My Knowledge

Published August 18, 2008

Business

Industry Tries New Ways To Make Cars Fuel Efficient

Auto suppliers and automakers are building incremental fuel-economy improvements into their vehicles, from the materials they're using to the way their cars move fuel. George Racine, incoming chairman of the plastics division of the American Chemistry Council, said plastic has weight-reduction potential and energy absorption properties that give it an advantage. "Plastics can actually make the vehicle lighter and safer at the same time," Racine said. "Plastic composite materials can absorb six to 12 times more crash energy than steel, but they weigh half as much." Racine said plastic typically accounts for about 8% to 12% of the total weight of the average vehicle and predicted that percentage would grow to about 20% by 2020. ...Detroit Free Press, 8.14.08
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Intertape Polymer Group Reports Strong Second Quarter Results

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. today released results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2008. Intertape Executive Director, Melbourne F. Yull stated: "Intertape has posted strong second quarter results, despite the current difficult North American economic environment and unprecedented increases in commodity prices. Since the beginning of the year, resin-based raw material prices alone have increased the Company's cost of goods sold by approximately $6.2 million. The Company has been successful in recovering much of these increases through a disciplined approach to instituting higher selling prices for its tape and engineered coated products. ...Marketwire Canada, 8.14.2008
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General News

Sustain ’08 Conference Announces Keynote Speaker

Sustain ’08, the plastics industry sustainability summit co-sponsored by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) and Plastics News Global Group, will present Andrew Winston, co-author of the best-selling book "Green to Gold," as its keynote speaker. The conference, scheduled for November 5-7, 2008 in Chicago, will provide plastics executives with the knowledge they need to view sustainability as a strategy toward reducing costs, eliminating waste and maximizing profitability. Winston, whose book is a guide to what works - and what doesn't - when companies go "green," is founder of consulting firm Winston Eco-Strategies. Other speakers at Sustain ’08 [link to http://www.sustain08.com/] will include Robin Kent, founder of Tangram Technology Ltd., which helps plastics processors save money by better managing their energy usage. He will offer an energy-management workshop on November 5th. Kirk Stewart, executive vice president of APCO Worldwide’s corporate communication practice, will be a panelist for a session on marketing sustainability effectively and avoiding claims of “greenwashing.” Stewart previously served as global vice president of corporate communications for Nike, Inc., and was responsible for corporate media relations, crisis management and sustainable development for the athletic shoe company. ...SPI, 8.15.08
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Federal Ban On A Chemical Used In Toys Will Affect Texas Plastic Manufacturers

A recently passed federal ban on a chemical used in children's toys will be felt in Texas, where several major plastics makers have plants that make the chemical. But the impact is likely to be minor here because the legislation is focused on a small portion of the overall market for the chemical. It could also be temporary if the industry can prove the chemical is safe, the companies said. Phthalates are a broad family of chemicals primarily used to make vinyl soft and flexible. In light of tightening restrictions, some chemical makers have been developing non-phthalate plasticizers for use in products where safety concerns have been raised. ...Houston Chronicle, 8.12.08
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Photo Exhibit Reveals How Plastic Bags Haunt Desert

Green Valley couple has begun a grass-roots movement to dig Tucson out of a mountain of plastic bags. The inspiration for the One Less Bag Project came on a brilliant spring day last year when Anna Harrison Griessel and Scott Griessel were driving south of Tucson, enjoying the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. The One Less Bag Project is something that the couple, both filmmakers and photographers, have been thinking about since that day. Their aim is not political. They are not trying to inspire a law like San Francisco adopted, banning the use of plastic bags in grocery stores. Rather, they are hoping to provoke thought and encourage people to make changes on their own. Scott documented the plastic bags marring the desert in a series of photographs that are on display through the end of August at the Rainbow Planet Coffee House. ...The Arizona Daily Star, 8.11.08
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New Technology

Rising Costs Give Grocery Packaging A Nip And Tuck

Consumers might not have noticed, but their bottles of Coke are slimming down: The cap on the 20-ounce bottle is a tad smaller these days -- and 24 percent lighter. Last year, Coke cut plastic intake by 4 million pounds because of the new cap. Kraft Foods' new salad dressing bottles have gone on a diet, as well. They use 19 percent less plastic and take up less space in shipping containers. Seemingly mundane packaging modifications can lead to important cost savings for big food companies, as they grapple with soaring commodity and energy costs. ...Chicago Tribune, 8.14.08
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Whitepapers

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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