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Both sides of the plastic bottle battle aired their arguments for and against the PET packaging last week in an article by Packaging Channel Editor Heather Caliendo. On the one side, Erin McNally-Diaz of Corporate Accountability International, opened up with a biting, and common, accusation:Bottled water corporations have attempted to change the way we think about water, which is a basic human right, to make it a commodity.
Tony Deligio
April 29, 2013
3 Min Read
.svg?width=850&auto=webp&quality=95&format=jpg&disable=upscale "The week that was: Highlights and the top 10 most-clicked articles at PlasticsToday April 22-26")
Chris Hogan, VP of communications for the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), fired back:
Frankly, the group that is pushing this, Corporate Accountability International, is very much an anti bottled water group and this is their latest approach trying to attack bottled water. That's not industry spin, it's a pretty clear pattern that they have.
It would seem a truce in this particular fight is some ways off.
Clare Goldsberry was in the Cincinnati area last week, covering the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) ANTEC conference and an open house at plastics equipment supplier Milacron. At Milacron, executives had a positive take on the firm's future, perhaps not surprisingly, but they also gave details as to why the outlook was bright, particularly as recently acquired hot runner technology supplier Mold-Masters is integrated. Milacron CEO Tom Goeke:
What we want is a portfolio of broad-based solutions for our customers. There is no conflict within our customer base between DME and Mold-Masters, as each provides products and services that are specific to their customers' requirements. There are 70,000 moldmakers worldwide, and we want to serve them.
2000 attendees, 528 peer-reviewed technical papers in 35 topic areas, and 108 exhibitors-those were the vital stats for ANTEC 2013. Clare reported on SPE CEO Willem de Vos's vision for the organization, which includes a push to go younger and more global.
There have been no shortage of resin plant startups in the Middle East of late but none for nylon 66, until now. Automotive Channel Editor Stephen Moore reported on the Arabian Chevron Phillips Petrochemical Co. and The Saudi Industrial Investment Group's joint venture, Petrochemical Conversion Company Ltd. In addition to resin capacity, the operation will include conversion of the nylon into auto parts, electrical fittings, and more. The region's reach into downstream markets continues apace as it maps out a post-oil future. From the Middle East to the Far East, Stephen also reported on International Automotive Components (IAC) new auto skin facility in Chongqing, China.
Medical Channel Editor Doug Smock reported from Boston and the CleanMed 2013 event, speaking with Eastman Chemical about its high-purity non-phthalate plasticizers. A Massachusetts resident, Doug has also followed the medical plastics angle of the Boston Marathon bombing, including how plastics will help treat the wounded and how many of those wounded have been transferred to a "green" rehab center, reflective of a broader sustainability push Doug has covered in depth.
An annual growth rate of 15% and a near doubling of the market over the next five years: that gaudy growth is forecast for biodegradable polymers according to a new report covered by our Green Matter editor, Karen Laird. Who's leading the way? Europe, with North America a distant second and Asia lagging behind in third.
Top 10 most-clicked articles April 22-26
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