Eli5: Fossil fuel prices have been an issue for years, why is plastic still the cheapest material out there?
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Plastic is not, per se, the cheapest material out there. HDPE is apparently around $815 per metric ton. 17lbs for $6.00ish for bulk studs, so that’s around $780 for a metric ton.
The plastic is a bit more expensive, but unlike wood you can make it into whatever shape you want with almost no waste. This means it is very cheap because you don’t have to buy a ton of extra material.
In addition, injection moulding and other plastic forming processes are way faster, saving on labor costs and factory size.
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