If one were to ask the average manufacturer to list some of the major difficulties faced in the industry today, his or her list would most likely include the effort to comply with customer requirements. And in today's world, these requirements usually include a large number of rules designed to protect the environment and adhere to increasingly strict regulations set by both foreign and domestic governments.

In recent years, powerhouse companies like Wal-Mart have begun to demand their suppliers adopt very rigorous environmental codes. Since mammoth companies like Wal-Mart have enough power to virtually make or break one's business, it is essential that suppliers learn to comply, or face the possibility of extinction. As a result, businesses involved in any aspect of manufacturing and production must now develop new methods and procedures in order to comply.

This includes the packaging industry. In recent years, suppliers have made great strides in the development of innovative products that are more environmentally friendly. One such product is plastic corrugated, a durable material designed to replace the conventional paper, or cardboard, corrugated products which once dominated the packaging industry. Corrugated plastic is formed when two plastic liners are fused together on either side of a sheet of wavy plastic known as fluting. Together, these three layers create a weather- and chemical-resistant material whose properties offer a superior alternative to traditional packaging methods.

The ways in which plastic corrugated is more environmentally friendly than its cousins paper corrugated are vast. Not only will plastic corrugate outlast paper by 20 to 40 times, but it can also be cleaned with soap and water, to be used again and again. This not only reduces quantities of waste, but also reduces waste disposal costs. Plastic corrugated is also much lighter than its other alternatives, like solid or molded plastic, metal, or wood. This lighter weight means lower shipping costs, which in turn results in the consumption of less fuel during transportation.

In addition, plastic corrugated products, like totes, boxes, and trays, can be made from non-toxic, contaminant-free, all-recycled materials that are in turn 100% recyclable. Plastic corrugated will not pollute workplaces through the emission of dust or sulfur particles, something cardboard corrugated cannot claim. Plastic corrugated also meets green dot requirements in Europe, so it is an ideal product for any manufacturers shipping products outside of the United States.

In a world becoming more aware of environmental concerns like pollution and global warming, it is more important than ever for modern manufacturers to update their business practices in order to comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulations. And in this quest to further protect the environment, plastic corrugated virtually defines what it means to reduce, reuse, and recycle.