My Knowledge

Week in Review
PUBLISHED 05/05/2008

Environmental Chemist, Forensic Scientist Ask, "What’s In Your Mug?"

Analyzing plastic additives in food contact applications is becoming increasingly important. There is no doubt that plastics are an integral part of our modern lives, but their effects go beyond their desirability for a given purpose and extend into the areas of health and environmental impact. Regulatory agencies and the plastics industry need to work together to help minimize the hazards. As our world becomes more global, the front line responsibility to ensure quality and safety will fall increasingly on the name on the box, rather than on the overseas manufacturer. ...Food Quality Magazine, 5.1.2008
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Medical Tubing: Extracting The Most From Extrusion

Many tools and techniques help extruders meet demanding requirements. As medical devices get smaller and tolerances get tighter, it has become more important than ever for tubing manufacturers to maintain good control over the extrusion process. But smaller dimensions and tighter tolerances also make process control more difficult than ever for extruders. How are manufacturers meeting today’s process-control challenge? ...Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry, 4.30.2008
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Plastic Bag Ban Sacked By Voters

The controversial bylaw article that would have banned plastic bags at the local Shaw’s Supermarket, Stop & Shop and Wal-Mart was defeated last night by a majority vote. Victor Matheson, an environmental economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross, said, “If you look at the accumulated evidence of paper versus plastic, there is not a clear environmental benefit switching from plastic to paper,” Mr. Matheson said. “Paper is in fact more energy-intensive. It also produces more waste. Also, it takes more space in landfill to put in.” ...Telegram & Gazette, 4.30.2008
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Effectiveness Of Plastic Bag Recycling Questioned

The bag wars of the 1980s are over, paper grocery sacks beaten to a pulp by their upstart plastic cousins. But a new plastic bag recycling movement has been hatched. In recent months, Suffolk, New York City and Westchester have all passed voluntary plastic bag recycling measures. Nassau is considering its own version and earlier this month the New York State Assembly passed a similar law. Touted as a way to boost recycling in the absence of curbside bag collection, the measures mirror those already adopted by many grocery chains. Still, little solid evidence exists to show those programs actually work. ...Newsday, 4.28.2008
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Local Wisconsin Manufacturing Economy A Mixed Bag

Freedom Plastics is struggling as never before. On the other side of town, United Alloy just closed the books on another record year. Although national news stories paint the economy in gloomy hues, the vitality of Janesville's manufacturing economy appears mixed. ...The Janesville Gazette, 4.27.2008
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Plant Energy Assessment, Wexco Corporation

By Peter Jones, Wexco Corporation
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EPA And Nanotechnology

By Jim Willis, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
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