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The PlasTicizerM o n t h ly n e w s l e t t e rC o l u M b i a r i v e r s e C t i o nMarch Edition 2009

Volume XIX, Number 7

Plant Tour of Lean Manufacturing ProcessJoin usWed, March 18th, 4:00pm

Climax Portable Tools and Ma-chinery with Scott Simmons, VP of Operations

See Lean Manufacturing methods in action at Climax Portable Machine Tool.

Join SPE on a tour of a successful, working manufacturing facility who is successfully implementing Lean.

You’ll take away:• new ideas of how to implement Lean

into your operations• See Lean practices in action• Experience a mock Lean process• Tour a successful Lean manufactur-

ing facility• Eat some great food • Enjoy some networking with plastics

professionals

Up Coming EventsMarch 18th ....................... 4pm-6pm Plant Tour Climax Machine Tools Lean Manufacturing tour. $5

April 6th ........................... Board Meeting at John Barleycorn’s, Tigard

April 15th ......................... Managing Generation Y in the workplace. Bret Bernhoft

May .................................. TBA

June ................................. SPE/SPI Golf Tournament

Pre-registration is requiredSign up by email Denys at [email protected] Call 360-835-2205Deadline to register is Fri, March 13th

Climax Portable Tool is located in Newberg, Oregon, 2712 E 2nd Street Newberg, Oregon USA 97132 Can you believe

it is almost time for our annual golf tournament? This year the SPE Columbia River Section and our local SPI group have agreed again to have one big tournament. On June 5th at Eastmoreland Golf Course, all our SPE and SPI friends will join in efforts to win the Ninth SPE/SPI Golf Tournament. Play will start at 8:00AM with a shotgun start. Lunch and a raffle will follow play. An Early Bird sign up sheet is included in this issue of the Plasticizer. Please fill out and return as soon as possible. We must notify the course of the approximate number of players that will participate in this year’s contest by the end of May.

Financial support will come from entry fees, and donations that will be requested from our local plas-tic companies. Please be as generous as you can. A donation request form is included on the back of the regis-tration form showing various ways of support for our tournament.

Thank you to Randall Thom of Strategic Printing &

Manufacturing Solutions our guest speaker at the

February Dinner

Save the Date June 5th Eastmoreland Golf ClubSPE/SPI Golf Tournament

In this issue, Green is the Theme • 1 ton of recycled plastic saves 16.3 barrels of oil, 5, 774 kWh of energy and 30 cubic yards of landfill space.

SPE President’s Message

The Columbia River Section of the SPE is an active and vital

part of our industry in Or-egon and SW Washington. We had the pleasure of lis-tening to Randall Thom of Strategic Printing with an informative presentation in February. We continue an exciting year with a plant tour focused on lean

manufacturing with ideas of how our businesses can integrate lean into our manufacturing and opera-tions to improve efficiency and increase profits. We’ll meet at Climax Portable Tools and Machinery on March 18th at 4:00 pm. In

April we are very excited about a spe-cial presentation on how to manage Gen Y (employees born between 1984 and 2002). Just around the corner is the annual Golf Tournament in June, so mark your calendars now.

See you March 18th at Climax!

John Mark [email protected]

Advertise in the Plasticizer!

This Ad Space Availablefor more information, contact

Gary Perman, Newsletter Editor, at (360)835-2205

or e-mail: [email protected]

Columbia River Chapter of the SPE

PO Box 55116 Portland OR 97238Officers 2008-2009

PresidentJohn Mark BaldwinWetzco LLC. [email protected]

1st V.P/Program CoordinatorOpen – waiting for you to step up

2nd V.P/TreasurerEric Fisher Denton Plastics503-257-9945 (p)503-789-9536 (m)[email protected]

Recording SecretaryJeff SanftlebenBowco Industries155 SE Hazel Dell Way.Canby Or. [email protected]

Education ChairDenys SanftlebenSales ManagerVision Plastics, Inc.503-685-9000 [email protected]

Membership ChairJill BriggsR&D [email protected]

Newsletter EditorGary W. Perman CRPCPerman Technical Search Group [email protected]

National CouncilpersonDavid GoldwasserNike [email protected]

Former President Sal GonzalezR&D [email protected]

SPE Columbia River Section Board Meeting Minutes

March 3, 2009

@ John Barleycorn’sAttendees: Denys, Jeff, Eric, David, John Mark, Gary

Notes:• Another group already booked a

Holiday Social at McMenamins and all other Friday nights there were booked. Therefore, we are looking at alternative sites and alternative evenings including the Kennedy school, Sheraton and Embassy Suites at the Airport

• June 5th SPE/SPI golf tournament @ Eastmoreland. Is set. Discussed early bird registration this year and giving away 5 free raffle tickets at the Golf Lunch for early registrants. Seeking volunteers and sponsors.

• ANTEC discussed.• Membership – reports from Tricia.• Next Event is our plant tour at Cli-

max. Deadline to register is March 13 so we can figure out food.

• Discussed March as Green month in newsletter

• Next board meeting, April 6th, 6pm at John Barleycorn’s in Tigard

sounD ManuFaCturinG inC.Custom ThermoformingP.O. Box 5097Kent, Washington 98064Val Williams253-872-8007 253-395-1239 Fax

As we continue into the new year we look forward to grow-ing and continually improving

our SPE Chapter. One of our priorities will be to better understand the needs of our members. We believe that the best way to understand is by receiv-ing feedback from the SPE body – that means YOU. Please let us know how we can improve:

Membership: What subjects would you like cov-

ered at our monthly meetings? How can we better serve our

members? If you are not actively a member,

what is preventing you from joining?

Education: What are your education needs

within your company? Would you support educational

seminars?Are you interested in a resource

guide for local Plastics education?

Email your comments to: [email protected] Sanftleben

Advertise in the Plasticizer!This Ad Space Available

for more information, contact Gary Perman, Newsletter Editor,

at (360)835-2205 or e-mail: [email protected]

Mazda Motor Corporation and Hiroshima University are research-ing together to develop a brand new “green” plastic material from cellu-losic biomass. They want to use it in vehicles by 2013.

The Mazda Bioplastic Project will design a production process for an extremely versatile polypropylene, which is very good for use in vehicles, by converting non-food cellulosic biomass to ethanol in a first step, and then investigating various mixtures of ethylene and propylene.

The polypropylene must be suf-ficiently resistant to heat, strength and durability so that it can be used in vehicles’ bumpers and instrument panels. The Bioplastic project will also try to optimize the bioplastic’s manufacturing process so that it is eco-friendly and cost-effective.

The bioplastic’s manufacturing technology is presented shortly in the picture below:

Mazda’s has already researched biomass technology and their results were the world’s first high heat resis-tant, high strength bioplastic and the world’s first fully plant-derived fabric for use in car seats. These two bioma-terials are used in the making the inte-rior of the Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, which wants itself to be a 100% green car (not only its fuel). Powered by Mazda’s hydrogen rotary engine and helped by a hybrid system, the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid is scheduled to be released in Japan’s market during 2009.

Mazda began collaborating with the R&D department from the Hiro-shima University’s Graduate School of Engineering since 2005. Their mutual research agreement on joint automo-tive technology research includes de-veloping biomass technology. Mazda already has plans to expand the re-search on biomass technologies along

with their partners and strengthen its relationship with Hiroshima Univer-sity for researching many other disci-plines. Even the state of is involved: their National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) will participate in the bioplas-tic project. They also have an agree-ment on biomass research with the Hiroshima University.

Mazda Makes Eco-Friendly Plastics from Biomass

WANTED:Newsletter Contributor/EditorContact Gary [email protected]

PlasTicizerAdvertising Rates

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Primex Plastics CorporationContact: Chuck HayTerritory Business Manager503-804-5536800-421-2936chay@primexplastics.comwww.primexplastics.com

SPE has been respon-sible for supporting the plastics industry and

is the gateway to industry trends and information.

If you are NOT a mem-ber of the SPE , this is what you lose out on each and every month…

• Monthly Presentations from top in-dustry professional

• Local Plant Tours• 12 Month Subscription to Plastics

Engineering Magazine

Why Are YOU... NOT Yet A Member?• Expert Advice on Today’s Plas-tics Industry Challenges• Membership to a larger, na-tional plastics resource of ex-perts in all plastic fields• Playing Golf with your suppliers, competitors and some attractive members of the opposite sex.• Eat and eat some more!

• Drinking beer, wine and socializing.• A chance to win unique raffle prizes

like wine, Victoria Secret items, gift

cards, plastic play things, $.• Meet new clients, create more busi-

ness = more money in your pocket and impress your boss.

• Gain inside information of business trends, supply, demand, and employ-ment in the industry.

• Support Educational Scholarships

Most importantly it is a great way to socialize with others in the local plastics industry. If you have any questions re-garding membership please let us know.

Join us at the next event!

Plastic Pellet Loss – Its Impact and Its Management

In recent years and with increas-ing frequency, researchers have reported that seabirds, turtles

and fish are ingesting a wide variety of plastic items that are killing them or affecting their health. Most of these plastics are used consumer products (e.g. bottles, caps, containers, etc.) that have been carelessly discarded. Some of this litter is resin pellets that entered the waste stream and the oceans. When these pellets are eaten by wildlife they cannot be passed through their digestive tracts, leading to malnutrition and starvation.

While consumers are responsible for the proper disposal of the products they use, the plastics industry must focus on proper containment of the products we use – plastic pellets, the basic raw mate-rial of our industry. We must prevent the pellets from getting into waterways that eventually lead to the sea.

All employees in every aspect of the industry must be educated on how to properly handle and dispose of plastic pellets with the goal of zero pellet loss. The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) began an education effort twelve years ago to reduce pellet loss. A number of public service materials under the name of Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) were disseminated to companies throughout the country. The message was simple: Resin pellets should be contained, re-claimed and/or disposed of properly. It’s now time to refocus our industry on this problem and to expand the OCS initia-tive to solve it.

The American Plastics Council (APC) and SPI are working together on a revitalized OCS program to strengthen efforts to educate and change behavior in the plastics indus-try with a goal of zero pellet loss. APC and SPI are strongly committed to this

effort and are encouraging plastics companies to participate in the OCS program, which includes the practices and tools outlined in this manual.

How You Can HelpEach segment of the industry,

including resin producers, transport-ers, bulk terminal operators and plas-tics processors, has a role to play in eliminating resin pellet loss. It’s the little things that count. A few pellets here. A handful there. They all add up

continued on page 8...

Plastic Pellet Loss... continued

when you consider the thousands of facilities in the industry and the many times resin is handled.

Commitment by everyone in ev-ery company, from top management to the shop floor employees, is essen-tial to eliminating pellet loss.

Pellet containment is good for the environment. It’s good for business. And, it’s the law.

With your help and cooperation, we can make great strides to help our industry protect the

environment. APC and SPI look forward to working with you on Op-eration Clean Sweep to

accomplish this important goal.For more information: http://

www.opcleansweep.org/manual/OCSmanual.pdf

All it takes is 1-2 hours per month of time... Yet your rewards are great:express your ideas grow the organizationreceive inside information free food and beer at board meetingsfirst in line at the golf tournament2 months off promote your businessgain the respect and admiration of industry members.

In June, we need you to:Drive membership or Coordinate the Newsletter or Lead the board or Coordinate Programs

Now is your chance to step up and contribute to a great trade organization. With a minimal amount of effort on your part, your contribution can multiply with substantial positive results.

WANTED: A few board members to join the SPE team

Early Bird RegistrationSPE/SPI Annual Golf Tournament

Register Early Before May 1st and receive 5 free raffle tickets at the gold luncheon

June 5th, 2009 • Eastmoreland Golf Club2524 SE Bybee Blvd • Portland, Oregon 97202

Time: All players must report between 7 & 7:45 AM

Format: 8:00am Shotgun start, Foursome Scramble, Best Team Score

Afternoon BBQ: BBQ Chicken, Coleslaw, Potato salad, Fresh fruit, roasted red potatoes, Fresh vegetable, baked beans, Bread, Brownies, and Coffee.

PLEASE PRINT 18 Holes 18 Holes BBQ & BBQ ONLY ONLYNAME ($100.00)* ($80.00)* ($28.00)

1_________________________________________________ _______ _______ _______

2_________________________________________________ _______ _______ _______

3_________________________________________________ _______ _______ _______

4_________________________________________________ _______ _______ _______

*PRICE INCLUDES GOLF CART

Make checks payable to “SPE COLUMBIA SECTION” and mail this registration form to: Society of Plastic Engineers, Columbia Section PO Box 55116 Portland, Oregon 97238

Credit card payment: Mail to above address or fax to 503-345-6646____Visa _____M/C _____AmEx

Credit Card #:_____________________________________________ Exp. Date:____________________

Card Holder Name _________________________________________ Company ____________________

Ph #_______________________________ Signature_________________________________________

Tournament can only accommodate 36 foursomes, so don’t delay your entry. We are requesting entries/registration be returned by May 29th.QUESTIONS: Eric Fisher (503) 257-9945, [email protected] RESERVATIONS FIRM. NO REFUNDS.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and RecoverBy Jennifer Killinger, American Chemistry council

Learning to use resources more efficiently is essential to miti-gating society’s impacts to the

environment. Plastics are largely derived from natural gas. And yet, be-cause of their unique characteristics – lightweight, durability and versatility – plastics can help reduce energy con-sumption and emissions throughout the life cycle of a product or package. This includes production, transporta-tion, use and recycling or disposal.

Reduce Plastics help us to do more with

less in many ways. When it comes to packaging, plastics often enable manufacturers to ship more product with less packaging material. This process of light-weighting can play an important role in boosting the en-vironmental and economic efficiency of consumer product packaging. Con-sider these examples: • Delivering more beverage with less

packaging. Just 2 pounds of plastic can deliver 1000 ounces – roughly 8 gallons – of a beverage. Three pounds of aluminum, 8 pounds of steel or 27 pounds of glass would be needed to deliver the same amount.

• Making food packaging more efficient. Plastic jars can use up to approxi-mately 90 percent less material by weight than their glass counterparts. Plastic containers also can use about 38 percent less material than similarly sized steel cans. And extremely light-weight, flexible packaging made from plastic or plastic-and-foil composites can use up to 80 percent less material than traditional bag-in-box packages.

• Eliminating excess packaging. By replacing the classic fiberboard

container, plastic loop carriers can reduce waste by 1.88 ounces per twelve-pack of beverage – or 722 pounds per truckload. And marketers of snack foods, cosmetics and single-serve meals are using colorful shrink film labels to add shelf-appeal right on their containers, eliminating the need for economically and environmentally costly outer boxes.

• Continuously improving through in-novation. Plastics are re-engineered to become lighter and more efficient all the time. Today’s 2-liter plastic bever-age bottle and 1-gallon milk jug weigh approximately 33 percent less than they did in the 1970s.

• Reducing transportation energy. Lighter packaging can mean lighter loads or fewer trucks and railcars are needed to ship the same amount of product, helping to reduce transpor-tation energy, decrease emissions and lower shipping costs.

• Trimming waste. Weight-reduced packaging also helps to reduce the amount of waste generated or the amount of a material that needs to be recycled after a package is used.

Reuse Plastic’s durability makes it a pre-

ferred material for reusable items such as storage bins, sealable food containers and refillable sports bottles. In indus-trial shipping, plastic pallets are imper-vious to moisture and most chemicals, so they can be used over and over. For commercial produce shipments, plastic produce crates are durable, easy-to-clean, and cost-effective. In addition to conserving raw materials, choosing re-usable items, where appropriate, helps to offset trash disposal costs and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.

Recycle Since the early days of plastics

recycling in the 1970s, the nation’s

recycling infrastructure has grown significantly1. In fact, the pounds of post-consumer plastic packaging col-lected and recycled has grown every year since 1990. Today, over 80 percent of U.S. households have access to plas-tic recycling programs, and in 2005, more than 2.1 billion pounds of plastic bottles were collected for recycling.

Although bottles remain one of the most readily recycled plastics, a grow-ing number of communities are col-lecting and recycling other rigid plastic containers, such as tubs, trays and lids. And many national grocery and retail chains now invite consumers to return used plastic bags for recycling.

Through these programs, plastics are collected, processed for recycling and used to create second-generation products ranging from fleece jackets and detergent containers to carpeting and composite lumber for outdoor decking.

Energy Recovery Another way to conserve resources

is to recover the energy value of plastic packaging items after their useful life has ended. Traditional plastics are made from natural gas and, to a lesser extent, petroleum. Although plastics play a role in nearly every facet of our lives, plastics production accounts for only 5 percent of the nation’s annual consumption of natural gas and petroleum. Packaging, the largest market for plastics, accounts only for 1.4 percent.

Because the energy value of plastics is equivalent to fuel oil, plastics are a great source of fuel for waste-to-energy plants. When plastics are processed in modern energy recovery facilities, they help other wastes burn completely, pro-ducing cleaner emissions and less ash for disposal. Burning plastic can help supply an abundant amount of energy for electricity, while reducing the cost of municipal waste disposal and conserving landfill space.

Plastic Packaging and Resource Conversation:


Sponsors Needed for our Ninth Annual SPE/SPI Golf Tournament

June 5th, 2009 Dear Valued Supporter:This year will be the Ninth Annual SPE/SPI Golf Tournament. Yes, we have agreed again to join forces to

make One Big Tournament. We are asking for your help in supporting our tournament not only by attending, but through a contribution. There are several ways you can make a contribution. Please check your contribu-tion of choice.

1. SPONSOR A HOLE: Includes a sign with Your Name and/or Your ____ $150 Company Name.

2. SPONSOR A HOLE + PRIZE MONEY: Includes a sign with Your ____ $250 Name and/or Company Name plus recognition as a prize contributor to be posted and printed in the Plasticizer.

3. CASH DONATION: Please fill in amount. ____ $_______

4. A PRIZE FOR OUR RAFFLE: Please fill in what you are contributing to be raffled. _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

Donors’ Name _________________________________________________________________

Company Name ________________________________________________________________

One of the benefits of being a Sponsor or Donating a Prize is assured registration and there is limited space. See the registration form.

Tournament CommitteeJohn Mark Baldwin, [email protected] Fisher, [email protected]

Please fax this sheet along with your Registration form (if you plan to play) Fax: 503-345-6646. You can also mail your donation to SPE, PO Box 55116, Portland, Oregon 97238

Thank You So Much For Your Support!!

For more information, please visit www.plasticsresource.com. The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies en-gaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people’s lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety perfor-

mance through Responsible Care®, com-mon sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $635 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation’s economy. It is one of the nation’s largest exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. ex-ports. Chemistry companies are among

the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with govern-ment agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation’s critical infrastructure.

Plastic Packaging and Resource Conversation... continued

Succeeding with External Alliances: Applying Tested Tools to the New Environ-ment

This event will provide technol-ogy managers with a fresh look at the external alliances as a tool to succeed in a challenging economy.

Date: March 25, 2009.5:15 P.M. Registration table opens5:30 - 6:00 P.M. Food & networking6:00 – 7:00 P.M. Presentation, Q & ASpeaker: Dr. Ron Khormaei, Director of Engineering for the Audio Business Electrical group, Logitech.Location: PCC Central Portland

Workforce Training Center, 1626 SE Wa-ter Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97214. Rm 202/203.

RSVP Required. Register on-line: http://www.ieee-oregon.org right sidebar under Technology Management Chapter

http://www.ieee-oregon.org/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid=70&year=2009&month=03&day=25&Itemid=56

Contact: Chris Dennis, Registration Volunteer, 503-285-6034, [email protected],

Abstract:This is clearly a challenging, un-

charted economic and business en-

vironment. In such an environment, successful organizations focus on their core competencies, to not only survive, but to emerge as even stronger players in the market. This success requires im-proving and fine-tuning existing tools.

Outsourcing and establishing effec-tive partnerships are such critical tools when used with offshoring, but now can be applied effectively to re-tool or-ganizations big or small.

Leveraging external design and development capabilities is important to both established companies as well as the fresh start-ups during economi-cally uncertain times. Larger operations rely more on the flexible commitments to “preserve capital,” while individual entrepreneurs rely on specific niche capabilities to adjust to the impact of wide-spread “right sizing.”

This talk will cover the elements for a successful alliance, and provide the framework for the audience to apply the concepts to their own specific cir-cumstance. A clear definition and set of expectations for different models (like EMS, CDM, and ODM) is commonly overlooked, but forms the important foundation to a strong relationship. The types of relationships, structure, subtle pitfalls, and measures of success are dis-cussed during this talk.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Ron Khormaei is the Director of Engineering managing the Audio Business Electrical group at Logitech. Before joining Logitech in Vancouver, WA, he was Director of Engineering at Hewlett-Packard’s OEM Printer Division managing a global engineering team of over 100 and multiple external design partners. He started his career at Planar Systems in Beaverton, Oregon, lead-ing development of advanced displays. Since 1995, he has held various manage-ment roles in HP and has led technology developments resulting in over 15 prod-ucts. He has a Ph.D. in Electrical Engi-neering in Solid State Electronics from Oregon State University, and has led multidisciplinary programs in display systems, IC and printer development areas. Dr. Khormaei has established and led multiple successful external consor-tiums as well as global university and industry partnerships.

For more information about this event, contact Gary Perman, chair

360-835-2205 [email protected]

Join Guest Speaker Dr. Ron Khormaei of Logitech as he presents…

According to the Ecology Center in Berkley, Ca.:

Misconception # 1: Plastics that go into a curbside

recycling bin get recycled. Not neces-sarily. Collecting plastic containers at curbside fosters the belief that, like aluminum and glass, the recovered material is converted into new con-tainers. In fact, none of the recovered plastic containers from Berkeley are being made into containers again but into new secondary products such as textiles, parking lot bumpers, or plas-tic lumber – all unrecyclable products. This does not reduce the use of virgin materials in plastic packaging. “Re-cycled” in this case merely means “col-lected,” not reprocessed or converted into useful products. Misconception # 2:

Curbside collection will reduce the amount of plastic landfilled. Not necessarily. If establishing collection makes plastic packages seem more environmentally friendly, people may feel comfortable buying more. Curbside plastic collection programs, intended to reduce municipal plastic waste, might backfire if total use rises faster than collection. Since only a fraction of certain types of plastic could realistically be captured by a curbside program, the net impact of initiating curbside collection could be an increase in the amount of plastic landfilled. The Berkeley pilot program showed no reduction of plastic being sent to the landfill in the areas where the curbside collection was in opera-tion. Furthermore, since most plastic reprocessing leads to secondary prod-ucts that are not themselves recycled, this material is only temporarily di-verted from landfills. Misconception # 3:

A chasing arrows symbol means a plastic container is recyclable. The arrows are meaningless. Every plastic container is marked with the chasing arrows symbol. The only information in the symbol is the number inside the arrows, which indicates the gen-eral class of resin used to make the container. The attorneys general of 11 states objected to false and misleading claims about plastic recyclability. The recent settlement that they reached with the American Plastics Council paves the way for a first-ever definition of what claims can or cannot be made about plastic recycling and recyclabil-ity. Misconception # 4:

Packaging resins are made from petroleum refineries’ waste. Plastic resins are made from non-renewable natural resources that could be used for a variety of other applications or conserved. Most packaging plastics are made from the same natural gas used in homes to heat water and cook. Misconception # 5:

Plastics recyclers pay to promote plastics’ recyclability. No; virgin resin producers pay for the bulk of these ads. Most such ads are placed by vir-gin plastic manufacturers whose goal is to promote plastic sales. These ad-vertisements are aimed at removing or diminishing virgin plastic’s greatest challenge to market expansion: nega-tive public conception of plastic as un-recyclable, environmentally harmful, and a major component of wastes that must be landfilled or burned. Misconception # 6:

Using plastic containers conserves energy. When the equation includes the energy used to synthesize the plas-tic resin, making plastic containers uses as much energy as making glass containers from virgin materials, and

much more than making glass con-tainers from recycled materials. Using refillables is the most energy conserva-tive. Misconception # 7:

Our choice is limited to recycling or wasting. Source reduction is prefer-able for many types of plastic and isn’t difficult. Opportunities include using refillable containers, buying in bulk, buying things that don’t need much packaging, and buying things in recy-clable and recycled packages

Plastic packaging has economic, health, and environmental costs and benefits. While offering advantages such as flexibility and light weight, it creates problems including: consump-tion of fossil resources; pollution; high energy use in manufacturing; accumu-lation of wasted plastic in the environ-ment; and migration of polymers and additives into foods.

Plastic container producers do not use any recycled plastic in their packaging. Recycled content laws could reduce the use of virgin resin for packaging. Unfortunately, the virgin&endash;plastics industry has resisted such cooperation by strongly opposing recycled -content legisla-tion, and has defeated or weakened consumer efforts to institute stronger laws. Plastic manufacturers recently decided that they will not add post consumer materials to their resins used in the USA.

There is a likelihood that establish-ing plastics collection might increase consumption by making plastic ap-pear more ecologically friendly both to consumers and retailers. Collecting plastics at curbside could legitimize the production and marketing of pack-aging made from virgin plastic. Stud-ies of garbage truck loads during the recent plastic pick-up pilot program

Seven Misconceptions about Plastic and Plastic Recycling


showed no reduction of “recyclable” plastic containers being thrown away in the pilot areas (in fact, there was a slight increase). Due in part to in-creased plastic use, glass container plants around the country have been closing, including Anchor Glass Con-tainer Corporation in Antioch, putting 300 people out of work

Plastic recycling costs much and does little to achieve recycling goals. Our cost/benefit analysis for imple-menting curbside plastics collection in Berkeley shows that curbside col-lection of discarded plastics: involves expensive processing; has limited benefits in reducing environmental impacts; and has limited benefits in diverting resources from waste.

Processing used plastics often costs more than virgin plastic. As plas-tic producers increase production and reduce prices on virgin plastics, the markets for used plastic are diminish-ing. PET recyclers cannot compete with the virgin resin flooding the market.

Increasing the capture rates of glass, paper or yard debris in Berke-ley could divert more resources from landfills than collecting plastics at curbside. The “recyclable” plastic to be collected in Berkeley at most would only amount to 0.3% of the waste stream.

Five Strategies to Reduce the Environmental Impact of Plastics 1. Reduce the use Source reduction

Retailers and consumers can select products that use little or no packag-ing. Select packaging materials that are recycled into new packaging - such as glass and paper. If people refuse plastic as a packaging mate-rial, the industry will decrease pro-duction for that purpose, and the associated problems such as energy use, pollution, and adverse health effects will diminish.

2. Reuse containers Since refillable plastic containers can be reused about 25 times, container reuse can lead to a substantial reduction in the demand for disposable plastic, and reduced use of materials and en-ergy, with the consequent reduced environmental impacts. Container designers will take into account the fate of the container beyond the point of sale and consider the ser-vice the container provides. “Design for service” differs sharply from “de-sign for disposal”.

3. Require producers to take back resins Get plastic manufacturers directly involved with plastic disposal and closing the material loop, which can stimulate them to consider the prod-uct’s life cycle from cradle to grave.

Make reprocessing easier by limit-ing the number of container types and shapes, using only one type of resin in each container, making collapsible containers, eliminating pigments, using water-dispersible adhesives for labels, and phasing out associated metals such as aluminum seals. Container and resin makers can help develop the reprocessing infrastructure by taking back plastic from consumers.

4. Legislatively require recycled con-tent Requiring that all containers be composed of a percentage of post-consumer material reduces the amount of virgin material con-sumed.

5. Standardize labeling and inform the public The chasing arrows sym-bol on plastics is an example of an ambiguous and misleading label. Significantly different standardized labels for “recycled,” “recyclable,” and “made of plastic type X” must be developed.

Ecology Center2530 San Pablo AvenueBerkeley, CA 94702Phone: (510) 548-2220 x233email: [email protected]

Seven Misconceptions about Plastic and Plastic Recycling... continued




By Millie Jefferson, producer, Weekend America®

Many folks can’t afford solar panels or a new hybrid car — and newly produced

items like those can actually add to a personal carbon footprint, because of the energy and resources needed to make them.

But there are simple, constructive ways to reduce your carbon shoe size without the big price tag. Lisa Wise, executive director of the Center for a New American Dream, says every-day choices and actions can make a huge difference:

1. Buy organic and local.When possible, buy organic or

“fair trade.” There’s a better chance the food was grown in an eco-friendly way, and if it’s locally grown, it didn’t have to travel that far. This also goes for those double lattes — coffee often has a large carbon footprint because of the distance those beans had to travel to get here, and how they were produced. Also, try eating at restau-rants that serve locally produced or seasonal foods.

2. Pay attention to packaging.

When out shopping, try to go to stores or co-ops that keep packag-ing to a minimum. For example, you may chose to buy the loose tomatoes rather than boxed or plastic-wrapped tomatoes. Also, take reusable bags to the grocery store. When it comes to resources, plastic is better than paper — but a reusable cloth tote-style bag is better still.

3. Ditch bottled water.Bottled water has a huge carbon

footprint — it’s bottled at one location

in small plastic bottles and shipped all over. Try buying a reusable water bottle or canteen for your water. Also, a lot of restaurants have made the move from offering fancy bottled water, usually im-ported from an exotic source, to using in-house filtration systems that make tap water a good choice. Many plastic water bottles are recycled, but most are not, making the footprint even bigger.

4. Energy-proof your home.

We’re not talking major upgrades here... Make sure all of your windows close properly and that the attic in your home is properly insulated. This can save you big bucks on your en-ergy bill. Also, keep your heating and cooling systems properly maintained, and switch to reusable filters when possible. Try switching from incan-descent to compact florescent light bulbs. Compact florescent light bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than our normal light bulbs and last much longer. Compared to regular bulbs, the fluorescents are more expensive, but they will eventually pay for themselves due to lower energy costs.

5. Go native.Use native plant species to land-

scape around your home or business. The plants will probably grow better in a familiar environment, and the plants may also get shipped a shorter distance to get to your local nursery. Also, use organic soil when planting — it’s made using more eco-friendly methods, and uses less resources. And remember, green plants are a good way to offset carbon. So plant some-thing, anything — it helps.

6. Window shop.If you have the urge to spend, try

window shopping or browsing first.

15 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon FootprintThis helps ensure you are only buying things you really need, or really want, and you’re not just impulse buying. Remember, every item in a store, no matter how small, has a footprint — so if we are conscious consumers, we can reduce our own footprint and the overall footprint of our nation.

7. Take a direct flight.If you need to travel by airplane,

try taking a direct flight when at all possible. Your impact is reduced when you take one flight, as opposed to hop-ping on a couple or more passenger jets to reach your final destination. You might also feel a little less harried when you arrive, because changing planes can be a real hassle.

8. Switch water heatersto vacation mode.

Most water heaters have a “vaca-tion” setting for when you are away from home for an extended period of time. Switching to that “away” mode still keeps the water warm, but will not use the energy it takes to keep a tank full of piping-hot water. Enjoy your vacation even more, knowing that you’re saving money and reducing your footprint.

9. Unplug it!Unplug appliances that you don’t

use frequently. Most electronics have a standby mode that siphons energy even when not in use. Cell phone chargers, laptops, televisions, stereos — there’s a whole list of items that should be unplugged when not in use. Try using a power strip for groups of electronic items. One flick of the switch and it’s all off.

10. Keep your car.With gas prices seemingly always

on the rise, it’s tempting to buy a hy-

brid or electric vehicle. But if your older-model car is in good condition, you’re better off keeping it in good running condition. Even hybrids cre-ate a big footprint when they’re built, so consider driving that old clunker for a little while longer. Also, try more eco-friendly modes of transport when possible, like buses, trains, a bicycle, telecommuting or even walking.

11. Chuck your microwave.Admittedly, this is a bit drastic. But

this speaks more to those convenient frozen dinners some rely on because of their busy schedules. A freezer full of meals is actually more energy-inten-sive — it costs more to freeze foods, ship them cold, display them frozen in the grocery store and keep them fro-zen in our homes. So while the mod-ern convenience of the microwave and the Lean Cuisine is enticing, it’s much more resource-intensive. Cook fresh

food when you can, and you’ll also find yourself eating out less often.

12. Use cold water.No, not in the shower... but maybe

in the washer. Try using cold water to launder things that don’t need to be cleaned in hot or warm water. It takes a lot of energy to heat up water — mul-tiply that by the number of loads, and that’s a big footprint. Most major deter-gent makers sell detergents designed to have the same cleaning power as with regular soap. Try washing mixed loads in cold water, too.

13. Have the family over.Family gatherings are a good way

to spend some quality time with loved ones, with very little carbon impact. Cooking and entertaining for larger groups is more efficient and, per per-son, a lot less expensive. And who can put a price on these “carbon freebies”?

14. Make time for errands.A lot of us try to run errands in-be-

tween work and other commitments. Try bundling errands together to reduce how far you need to travel. Go-ing back-and-forth to the same part of town on different days to run errands uses more gas than if you planned and did everything in the same area all at once. And if you really want to make it a “carbon freebie,” try carpooling and running errands with a buddy.

15. The Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

It seems like something from a kid’s sing-a-long, but sometimes we lose sight of just how much we buy. Try buy-ing less, and reusing and fixing things when you can instead of buying new. And for a lot of people, recycling is as easy as rolling the trash bin to the curb. Just remember to do it at work, too.

Extruders/Sheet & Rod SuppliersSpartech Plastics ............................................. 503-472-6191Gage Industries ............................................. 800-443-4243

Molders3D Plastics ......................................................503-537-0979ABC Plastics ....................................................503-235-6778Nypro Oregon ................................................ 541-753-4700Q&D Plastics ..................................................541-461-5000R&D Plastics ...................................................503-693-7993PakTech ..........................................................541-461-5000

Machinery & EquipmentEquipment Resources Northwest ................... 503-281-3612Shaw Tech Sales, Inc ..................................... 800-528-8011WetzCo ........................................................... 503-341-8119

Mold Making SuppliesNorthest Mold Supply .....................................503-654-0318Moldtech .........................................................630-235-8955

ConsultingPermanTech (staffing) ................................... 360-835-2205

ThermoformingSound Manufacturing .................................... 253-872-8007Gage Industries ............................................. 800-443-4243

Resin Supplier and CompoundersAshland .......................................................... 800-828-7659Christler Chemical & Plastic .......................... 503-570-9113Clariant ........................................................... 800-897-1419Denton Plastics, Inc ....................................... 800-959-9945Northwest Polymers .......................................503-829-3550Polysource, Inc ............................................... 503-452-3351RTP Company ................................................ 800-433-4787

AssemblyABC Plastics ....................................................503-235-6778

Classified Advertiser Directory

15 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint... continued

Who Can Help YouSociety Of Plastics Engineers, Inc.,

Po Box 0403, Brookfield, Ct 06804-0403Phone: 203-775-0471 • Fax: 203-775-8490

WEB: www.4spe.org

executive Director Susan Oderwald

ANTEC Conference Management .............................. Lesley Kyle ...........................203.740.5452 ......................... [email protected]

ANTEC booth sales .................................................... Deb Cawley .........................203.740.5413 [email protected]

ANTEC paper submission .......................................... Tara Munsen ........................203.740.5472 [email protected]

Awards

Chase, Husky ........................................................ Laurie McDougal .................203.740.5432 ............... [email protected]

Fellow, Honor Society, STRETCH, ....................... Debra Ravetto ......................203.740.5431 ..................... [email protected]

PRIDE/Outstanding Division

Essay Contest, HSM, Newsletter, STAR ................ Tricia McKnight ...................203.740.5430 ................. [email protected]

International awards program ............................. Gail Bristol ...........................203.740.5447 .................... [email protected]

Book orders ................................................................ Louann Noll .........................203.740.5449 ......................... [email protected]

Change of address/transfers ...................................... Customer Relations ..............203.740.5403 ............. [email protected]

Council Liaison .......................................................... Marie Salzo ..........................203.740.5422 [email protected]

Divisions, Special Interest Groups, Student Chapters Debra Ravetto ......................203.740.5431 ..................... [email protected]

Dues billing & payments ............................................ Customer Relations ..............203.740.5403 ............. [email protected]

e-learning center ........................................................ Tara Munsen ........................203.740.5472 [email protected]

Employment & classified ads ..................................... Jackie Memoli ......................203.740.5411 [email protected]

International awards program ................................... Gail Bristol ...........................203.740.5447 .................... [email protected]

Journal/magazine orders ............................................ Bonnie Kaczowski ...............203.740.5428 ............. [email protected]

Membership processing/questions ............................ Customer Relations ..............203.740.5403 ............. [email protected]

Membership programs/retention ............................... Tobi Gebauer .......................203.740.545 [email protected]

Plastics Engineering magazine advertisements ......... Clive Bullard ........................203.740.5427 .................... [email protected]

Section & Division billing .......................................... Dolores Pruefer ...................203.740.5446 [email protected]

Section & Division investment program .................... Doris Thoren .......................203.740.5444 [email protected]

Section administration ............................................... Tricia McKnight ...................203.740.5430 ................. [email protected]

Seminar program & in-plant training ........................ Laurie McDougal .................203.740.5432 ............... [email protected]

Seminar registration ................................................... Martha Charris ....................203.740.5458 .................. [email protected]

SPE training products & bookstore ............................ Nancy Herdegen ..................203.740.5440 .............. [email protected]

The SPE Foundation scholarships & grants ............... Gail Bristol ...........................203.740.544 ...................... [email protected]

Topical conference planning ..................................... Lesley Kyle ...........................203.740.5452 ......................... [email protected]

Topical conference registration ................................. Deb Cawley .........................203.740.5413 [email protected]

Website ....................................................................... Deb Daily .............................203.740.5468 ...................... [email protected]




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