why is plastics plural

[s.clke]

Below is a quote from Cambridge student book.


Even taking into account the rollercoaster changes in price for recycled plastics, glass and paper, it’s still worth recycling.


Why is only “plastic” plural? Can we say just ‘’plastic’’?
We say “We need to recycle plastic.” (uncountable noun) Is this correct? Or do we have to say “We need to collect plastics?’’


--plastics glass and paper --- when three nouns are together it just looks weird that only “plastic” becomes plural.

 

[riquecohen]

Below is a quote from Cambridge student book.


Even taking into account the rollercoaster changes in price for recycled plastics, glass and paper, it’s still worth recycling.


Why is only “plastic” plural? Can we say just ‘’plastic’’?
We say “We need to recycle plastic.” (uncountable noun) Is this correct? Or do we have to say “We need to collect plastics?’’


--plastics glass and paper --- when three nouns are together it just looks weird that only “plastic” becomes plural.

"Plastics" includes a large group of synthetic substances such as polymers, resins and others. While it is a correct usage, I believe that using the singular here would convey the same meaning to a layperson and would work just as well.

 

[Tdol]

There might be big differences in the prices for individual plastics that are fluctuating more than others.

 

[s.clke]

riquecohen-san & Tdol-san, thank you for your answers. Hmmm...I didn't think there are different types of plastics... In Japanese we also say plastic but I think it's just one thing, same as paper and glass. I don't really think about what type of plastic it is. Are there any different types of paper and glass...? :shock:

 

[SoothingDave]

All of the various plastic bottles and containers (in the US anyway) are marked with a number indicating how they are to be sorted for recycling. In contrast, both glass and paper/cardboard are recycled without any type of sorting system that I am aware of.

 

[Soup]

Why is only “plastic” plural?

See American Plastic: a cultural history (page 1944, second paragraph).

 

[s.clke]

Thank you all.
I may become a plastics expert before I master English...

 

[Tdol]

riquecohen-san & Tdol-san, thank you for your answers. Hmmm...I didn't think there are different types of plastics... In Japanese we also say plastic but I think it's just one thing, same as paper and glass. I don't really think about what type of plastic it is. Are there any different types of paper and glass...? :shock:

But we do have to separate PET bottles- in my building, there's a special bin just for PET.

 

[TheParser]

Below is a quote from Cambridge student book.


Even taking into account the rollercoaster changes in price for recycled plastics, glass and paper, it’s still worth recycling.


Why is only “plastic” plural? Can we say just ‘’plastic’’?
We say “We need to recycle plastic.” (uncountable noun) Is this correct? Or do we have to say “We need to collect plastics?’’


--plastics glass and paper --- when three nouns are together it just looks weird that only “plastic” becomes plural.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) May I add to the great posts that you have already received and

to the outstanding link given to us by VIP Member Soap.

(2) Of course, this dunce cannot link, so I shall quote from a Google

book entitled Training in Plastics Technology, published in 2000 by Messrs.

Michaeli, Greiff, Wolters, and Vosseburger:


The use of the plural "plastics" instead of the singular "plastic"

indicates that we are dealing with a variety of materials that can

differ markedly in processibility or in their reactions to the influence

of heat.

 

[s.clke]

But we do have to separate PET bottles- in my building, there's a special bin just for PET.

I know about PET bottle bins but I haven’t thought about the reason why they need to be thrown away separately. (Maybe they are reused as they are..!?)
If you think about different types of paper such as tissue paper, A4 copy paper and biodegradable paper, can we say “papers”??
To me singular-plural and countable-uncountable are always a headache…:-?

 

[s.clke]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) May I add to the great posts that you have already received and

to the outstanding link given to us by VIP Member Soap.

(2) Of course, this dunce cannot link, so I shall quote from a Google

book entitled Training in Plastics Technology, published in 2000 by Messrs.

Michaeli, Greiff, Wolters, and Vosseburger:


The use of the plural "plastics" instead of the singular "plastic"

indicates that we are dealing with a variety of materials that can

differ markedly in processibility or in their reactions to the influence

of heat.

Thank you. I now have a certificate in plastics studies. I have switched my focus to paper and glass…!

 

[Tdol]

I know about PET bottle bins but I haven’t thought about the reason why they need to be thrown away separately. (Maybe they are reused as they are..!?)

I was told that it's easy to recycle PET. And this article seems to agree: PET bottle recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you think about different types of paper such as tissue paper, A4 copy paper and biodegradable paper, can we say “papers”??
To me singular-plural and countable-uncountable are always a headache…:-?

Yes you can because there you have three different types, uncountable individually, but countable as types. I think that singular/plural is one of the trickiest areas in English; I understand your headache. We have so many questions and discussions here about this.

 

[Soup]

A4 copy paper and biodegradable paper, can we say “papers”?

Still singular in that context, I believe, but in other contexts plural "papers" is used;e.g., the Sunday papers (newspaper); (rolling) papers, as in cigarettes.

 

[s.clke]

I was told that it's easy to recycle PET. And this article seems to agree: PET bottle recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Yes you can because there you have three different types, uncountable individually, but countable as types. I think that singular/plural is one of the trickiest areas in English; I understand your headache. We have so many questions and discussions here about this.

Thank you for the link. It was a little bit difficult but I learnt something about PET bottles. The word ''PET'' is actually English... I thought it's a word some Japanese made up... ;-)
I see. if I am talking about types it's countable just like; there are three types of ''cheeses''.

 

[s.clke]

Still singular in that context, I believe, but in other contexts plural "papers" is used;e.g., the Sunday papers (newspaper); (rolling) papers, as in cigarettes.

Thank you. People seem to have different opinions...:?:
Plural & singular is so complicated...:-?

 

[Tdol]

I see. if I am talking about types it's countable just like; there are three types of ''cheeses''.

Yes, though I would probably say that they sell many types of cheese but they sell many different cheeses, though others may handle things differently. ;-).

 

[s.clke]

Yes, though I would probably say that they sell many types of cheese but they sell many different cheeses, though others may handle things differently. ;-).

I see... many types of cheese and many different cheeses - I will make a note of it. Thank you.