La RD Congo interdit les sacs en plastique
(Agence Ecofin) - Selon le quotidien de Kinshasa, Le Potentiel, l'importation, la production et la commercialisation des sacs en plastique sont désormais interdites en RDC. Le
gouvernement exige sur toute l’étendue du territoire des emballages en matières biodégradables.
Après le Gabon, le Maroc, le Mali, et bien d’autres pays africains, c’est au tour de la République démocratique du Congo de faire la guerre aux sacs plastiques.
La décision, qui a été rendue publique ce 19 juillet 2012, par le ministre de l'Industrie et des PME, Remy Musungayi vise à «préserver l'environnement et d'améliorer les conditions de vie des populations».
«C'est compte tenu de la pollution créée par les sachets que je me suis fait accompagner par le gouverneur de la ville de Kinshasa, le mois passé, pour demander aux opérateurs
économiques d'arrêter de commercialiser et même d'importer les intrants qui servent dans la fabrication des sachets», a déclaré le ministre.
Biowert launches grass-based bio-plastic By Charlotte Eyre
Posted 20 July 2012
Germany-based Biowert is using grass from local farmers to make a new range of zero environmental impact products, including a bio-plastic.
The company has created AgriPlastic, a bio-plastic which the company claims is 25% lighter than competing materials.
Biowert is now working with JSP, another manufacturer of sustainable materials, to develop its products.
JSP spokesperson Gary Carr said AgriPlast is created by combining meadow grass (produced during normal crop rotation) and recycled plastic, which can come from a number of polymer types including PP, PE and PET.
“AgriPlast BW plastic granules are 40-75% cellulose fibres, obtained from grasses, and 25- 60% polyethylene or polypropylene (ndlr = !!! pas terrible au final),” he told European Plastics News. “[The] granules are free-flowing and can be processed into moulded components such as spoons, brackets, machine cases, and protective caps.”
The company says AgriPlast is ideal for injection moulding because of its excellent ease of flow. This enables high cycle times, even when manufacturing complex moulded parts.
The resulting moulded parts are up to 20 % lighter than the same components made of 10%
polyethylene or polypropylene, said Carr.
Biowert has so far concentrated sales in the DACH countries (Germany, Austria and
Switzerland but “the new website in German, English and French is part of a broader view of supplying further afield in Europe”, he added.
Biotech Innovator Reveals Commercial Ready 100%
Biodegradable Plastic
Tamarisk releases yet another disruptive technology with its introduction of 100-30 Bio Plastic. 100-30 ana-plastisizer (ndlr: très probablement à base d’alginates – voir brevet WO 2010135494 (A1) dans la bibliothèque Serpbio) is the first inexpensive absolute biodegradable plastic to reach commercialization.
"Non-Toxic 100% Biodegradable Plastic manufactured at less than half the cost of that of current industry practice."
Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) July 20, 2012
Executive President Alisa DeBrouse of Tamarisk Technologies LLC, recognized recently for it’s release of a successful oral insulin formulation, unveiled yet another disruptive technology on Monday July 16th 2012, this time aimed at revolutionizing Plastic Technologies, and Tamarisk' readiness to commercialize a unique biopolymer-based technology the company has been privately developing.
"Our work here is nearly done. We have successfully developed a multi-purpose Non-Toxic 100 percent biodegradable plastic for less than half the production cost of traditional plastics,"
said Alisa DeBrouse in Mondays executive address. Tamarisk's plastic formulation is produced from widely available and inexpensive natural monomers, which are processed at room temperature into a number of functional matrixes.
For years, the plastics industry has sought the development of an inexpensive biodegradable plastic material with very limited success. Although, corn and potato starch formulations once offered new possibilities, many soon realized it was not quite the solution the industry had been searching for. Not only did they discover the expense of starch processing to be far too excessive for making such technologies common practice, in comparison to traditional plastic processing practices, but also the plastic matrixes derived did not actually meet the standards of "true" biodegradability. Plastic ware, for example, made from cornstarch, takes more than 5 years to biodegrade once buried in soil, and furthermore, the matrix does not degrade 100%.
Soon, the industry turned to cellulose slurries in hopes of resolving a biodegradable plastic.
However, attempts, once again, failed to provide a plastic of desired properties. The next concept involved the development of enzyme technologies, which could be fused within
starch and/or cellulose plastics to assist in biodegradation upon contact with soil.
Unfortunately, this too has fallen short and failed to provide a plastic of desired attributes, properties, and biodegradability essential to revolutionize the industry standards.
Although a number of companies with good intentions are committed to the “Go Green”
concept and have started taking steps to make moderate improvements, most do not even consider the possibility of 100 percent degradability, much less within 30 days of soil submersion. However, this new technology at Tamarisk Technologies may very well set the bar higher for standards of plastic manufacturers around the world. Tamarisk’s new 100/30 ana-Plasticizer is said to be the first enviro-friendly “functional” plastic matrix, biodegrading 100 percent within 30 days of submersion within soil. Benefits of this new plastic include:
Tensile Strength
3040psi (1mm Thin Film)
Elongation 33 percent
Water Uptake. Less than one percent.
Injection Molding.
1 step room temperature
Cure Time. Less than 30 Seconds at room temperature
Shelf Stability. Real time 5 years and ongoing.
Aerobics . 100 percent resistant to aerobic microbes
Anaerobes Susceptible within soil
Promotes Soil Health
100 percent used as nutrient by micro flora
All-in-One Same backbone for ridgid or flexible
Advanced
Manufacturing.
Green Processing. Formulations Available.
Utility: May be used in the production of or replacement of bags, wraps, bottles, cups, plates and many other plastic products others. Produced by a natural Sol-Gelled process and listed as GRAS with FDA.
For more information regarding Tamarisk’s 100/30 ana-Plasticizer and other opportunities, visit http://www.tamarisktechnologies.com or contact Chris Lapoma at (405) 279-1250 ext.
222.
«
Il faut commencer par produire les sachets bios au Togo »
lundi 23 juillet 2012 par Jacques GANYRA, La Rédaction AfriSCOOP à Lomé ©
Donald Sodji, directeur d’« Ecologic-Togo »
(Malgré un arsenal législatif désormais répressif contre l’utilisation de sachets plastiques non bio-dégradables sur le sol togolais, rien ne semble y empêcher la commercialisation de ces plastiques. L’exécutif du Togo avait pris en janvier 2011 « un décret fixant les modalités de gestion des sachets et emballages plastiques sur son territoire ». Cette mesure « met fin sans ambages à la production, l’importation, la distribution et la commercialisation des sachets et autres emballages plastiques non biodégradables ».
Un moratoire de six mois avait été accordé aux opérateurs économiques importateurs et de neuf mois aux producteurs de ces sachets et emballages plastiques pour se conformer aux dispositions précitées. Donald Sodji, directeur d’« Ecologic-Togo », une société qui promeut l’utilisation de plastiques écologiques en République togolaise expose les difficultés qu’il rencontre dans le rôle de pionnier en matière de jumelage de business et de préservation de l’environnement dans son pays.
AfriSCOOP : Quelle est l’urgence de mettre des sachets plastiques écologiques à la disposition des Togolais ?
Donald Sodji : L’interdiction du gouvernement constitue une bonne raison de commercialiser des sachets oxo-biodégradables. Nous ne nous conformons qu’à la loi en vigueur. De plus, les sachets plastiques simples et polluants tels que commercialisés aujourd’hui sont un danger pour l’avenir de notre environnement. En effet, l’usage des sachets plastiques est ancré dans les habitudes de consommation des Togolais depuis belle lurette ; le Togolais utilise en moyenne 5 sachets par jour ; or après usage, ces sachets sont abandonnés dans la nature et contribuent fortement à la pollution environnementale.
AfriSCOOP : Qu’est-ce qui fait la singularité de vos sachets plastiques ?
Donald Sodji : Le sachet plastique en général est fabriqué avec des résidus de pétrole et du goudron ; ces matières composées essentiellement de carbone et d’hydrogène mettent 400 à 500 années pour complètement se dégrader et disparaître dans la nature ; ils constituent la majeure partie de la pollution visuelle, organique et chimique des sols. Le sachet
biodégradable quant à lui reçoit au cours de son processus de fabrication un additif « d2w » qui lui permet de se dégrader entre 16 et 18 mois maximum, une fois qu’il est au contact de l’air, de la lumière et de la chaleur.
AfriSCOOP : Il est difficile de danser et de s’apprécier ; mais, quelle lecture faites-vous de la vente des sachets « Ecologic-Togo » sur le marché ?
Donald Sodji : Depuis que l’utilisation des sachets plastiques biodégradables est
recommandée, la vente peine à décoller car beaucoup d’utilisateurs ne cessent de se plaindre du prix élevé des sachets. Nous vendons à perte parce qu’au-delà du profit, nous avons aussi un but social. Celui de contribuer à la protection de notre environnement.
AfriSCOOP : Quels sont à ce titre les principaux goulots d’étranglement qui empêchent un parfait écoulement de vos produits et que faites-vous pour y remédier ?
Donald Sodji : Il faut que les consommateurs comprennent que ces goulots d’étranglement sont indépendants de notre volonté. Au titre de ces écueils, nous avons les taxes. Les sachets oxo-biodégradables que nous commercialisons ne sont pas fabriqués au Togo ; nous les importons. « Ecologic-Togo » en tant qu’entreprise privée paye pour cela des taxes douanières et à cela, il faut ajouter le cout du fret maritime qui est lui aussi élevé.
Toutes choses qui rendent nos sachets peu compétitifs en matière de prix et non par rapport à la qualité, en comparaison des sachets plastiques polluants que l’on retrouve sur le marché local. Nous pouvons parler en outre des entreprises de la Zone franche qui, parce que bénéficiant d’avantages liés à leur statut, ne payent pas de taxes. Leur prix de vente est naturellement moins que le nôtre.
Pour remédier à tous ces maux, je crois qu’il faut commencer par produire les sachets bios sur le sol togolais. Et pour cela, je lance un appel aux entreprises de la Zone Franche d’en faire de même. Cela réduirait les prix et aiderait l’Etat togolais dans sa lutte contre les sachets
plastiques non biodégradables.
AfriSCOOP : En dehors du cadre togolais, n’est-il pas envisageable pour votre société d’exporter dans la sous-région ouest-africaine ?
Donald Sodji : Oui, nous vendons les sachets « Ecologic-Togo » au Bénin, au Burkina, au Congo-Brazzaville et au Gabon.
AfriSCOOP : Malgré vos explications et les assurances données par le gouvernement pour accélérer le retrait des stocks de plastiques non écologiques du marché, rien ne semble inverser la tendance de la vente de ces contenants. Que faire ?
Donald Sodji : Ecoutez : je veux bien croire que nous sommes dans un pays de droit et nul n’est au dessus de la loi ; il faudrait que le gouvernement tape du point sur la table et prenne des mesures répressives contre tous ceux-là qui vont à l’encontre de la loi, car nul n’a le droit de faire passer ses intérêts personnels avant ceux de l’Etat.
AfriSCOOP : Vous commercialisez un produit écologique. Quelles sont les avancées dont disposent les pays de la sous-région sur le Togo en matière de commercialisation de sachets qui protègent la nature ?
Donald Sodji : Je crois que le Togo dépasse de beaucoup les pays de la sous-région. On a au moins le mérite d’avoir un texte de loi qui interdit la fabrication, l’importation et la
commercialisation des emballages non biodégradables ; c’est une avancée majeure, mais maintenant, dotons-nous des moyens de notre politique.
AfriSCOOP : Pour ne rien arranger à ce tableau, on assiste à une contrefaçon des produits que vous commercialisez. Quel état des lieux peut-on dresser de cette piraterie ?
Donald Sodji : C’est vraiment regrettable, mais nul n’est à l’abri de ce fléau. Sur le marché, vous trouverez des sachets de couleur blanche comme les nôtres et ces mafieux vous diront que ce sont des sachets biodégradables ; ce n’est pas le fait d’être blanc qui rend ces sachets biodégradables. Le plastique biodégradable d’« Ecologic-Togo » est de couleur blanche ; il porte à sa base gauche le logo « Ecologic » imprimé en vert et à sa base droite le logo de l’additif « d2w » qui a servi à sa fabrication, lui aussi imprimé en vert.
AfriSCOOP : Un appel à lancer peut-être ?
Donald Sodji : Nous déplorons le fait que des mesures d’accompagnement ne soient pas prises au niveau des autorités pour faire respecter le texte de loi précité, car malgré
l’interdiction, les industriels de la Zone franche continuent toujours par produire les sachets non biodégradables au nez et à la barbe du gouvernement.
Je tiens en outre à dire à nos clients de ne pas se laisser décourager par le prix ; nous accordons des remises, jusqu’à 30% sur le prix de vente ! De plus, ils ne perdront pas du moment où le consommateur comprend qu’acheter nos sachets oxo-biodégradables est plus économique car ces sachets sont plus résistants (le plus petit peut contenir plus de 3 kg) et ne sont pas cancérogènes.
Bannissement des sacs plastiques : cause environnementale dérisoire ?
mercredi 25 juillet 2012 Packbec Yezza islem
(Ndlr : on a le droit de ne pas être d’accord du tout !!!)
Depuis plusieurs années, un peu partout dans le monde, les sacs en plastiques sont mis à l’index, accusés d’être un terrible fléau environnemental dont le symbole ultime est le terrible 6ème continent formé par un vortex de déchets essentiellement plastiques flottant au centre du Pacifique.
Au Québec, il paraîtrait que la taxe de 5 cent a porté ses fruits et que les consommateurs seraient de plus en plus nombreux à utiliser les sacs réutilisables. Et tout le monde s’en félicite.
Selon une étude (ici) présentée lundi par le ministre du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs, Pierre Arcand, les Québécois ont réduit de 52 % leur utilisation de sacs d'emplettes à usage unique entre 2007 et 2010.
Mais est-ce vraiment un geste vert dont on doit s’enorgueillir quand on sait que…? : - Les sacs représenteraient seulement 1 % des matières envoyées aux sites d’enfouissement dans
lesquels le problème n’est pas le plastique inerte mais les matières putrescibles.
- L’une des alternatives qu’on nous propose, le sac biodégradable ne fait toujours pas la preuve de sa valeur ajoutée ni de son innocuité environnementale. Pire, les centres de tri, les accusent de contaminer la chaîne du recyclage et nous demande de les jeter aux rebus, bref de les destiner à l’enfouissement.
- Le véritable problème est celui du suremballage qui est bien plus dommageable.
- Le souci environnemental c'est moins le sac en lui-même que le comportement inconsidéré de certains consommateurs qui jettent les sacs n'importe où.
- Encourager l’usage du sac réutilisable est une politique de petits-pas qui ne cause pas de débat politique risqué, et qui contente ceux qui veulent se donner bonne conscience…c’est peut être bien, mais c’est trop peu, surtout pour les entreprises de la distribution qui souhaitent développer une image éco-responsable. On parlera de véritables efforts lorsque l’éco- conception des emballages sera généralisée.
Le sac plastique c’est un peu un non problème pour lequel on a trouvé une solution.
USPTO Grants Patent to Cereplast for its PLA-based High Heat Resistant Polymer Compositions
SpecialChem - Jul 27, 2012
(ndlr.: brevet dans la bibliothèque SERPBIO)
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., -- Cereplast, Inc., a leading manufacturer of proprietary biobased, sustainable bioplastics, recently announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted the Company patent protection for high heat resistant polymer compositions having polylactic acid (PLA). USPTO-issued patent 8,222,320 expands Cereplast's growing intellectual property portfolio and protects the composition formulation invented by Cereplast Chairman and CEO Mr. Frederic Scheer and Mr. William E. Kelly of the Cereplast R&D team.
PLA has limitations in terms of melt strength and heat resistance, which has restricted its use for high temperature applications. In contrast, Cereplast's high heat PLA compositions can be industrially compostable and can retain their structural properties at temperatures greater than 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).
Scheer stated, "This new patent strengthens the Company's leadership position in the bioplastics industry by protecting our intellectual property, and is in line with our long-term
growth strategy as we continue to create grades of bioplastic resin that meet the demands of the marketplace."
Littering plastic may get you fined 5,000 rupees
( ndlr: 73 €)
TNN Jul 21, 2012
PORVORIM: Littering plastic may soon get you fined 5,000 rupees or have you spend a month in jail.
Environment minister Alina Saldanha on Friday said the government intends to make littering and dumping of plastic in public places punishable by a fine of 5,000 rupees and
imprisonment of one month which can be extended or both.
She was replying to a resolution moved by Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco seeking a ban on the use of plastic bags in the state and their replacement by jute or biodegradable plastic bags. The resolution also sought a government subsidy for the
manufacture of the bags. Saldanha also said the penalty would be doubled for a person caught a second time.
She assured Lourenco that his suggestions will be appropriately analyzed by the working and monitoring committee and that the government will analyze the source of availability of jute and biodegradable plastic and cost involved in manufacturing such bags.
Speaking on his motion, Lourenco said the government should involve local self-help groups to manufacture jute bags.
Saldanha said the suggestion will be examined and the government is determined to execute an action plan after the monsoon. She said the subsidy to manufacture biodegradable plastic bags will be studied and the government is committed to phase out plastic bags over a period of three years. She added that the government will conduct a sensitization programme to create public awareness.
Taking part in the discussion, chief minister Manohar Parrikar commended Lourenco for the suggestion and said the government could find a company to advertise on the biodegradable plastic bags thus subsidizing their production. On this assurance the resolution was
withdrawn.
McDonald's launches pilot program to drop polystyrene coffee cups
By Conrad MacKerron Published March 21, 2012
McDonald's has just announced a major environmental initiative: The company is launching a pilot program to phase out polystyrene beverage cups (McD's long ago gave up Styrofoam for its food packaging, but hot beverages have still been served in polystyrene).
The move comes in response to a 2011 shareholder resolution [PDF] by As You Sow, which asked the company to re-evaluate the use of foam cups. The company recently informed us it is testing replacement of polystyrene with a double-walled paper hot cup at approximately 2,000 of its restaurants in the U.S., primarily on the West Coast -- that represents nearly 15 percent its U.S. restaurants.
The shareholder proposal received the support of nearly 30 percent of total company shares voted, a high result for an environmental issue proposal, and the highest vote to date for any As You Sow proposal on recycling.
The ongoing controversy about the environmental impacts of polystyrene led McDonald's to phase out foam-based clamshell food containers amid concerns that petroleum-based food packaging that persists in the environment for hundreds of years after use.
Over the next decade, McDonald's eliminated more than 300 million pounds of packaging and reduced restaurant waste by 30 percent, saving an estimated $6 million per year. It is now one of the largest purchasers of recycled paper, used in its food containers, bags, and napkins.
Polystyrene is controversial because the International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined that styrene, used to make polystyrene, is a possible human carcinogen. In 2009, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment proposed that styrene be listed as a known human carcinogen.
Last June, styrene was listed as a possible carcinogen by the National Institutes of Health's National Toxicology Program. Several epidemiologic studies suggest an association between occupational styrene exposure and an increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma.
Polystyrene is not widely recycled. The Environmental Protection Agency's annual report on solid waste recycling lists polystyrene cup recycling as "negligible." Foam particles are among the most common items found by environmental groups leading beach cleanups. Foam cups and containers break into small pieces that are easily blown in all directions by the wind.
Carried through storm drains to the ocean, foam containers break down into small indigestible pellets which animals perceive as food, resulting in the death of birds and fish. Due to such concerns, more than 50 cities in California and 100 cities in the U.S. have banned or restricted the use of polystyrene food packaging.
The objective of the McDonald's pilot is to assess customer acceptance, operational impact, and overall performance of the paper cups. The hope is that the company will make the switch to paper cups permanent and expand it to all of its restaurants. Also, given its history of using high levels of recycled content in other food packaging, we hope that it begins to use recycled content in the paper cups and establishes a robust recycling program for both post-consumer waste left in its restaurants.
Our focus on McDonald's is part of a larger initiative asking all companies that put packaging on the market to take full responsibility for post-consumer collection and recycling through implementation of extended producer responsibility policies. To be able to accomplish this, companies need to shift to more recyclable materials and to accept financial responsibility for post-consumer collection and recycling.
In recent years, McDonald's has challenged Starbucks' dominance of the away from home premium coffee market. It's time for an eco-rivalry as well: can the Golden Arches match the Seattle company's commitment to recycle all post-consumer beverage cups left it its stores -- be they paper, foam or polypropylene? Will it also offer discounts for using reusable mugs?
Dunkin' Donuts, which also serves hot beverages in foam cups, announced last fall that it was considering alternatives. In its latest CSR report, the company states:
We realize that the most prominent sustainability issue we must deal with is our Dunkin' Donuts foam cup. While there is currently no single-use hot beverage cup on the market that meets our criteria for performance cost and recyclability, we are committed to solving this and other packaging issues, by working with our industry partners, manufacturers and material engineering researchers. In addition, we have initiated a variety of in-store tests including reusable mug programs and recycling programs for everything from cups to coffee grounds.
As You Sow will be approaching other competitors including Yum! Brands, Tully's, and Peets to ask them to recycle the cups left in their stores. This is one of many crucial steps needed to promote sustainable production and consumption of consumer goods as we work to accommodate 9 billion people who will be living on Earth by 2050.
City council again considers plastic-bag ban
Story last updated at 3:28 PM on Wednesday, July 25, 2012 By Michael Armstrong
Staff Writer
The Homer City Council passed on first-reading a proposed law that would ban sellers from providing disposable plastic shopping bags. The ordinance was one of several ordinances introduced at the meeting Monday night that will go up for a public hearing and final action at the council's next meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 13.
Introduced by council members David Lewis and Beau Burgess, if passed, the law would prohibit sellers from providing customers with a plastic bag not intended or suitable for continuous reuse. The ban also would apply to material marketed as biodegradable or
compostable that is less than 2.25 mils thick. A mil is equivalent to .0001 inches. The purpose of the ordinance is "to decrease the use of disposable plastic shopping bags" because the use
"creates burdens on the local solid waste disposal system and degrades the environment."
The law would not apply to plastic bags sold for the collection of waste, produce and newspaper bags, bags used to contain dampness or leaks from frozen or wet goods, bags to package bulk items and baking goods, and bags containing prescription drugs.
In a public comment period on matters on the agenda, no one spoke against the ordinance, with several praising it.
"It's a great step for the city and it's a really good idea," said Rachel Lord.
In 2009, Lewis had proposed a 25-cent fee for plastic bags, but withdrew the ordinance after public opposition.
In other action, Lewis also introduced an amendment to a mid-year budget appropriation that would give a $10,000 grant to the Homer Hockey Club to buy new batteries for its Zamboni ice grooming machine. Mayor James Hornaday broke a 3-3 tie in favor of the amendment.
Council member Francie Roberts said she voted against the Zamboni battery appropriation because she didn't think a mid-year appropriation was the time to give grants to nonprofit organizations. "I would be very wary of doing that in the future," she said.
The amendment was made to an ordinance appropriating $14,310 for new tablet devices and software, $5,000 for harbor float repairs, $33,600 for new library software and $50,000 for a new Public Works steamer boiler unit to thaw frozen culverts. The ordinance passed on first reading and goes up for public hearing and final action at the next council meeting.
The mid-year appropriations were part of a packet of ordinances proposed by Homer City Manager Walt Wrede after an unanticipated surplus due to sales tax revenues caused by high fuel prices and revenue from a jail service contract. One ordinance pays off several energy funds and another adds $544,280 to depreciation reserves. Those ordinances also passed on first reading and go up for public hearing and final action at the next council meeting.
Burgess asked that the $14,310 appropriation for tablet computers be separated from the main ordinance. The appropriation would purchase tablet computers such as the Apple iPad for use by council members to receive email and view council documents. To consolidate email and protect council member's private computers in case of a court action seizing them, the city has recommended council members correspond using city email addresses set up on tablets.
In a memo to the council, Systems Manager Nick Poolos estimated the city would save
$23,000 in five years by going digital and not printing the phone-book size council packets.
This week's packet, for example, is 350 pages long and printed on both sides.
Burgess objected to purchasing tablets because he thought the same goals could be
accomplished at a lower cost. On a 5-1 vote, with Burgess voting against, the appropriation passed on first reading.
In other action, the council:
• In response to a petition by Paul Banks Elementary School parents, revised the sign code to allow changeable copy signs in the zoning district that includes the school as well as other districts;
• Accepted a $448,116 state grant to rebuild the Beluga Slough Trail;
• Appropriated $30,000 to relocate the Mariner Park entrance on the Homer Spit away from a corner;
• Excluded a lot owned by Don and Donna Rae Faulkner from the Ocean Drive Loop seawall special service district;
• Accepted the donation of two paintings by Homer artist Gaye Wolfe to the city;
• Accepted a state grant of $4.2 million for ramp and harbor improvements;
• Passed a resolution expanding the scope of work by the Port and Harbor Improvement Committee to consider upgrading the Port and Harbor Building.
• Passed resolutions noting the insufficiency of petitions to create an Ocean Drive Loop paving improvement district and a Kachemak Drive Phase III Water and Sewer improvement district.
Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.
Carbon Neutral Biodegradable Plastic Enclosures From OKW
Electronics companies working hard to reduce their carbon footprint are choosing new biodegradable plastic enclosures from OKW. OKW now offers its design-oriented standard plastic enclosures in a carbon neutral bioplastic material as standard on its SOFT-CASE range and on request on many of its other popular series.
OKW plastic enclosures can now be ordered in carbon neutral bioplastic materials
We worked hard to find a carbon neutral bioplastic that would meet our own exacting performance standards and the ever more sophisticated requirements of our customers.
Fareham, Hampshire (PRWEB UK) 26 July 2012
Electronics companies working hard to reduce their carbon footprint are choosing new biodegradable plastic enclosures from OKW.
OKW now offers its design-oriented standard plastic enclosures in a carbon neutral bioplastic material as standard on its SOFT-CASE range and on request on many of its other popular series.
The biomaterial used by OKW has been created entirely from renewable raw materials. It has been specially formulated to replace the fossil plastics currently being used.
Unlike conventional raw materials, bioplastics are largely carbon neutral, regardless of the application involved.
After they have been used, materials made from plants release only the same amount of CO2 as they absorbed from the atmosphere during their growth phase.
OKW carried out comprehensive tests on numerous different biomaterials before specifying BIOGRADE C7500 plastic produced by FKuR Kunststoff GmbH. This bioplastic is obtained from almost 100 per cent renewable raw materials – the initial products are cotton or wood.
At the start of the process, the purified cellulose is esterified to obtain cellulose acetate (CA), which is then modified slightly. This material has similar properties to ABS and can be processed using normal injection moulding methods.
For indoor applications there are no restrictions to the lifecycle of the enclosure. The heat distortion temperature is as high as 123 degrees C.
Customers can also choose specific colours for their enclosures, made possible through the use of 15 natural dyes.
Parts made from BIOGRADE are biodegradable. After the biomaterial has been crushed mechanically, it is broken down into its non-toxic initial products by micro-organisms.
The biomaterial can then be utilised thermally, guaranteeing carbon neutral energy.
The environmental advantages of this recycling method are obvious but bioplastics do not just have ecological advantages. They also help to preserve our raw material deposits and reduce our dependence on petroleum.
OKW Sales and Marketing Director Robert Cox said: “Biodegradable plastic enclosures are becoming increasingly popular as manufacturers seek to reduce their carbon footprint.
“We worked hard to find a carbon neutral bioplastic that would meet our own exacting performance standards and the ever more sophisticated requirements of our customers,” he added.
OKW’s SOFT-CASE series of handheld enclosures is the first range to be available, as standard, moulded in bioplastic as well as the existing ABS material.
These modern wide-format handheld enclosures are available in four sizes – S, M, L and XL, with external dimensions from 51 x 83 x 14 mm to 92 x 150 x 28 mm. The standard colour of the bioplastic material is Off White (RAL 9002). Other colours can be supplied on request.
Applications for SOFT-CASE small enclosures include remote controls (cable or wireless), medical and laboratory equipment and test and measurement devices.
SOFT-CASE is a highly versatile range of hand held standard enclosures used across a broad spectrum of industries, making it an ideal choice to spearhead OKW’s drive towards
environmentally friendly manufacturing materials.
Customers can now request standard OKW handheld enclosures in bioplastic material as an option. A minimum order quantity applies.
Bioplastic can be specified as an optional alternative to ABS housings in the following OKW ranges of plastic enclosures:
ART-CASE – round or oval enclosures designed for indoor electronics, ideal for transmitters, receivers, detectors and security systems
BLOB – a radical new range of ergonomic handheld electronic enclosures. Their unique shapes automatically guide users’ fingers to the controls
DATEC-POCKET-BOX – slim and aesthetically pleasing pocket-sized cases, perfect for remote controls and test and measurement technology
MINITEC – hand held enclosures in a wide range of size and colour combinations.
They can be carried in the hand, attached to a key ring, worn on the wrist or around the neck on a lanyard
SMART-CASE – hand held enclosures suitable for all types of remote control.
Highly popular in the medical and wellness sector. Available with bed clamps, belt clips, desk stations, hand straps and neck lanyards
TOPTEC – universal enclosures for monitoring, signalling and control equipment.
OKW also manufactures eight ranges of instrument enclosures, a number of which can be used as desktop enclosures thanks to their swivel carry handle bars.
OKW offers a wide choice of customisation options for its enclosures including CNC
machining, bespoke colours, printing of legends and logos, EMC shielding or lacquering and aluminium metalisation – enabling customers to specify fully finished enclosures easily and cost effectively.
For more information about biodegradable PCB enclosures, view OKW’s website or contact Sales and Marketing Director Robert Cox, +44 (0)1489 583858.
Plastic too will get a green face
Radhakrishnan Kuttoor
Dr. C. Balagopalan displaying the cloth hangers made of bioplastics, moulded at the Central Institute of Plastic Technology in Hyderabad, kept on display at the Macfast laboratory, in Thiruvalla on Thursday. Photo: Leju
Kamal
Biocampus, the research wing attached to Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies Thiruvalla (Macfast), has developed bioplastics, or reinforced plastics, which is claimed to be biodegradable to a large extent and cheaper to produce.
Powdered cellulose obtained from natural fibres such as jute and water hyacinth is used as reinforcement in polymers to make the product, according to C. Balagopalan, Resident Dean and Director of Research at Macfast School of Biosciences. The organic content far exceeds the inorganic one. The product could be used to make buckets, mugs, dashboards, chairs, tables, cutlery, bathroom doors, etc. Mr. Balagopalan said.
“The rationale behind the use of cellulose as reinforcement in polymers is that, upon disposal, the cellulose molecules will be consumed by microbes. The material shows improved tensile strength, elongation, and flexural strength,” he added.
Natural cellulose-based fibres were gaining importance for their varied applications in
engineering, construction, and automobile sector, where lightweight was the norm. “The main constituent of natural fibre is cellulose. Hydrogen bonding between cellulose molecules provides the necessary strength and stiffness to the fibres.”
Displaying the cloth hangers, made on an experimental basis of bioplastics, Dr. Balagopalan said the product was well appreciated by experts at the Central Institute of Plastic
Technology, Hyderabad, where the moulding of bioplastics was done. He said the process was being patented.
There was much demand for environmentally friendlier products and means to remove hazardous materials from residential and workplace environment. Poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) and formaldehyde-based laminate work surfaces and components were now being discarded due to their toxic nature. Bioplastics could solve the problem to an extent.
Dr. Balagopalan said a biodegradable polymeric material, envisaged by the present invention, could be used alone or with inorganic substances to form a composite with improved physical properties and mechanical strength for products. The process was relatively cheaper when compared to various methods, he added.
The technology was developed with financial support of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
Passez de bonnes vacances biodégradables
Le 28 juillet 2012 Koter Infos
Des nanoparticules biodégradables multifonctionnelles pour cibler les cancers et la maladie d’Alzheimer
L’adressage (ou délivrance spécifique) de molécules thérapeutiques vers un organe, un tissu, une cellule malade, voire même une cible moléculaire, constitue aujourd’hui un défi majeur pour le traitement des maladies humaines, notamment infectieuses, cancéreuses, neurodégénératives, ou d’origine génétique. Dans cette optique, les chercheurs de l’Institut Galien Paris-Sud de Châtenay-Malabry (CNRS/Université
Paris-Sud 11) ont mis au point des nanoparticules biodégradables et multifonctionnelles capables de cibler spécifiquement les cellules cancéreuses, ainsi qu’un biomarqueur majeur de la maladie d’Alzheimer, simplement en jouant sur la nature du ligand greffé à leur surface. Ces recherches viennent d'être publiées dans la revue ACS Nano.
L’utilisation récente des nanotechnologies dans le domaine biomédical, couramment
dénommée ‘nanomédecine’, a conduit à de nombreuses avancées technologiques, notamment dans la conception de nano-transporteurs (1) capables d’exercer des effets thérapeutiques lorsque ces derniers sont chargés en principes actifs. Néanmoins, sans fonction chimique appropriée à leur surface, ces nanomédicaments sont rapidement détectés par le système immunitaire et ne peuvent alors pas atteindre d’autres organes, tissus ou cellules, autres que ceux situés au niveau du foie et de la rate. Afin de rendre ces nanovecteurs plus "furtifs" vis- à-vis de ces mécanismes de reconnaissance, il est possible de modifier leur chimie de surface en les recouvrant d’une couche de polymère hydrophile et biocompatible, appelé le
poly(éthylène glycol) (PEG). Ces vecteurs, dits "PEGylés", présentent alors une rémanence vasculaire prolongée, ce qui augmente leur probabilité de traverser des endothéliums
vasculaires de perméabilité accrue comme ceux localisés au niveau des tumeurs ou des foyers infectieux. On appelle cela le ciblage passif.
Lorsque ces nanovecteurs sont décorés de ligands (anticorps, peptides, sucres, vitamines), ils sont alors capables de reconnaître de manière sélective des antigènes ou des récepteurs qui sont hyper-exprimés à la surface des cellules cibles (cellules cancéreuses, cellules infectées, etc.), on parle alors de ciblage actif. C’est dans ce contexte que des chercheurs de l’institut Galien - Paris-Sud ont conçu un système nanoparticulaire à la fois biodégradable, PEGylé et fonctionnalisable à façon par des ligands biologiquement actifs. Ces nanoconstructions sont réalisées à la manière d’un légo, en fonction la pathologie envisagée. Il en résulte donc une plate-forme nanoparticulaire très flexible et potentiellement adaptable à de nombreuses maladies suivant le choix du ligand. Ces nanoparticules peuvent également encapsuler des principes actifs qui ont pour objectif de détruire les cellules malades dès que le
nanotransporteur sera arrivé au site d’action et aura libéré son contenu médicamenteux. En ce qui concerne plus spécifiquement la maladie d’Alzheimer, les chercheurs ont cette fois décoré leurs nanoparticules par des molécules de curcumine ou par un anticorps reconnaissant
spécifiquement le peptide beta-amyloïde 1-42. Ils ont constaté que les nanoparticules ainsi fonctionnalisées sont capables d’interagir fortement avec le peptide beta-amyloïde et de le capter. Cela permet non seulement de ralentir sa cinétique d’agrégation (qui conduit à la formation d’oligomères, espèces neurotoxiques) mais également de diminuer sa toxicité vis-à- vis des cellules neuronales. Ces découvertes laissent entrevoir l’opportunité de pouvoir
"nettoyer le sang" de ces peptides et ainsi limiter la formation des plaques séniles au niveau du cerveau, voire de la diminuer.
Représentation schématique des nanoparticules biodégradables multifonctionnelles et de leur application pour le ciblage de cellules cancéreuses (gauche) et du peptide beta-amyloïde 1-42,
biomarqueur de la maladie d’Alzheimer (droite). © Julien Nicolas
Notes
1 nanomètre (nm) = 10-9 mètre (m)
(1) Ces nano-tansporteurs lipidiques, polymériques ou inorganiques, sont de tailles comprises entre 10 et 300 nm
Contact chercheur
Julien Nicolas , Institut Galien Paris-Sud, Chatenay-Malabry Tel : 01 46 83 58 53
Courriel : julien.nicolas@u-psud.fr
Bioplastics production to hit 1 million tons
EUROPEAN PLASTICS NEWS
WAGENINGEN, NETHERLANDS (July 2, 2012) -- Total global production of bio-based plastics will reach 1 million metric tons annually within a few years, up from about 700,000- 800,000 metric tons today, according to Michael Carus, managing director of the Nova- Institut GmbH.
Manufacturers are increasingly turning towards biomaterials not only to reduce carbon
dioxide (current emission reductions average 20-30 percent), but also to save fossil resources, Carus said at the Biobased Based Materials Symposium, held June 21 in Wageningen.
Carus estimates that bio-based polymers currently account for about 7.7 percent of the market
— an estimate that’s higher than others’, but it includes some materials that are often overlooked.
“When we talk about bioplastics and bioproducts, we can also think about elastomers, man- made fibers, even some sustainable rubber products,” he said. “These can all help with sustainability.”
Carus quoted an analysis of life cycle assessments carried out by Hürth, Germany-based Nova-Institute on behalf of Proganic GmbH & Co. KG, which revealed that the biggest greenhouse gas emission savings can be found when comparing bio-based polymers to polycarbonate. The lowest savings are to be found when comparing bio-based polymers to polypropylene.
In 2010, bio-based polyethylene accounted for the largest share of the biopolymers market (28 percent of total production capacity). That was followed by starch blends (16 percent), PLA (15 percent), polyhydroxyalkanoate (12 percent) and bio-based polyesters (8 percent).
One of the fastest-growing biomaterials is wood plastic composite, Carus said. The European market for WPCs has been growing at an average annual rate of 35 percent since 2005, he
said.
Further WPC growth is expected in every sector in the coming years and will be helped, he added, by rising plastics prices.
Novamont packages Olympics fare
By Anthony Clark
Posted 27 July 2012
McDonald’s, which will be running the world's largest fast food outlet at the Olympic park in Londont, the UK, will be using Novamont’s Mater-Bi bioplastic for its cups, cutlery, straws, lids and containers.
“Many McDonald’s items were already compliant with the EN13432 compostability standards but did not have the certification,” said the company’s environment consultant Helen McFarlane.
“We obtained this by working alongside our suppliers for almost two years, with considerable investment in research and development.”
Mater-Bi will compost with anaerobic digestion, according to Italy’s Novamont, helping make the expected 3,300 tonnes of food and food-related packaging waste that the games will generate easier to handle than if conventional materials are used.
London Olympic and Paralympic Games organising committee (Locog) has set the objective of 70% of the waste produced by the events should go for recycling, re-use or composting.
Novamont operates in the UK, Germany, France, Benelux, Scandinavia, Denmark, US, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
