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Tamper-proof packaging a major pain

By GEORGI DAVIS
Published August 7, 2006

Many years ago, some degenerate decided to tamper with a bottle of Tylenol. I believe the incident occurred in Chicago, which is really of no importance. What is important is that this started a packaging revolution. Today, among the only things you can buy that are not tamper-proof are sheets and towels. Everything else is carefully packaged for our protection or for the protection of the product.

We are all aware of those plastic medicine containers that are now childproof. You must press down and twist before you can get to those valuable pills. Lighters have also become childproof. Some have little buttons that you must push down while trying to light the lighter. This can be very difficult, so most lighter users remove the buttons. I do believe they did away with most of these because they were too difficult to use.

In order to enjoy my cottage cheese, mayonnaise, margarine or other food delights, I must first remove the plastic that goes around the top of the container. Then I must remove the tin foil cover under the plastic cover. Now I can savor the delicious taste of this healthy product.

Some containers are now made for quicker opening. Take for instance a soup can. Soup now comes in a can with a tab on the top. You simply pull back the tap and the lid rips off. The problem with this is that the lid has some very sharp edges. I feel like I have to wear protective clothing, especially on my hands and wrists, before opening the can. I wonder how many people have been injured by this new device?

Even my ketchup and mustard are now tamper-roof. I usually buy the type that you squeeze or pour out. You just flip the little lid and squeeze. However, nothing comes out until you remove the lid, remove the tin foil safety cap then replace the lid. Only then you can put a little spice on your sandwich or french fries - excuse me, deep fried potatoes.

I purchased some bars of luxury soap last week. First I removed the plastic wrapping, then I opened the cardboard box beneath the plastic. The soap inside was also incased in plastic. Once I did away with all these wrappings, then I could finally use the soap.

The packaging I can't understand covers little tart candles that I use in my electric room freshener. They are sealed in plastic, I assume, to keep the fragrance fresh. However, I need a pair of scissors to get to the candle. By the time I cut into the wrapping, the candle has broken off and I don't have as much fragrance left as I started with.

The packaging that really gets me: those hard plastic containers fused around a product. I brought home a new curling iron that was incased as described. This is another packaging device that requires major surgery to remove and could possibly injure the person trying to remove the product. When cutting through the plastic, I have discovered that the edges are as sharp of those on the can lids mentioned above. Again I must wear protective gear to get to the product.

Now I am sure that all of these manufacturers think they are doing us a favor. I wonder how much less the products would cost if we didn't have so much packaging. Save a tree. Save the environment. Get rid of all this packaging.

I couldn't close without mentioning the post office. I have discovered that when sending a package to my relatives up North, the post office requires that I encase the package in sealing tape so that the wrapping doesn't get caught in the machine that the package goes through. My relatives love the yards and yards of tape that they must cut through to get to the little gift I sent.

I have decided that since packaging is so important, when I pass on, I want to be encased in plastic. I can be kept at my children's homes. They can stand me up for holiday dinners and pass me around from home to home for different holidays or special occasions. This will keep them from missing me and save them burial expenses. There must be hundreds of creative ways we can think of to use all of these packaging ideas. If I think of some more, I'll let you know.

Thought for the day: It isn't the gift or the product that counts, it's how it's wrapped. Some of us are wrapped tighter than others.

[Last modified August 6, 2006, 21:04:51]