Plastic has been an invaluable material for many types of products. Without it, packaging products and storage would be very different. But there are still some instances that plastic storage is not the most efficient or best option. When storage containers that are built to hold a large amount of product are concerned, metal cans have some benefits over plastic containers.
Flammability
In some cases, a plastic container may not be the best option for flammable contents or surroundings. Small amounts of flammable liquids or materials might be just fine in plastic containers. But as the amount of flammable liquid increase, the risk of a large fire can increase. With large amounts of flammable product, metal cans may be a better option. At a certain temperature, a fire will begin to warp or even melt some metals. But it still takes a much longer time and much higher temperature to burn through a metal can in comparison to a plastic container.
Damage
When companies need to store a large amount of product for a longer period of time, plastic is very tempting, especially because some plastic containers are stackable. However, the main argument against plastic containers is that they are more easily damaged than metal cans. If it’s necessary to protect a product from the infestation of pests, there are very few things that can beat metal storage. Some vermin are capable of chewing through thick plastic with time and effort, but it’s not likely, and some would say it’s impossible, for vermin to chew through metal containers to investigate the product inside.
The primary argument against metal cans is their propensity to rust, but if they are kept in a cool, dry area, then there shouldn’t be any issues with rust. Metal is ideal for long-term storage of many types of products.