Nonmetallics Department

PET RESIN PRODUCTION GROWS TO MEET DEMAND

Polyethylene terephthalate resins are gaining market share in packaging and other markets based on characteristics such as light weight, excellent clarity, good barrier properties and recyclability, according to The Freedonia Group, Cleveland. The firm predicts that PET demand in North America will increase 10 percent annually to 6 billion pounds in the year 2000. Blow-molded bottles will present the greatest opportunities, particularly small contoured carbonated soft drink and hot-fill bottles, due to cost and performance advantages over glass and metal.

Dual-ovenable and food trays will drive gains in extruded PET, as a result of the high heat resistance and low cost of crystallizable PET and the good clarity of amorphous PET. Injection molded PET will remain at low volumes due to specialized applications in demanding areas such as electronic components and under-the-hood motor vehicle parts.

WEYERHAEUSER ASSUMES PAPER RECYCLING ACCOUNTS

Weyerhaeuser Co., Federal Way, Wash., has assumed paper recycling accounts of printers, businesses and 95 schools in Oklahoma City from Midland Recycling. Weyerhaeuser will add the accounts to its operations in Oklahoma City while Midland will focus its growth in Tulsa, Okla. Weyerhaueser has operated its own facility in Oklahoma City for nearly 20 years.

OHIO COMPANIES USE VINYL SCRAP

Environmental Plastics Inc., Columbus, Ohio, is manufacturing water troughs and animal bird cages from 60 percent to 90 percent recycled-content vinyl. Company officials say that vinyl helps prevent disease or bacteria from settling into surfaces, a common problem with porous wood and metal cages. EPI is also promoting recycled-content noise barriers, picnic tables and benches for Ohio highway and parks projects.

Another Columbus business, Crane Plastics Co., produces sea walls that contain almost 90 percent recycled vinyl. The sea walls are popular because they do not rot or leach.

PILOT POLYSTYRENE PROGRAM LAUNCHED

A pilot polystyrene recycling program has been launched that allows the more than 120,000 residents of Smithtown, N.Y., to recycle their polystyrene food service products – mainly protective packaging. USA Recycling of Kings Park, N.Y., is participating in the pilot program as the drop-off collection site for residentially-generated polystyrene.

"Keeping the contamination levels low is a key priority during the pilot program," says Tony Leteri of USA Recycling. "Since contamination has a direct impact on costs, consumers must rinse all food service products and keep foreign objects out of their packaging materials. This program will allow us to determine the costs of receiving, processing and marketing polystyrene generated from a residential drop-off center."

BFI ALLIES WITH CRUMB RUBBER MAKER

Browning-Ferris Industries, Houston, has made an exclusive agreement through its BFI Tire Recyclers of Georgia subsidiary in Jackson, Ga., to supply scrap tires to Greenman Technologies, headquartered in Lynnfield, Mass. Greenman is currently building a crumbing facility near BFI’s Jackson site that will use cryogenic technology to embrittle tire materials into their steel, fiber and rubber components.

BFI claims that, with its other facilities in Illinois and Minnesota, it is the largest scrap tire recycling services company in the United States. Greenman manufactures and markets recycled-content rubber and plastic products for industrial and consumer end uses.

SONOCO EXPANDS BAG RECYCLING PROGRAM

Sonoco’s High Density Film Products Division, Hartsville, S.C., a leading producer of plastic bags, and Plastics Products Inc., a Schaumburg, Ill.-based recycler and converter, are joining forces to streamline plastic bag collection and recycling.

Under the agreement, plastic bags deposited by shoppers at in-store collection sites supported by Sonoco will be shipped to Plastic Products’ Utica, N.Y., recycling facility. In addition to selling the plastic regrind, Plastic Products will use it in numerous end products, including plastic pallets, lumber, fencing, dock and deck materials, and a variety of landscape products.