarket since 1952?
  - darkpuma 7y ago
    I have. There are a ton glass packages in my fridge and pantry right now that came from grocery stores. Maybe keep your eyes peeled next time you go to the store and look for yourself. Mustard, olives, oil, beer!, pickles, apple sauce, cocktail sauce, salsa, spaghetti sauce, mayonnaise, anchovies, archichoke hearts, various ground spices, balsamic vinegar salad dressing, and much much more. That's just a small sampling of the glass packaged foods I've bought from the grocery store in 2019. If glass is such a logistics nightmare, then why is the pickle industry still using it? Because it actually not a logistics nightmare. It weights a bit more, and it's a bit more fragile, but neither are a serious enough factor to actually remove glass containers from the market. Beer you might say is a high margin item, except there are a lot of really cheap beers that come in glass. My six-pack of coors light is not exactly a $20 bespoke hyper-IPA west coast microbrew, you know what I mean? It's in the same price (and class) range as a six-pack of Al-canned rolling rock. Also my glass jar of pickles were the dirt cheap generic brand pickles.
    - chrisco255 7y ago
      We all know the drawbacks of putting viscous fluids like ketchup in glass. Yes it's possible. Most salad dressings, sauces, sodas and juices, etc are served in plastic containers. Plastic is more moldable than glass. It can be shrunk fitted to the object it contains, such as sliced cheese, sliced turkey, etc. It can be molded into odd shapes like a 6 pack of Apple sauce that is easily packed with a kid's lunch bag (and a parent need not worry about damage to the containers in transit). Tons of benefits to using plastic. Glass is used with beer because glass is a worse insulator than plastic, so the container is as cold as the liquid inside. That's why consumers prefer it for beverages.