Change discovered that there are various strategies around the globe that are focusing on making plastics more "green".  Clare Goldsberry in her article, "The Greening of the Plastic Industry" speaks of three different initiatives implemented by companies around the globe to better manage plastics in our ever increasing green environment.

SAINT-GOBIN - ENERGY DEMAND

Saint-Gobin North America contracted Summit Energy Corp. to "help implement and maintain a centrally led energy management program". As, John Marrone, vice president of puchasing for Saint-Gobin North America has said, energy is no longer a stable factor in overhead as it was a decade ago, "Now it is extremely expensive, highly volatile, and has a tremendous impact on profitability." Saint-Gobin North America needed help to maintain their energy costs and in the process also lowered their operational costs.

Saint-Gobin North America is a diversified manufacturing company that includes glass, ceramics and plastics processing. The goal in contracting Summit Energy Corp. was to "help implement and maintain a centrally led energy management program. The program would manage energy demand to create operational efficiencies and include devising procurement solutions to intelligently buy energy". The program would include Saint-Gobin's five objectives: the creation of an energy database (focus would be the collection of information on natural gas and electricity); the assistance in managing procurement more efficiently; implementation of market intelligence; the centralization of natural gas management; and assistance in cutting energy demand.   

Since the inception of the program all efforts appear to have positive effects. John Marrone, even reported that their advances have saved the company from 2 to 5 percent a year. Saint-Gobin reports being satisfied with using "third-party solutions" and state they will continue to do so, thus allowing them the time to "maintain control of our strategic and tactical position".

FOOD - GRADE PET

Three North Carolina State University researchers (Geroge W. Roberts, Saad Khan, and Joan Patterson) have developed a new chemical reprocessing method for PET recyclate that is sure to be revolutionary. Currently, most PET collected for recycling is processed into "fiber, strapping or other non-food applications" however the new reprocessing method allows for the PET to be used in food-contact end products.

For specifics on how the PET reprocessing method works, read the quote below to understand the plastics recycling technology:

The "Key to any future commercial use is that the new process can be run continuously on a twin-screw extruder, as opposed to a batch process. In the extruder the high-molecular-weight PET melt reacts with ethylene glycol, reducing the polymer's molecular weight. Supercritical carbon dioxide helps lowers the viscosity of the polymer even more as it depolymerizes. The end product is in a state between monomer and polymer, called an oligomer; its low viscosity facilitates removal of impurities, and it then can be run through a conventional polyester polymerization process. The researchers believe the same technology could be used to depolymerize post-consumer polycarbonate and polyamide" states Clare Goldsberry in her article, "The Greening of the Plastic Industry". 


PET BOTTLE RECYCLING PILOT PROJECT - GERMANY

Klöckner Pentaplast, a film and sheet processor located in Montabaur, Germany has teamed up with Alba, a garbage collection company in Berlin, Germany to pilot a PET bottle recycling project in Eisenhüttenstadt, Germany. The companies are joining forces to recycle PET bottles (post consumer) into "film for food packaging, thermoforming, and other applications".

It is anticipated that the plant will produce 15,000 tonnes per year of flake. This appears to be a great step towards sustainable business practices and as Klöckner reported is "a voluntary action to fulfill the 36 percent recycling target specified in German waste-packaging regulations". It is anticipated that the "cleaned material" will meet "both domestic and European safety and purity standards".

At Change we agree with Jo Keuzburg, President and COO of Klöckner Pentaplast/Europe, Asia that ""Klöckner Pentaplast is proactively addressing the challenges of resource utilization, environmental impact, and sustainability".

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