Household products

The initial market for electric vehicles is proving that demand for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) exists across the globe. A combination of consumer purchase incentives, rising fossil fuel costs, and exciting new vehicle models is fueling a strong early adopter market.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has been a major target of the environmental activist group Greenpeace for at least 20 years, dating to activism by chemist Michael Braungart. The focal point of Greenpeace was dioxins. The Vinyl Institute was formed in 1982 because of health-related attacks on PVC pipe by the steel industry.

The American Public Health Association (APHA) last week unanimously passed a resolution urging reduced use of polyvinyl chloride in facilities such as hospitals and schools.

The 10-page resolution listed a number of studies indicating problems with PVC and was the latest and strongest move by the association against PVC.

Bisphenol A (BPA) continues to develop as a major public relations problem for the plastics industry. Yesterday's release of a new study about pediatric issues with BPA seemed to create an almost out-of-control publicity streak.

You would be hard pressed to find a low-tech plastics application with more standards applied to it than the food trays used in correctional facilities. Food contact safety? Naturally. But tack on "ease of graffiti removal" and "inability to serve as a weapon" and your simple serving tray becomes a high-end project.

Edward Tam, manager of new strategic initiatives at custom plastics compounder Teknor Apex, will be especially busy at this month's Biopolymers Symposium 2011 in Denver, CO as he makes three presentations, including one on the company's technology for resolving a long-standing property tradeoff that has limited the use of polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic. For processors interested in the event, read on to learn how you can save on your registration fee with PlasticsToday.

Plastics and chemicals supplier BASF has upgraded the company's engineering plastics compounding facility in Pudong, China, so that now two Ultramid polyamide grades are compounded in China under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions which comply with the European Union (EU) and U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for food contact.  

Specifically, the supplier is compounding its polyamide 6.6 grades of Ultramid A3K FC and Ultramid A3EG3 FC (15% glass fiber reinforced) under the stringent GMP conditions at the Pudong facility.

Plastics have taken on wood in the pallet arena for many years now, with injection-molded and thermoformed variants perhaps most visible. Pallets incorporating expanded polystyrene have also made some inroads. Now it's the turn of an interesting combination of polypropylene raffia and formed sheet to take up the challenge.

Nypro announced a four-company joint venture to produce a reusable bottle for multiple consumer products that promises to save 90% in plastics, oil and CO2 emissions. In making the announcement, Nypro said that the reusable bottling system is designed to "revolutionize" the way consumers purchase and use liquid-based products for household use or personal consumption.

A new line of thermoplastic elastomers has been introduced, designed to help processors move away from thermoplastic vulcanizates in applications including automotive parts, appliances, electrical products, healthcare and packaging goods and construction components. The TPEs are said to be better in performance and price.