Nonmetallics

PLASTICS PATENTS DONATED 

Patents donated by Dow Chemical Co. could benefit researchers who study polymers, including the recycling of polymers, at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y. Three of the patents, all of which are four years old, deal with film technology that protects outdoor plastic products such as house siding. The fourth patent involves technology that protects indoor appliances.

The patents were donated because they no longer applied to Dow Chemical Co.’s long-range plans. “Big companies often wind up with lots of patents in areas they are not going to develop,” Bruce Nauman, an engineering professor who handles patenting and licensing at the school, says in an AP article.

A number of professors at the school deal with polymers and plastic recycling research, making Rensselear Polytechnic Institute well positioned to take advantage of the patents, says Robert Wintermyer, global intellectual asset manager for Dow.

PLASTIC BEER BOTTLES DEFENDED

Many recyclers have expressed concern about the introduction of plastic beer bottles by brewers in certain test markets. At least one of the makers of those bottles is saying its product is recyclable and should not pose a threat to current plastic recycling methods. The possibility also exists that plastic beer bottles will contain recycled plastic content.

Continental PET Technologies Inc. (CPT), a division of Owens-Illinois, Toledo, Ohio, has indicated that it will soon be using about 35% to 40% recycled content, according to Louis Tacito, of Plastics Forming Enterprises, Manchester, N.H. CPT, which has a facility in nearby Bedford, N.H., is producing both clear and amber PET bottles.

Plastics Forming Enterprises has also conducted tests to verify the recyclability of the plastic bottles. Currently, plastic beer bottles are being introduced in several U.S. markets. The bottles, which feature a five layer system that protects the beverage inside, are reported to keep beverages as cold as product in glass bottles and colder than cans. Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, was the first domestic brewer to introduce beer in plastic bottles.