Small California Town Outlaws Takeout PS

Another California city has banned the use of polystyrene takeout packaging.

Mill Valley — a town of nearly 15,000 in Marin County that lies just north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge — approved a ban Aug. 3 that will go into effect Nov. 2.

The city becomes the 24th California town to ban the use of PS takeout food packaging. There also is one countywide ban in Santa Cruz, and Marin County is expected to enact a countywide PS ban later this year.

In addition, four California cities and one California county prohibit the use of PS packaging at municipal facilities.

The Mill Valley ban applies to containers, bowls, plates, trays, cartons, cups, forks, knives, spoons, straws, lids, bags, sacks, wrappings and other items designed for one-time use to transport or store prepared or takeout food.

It applies to all restaurants and retail food vendors and also applies to packaging for food that is left over from partially consumed meals prepared at restaurants or any other retail food vendor.

The new law also encourages city facilities and organizations or individuals renting city facilities to use durable food-service items. If that is not a feasible option, such groups or individuals are “required to use biodegradable disposable food packaging” rather than non-biodegradable disposable food packaging, unless the biodegradable option costs 15 percent more than the non-biodegradable option.

Mill Valley defined biodegradable disposable food packaging as uncoated paper and cardboard, paper and cardboard that meet ASTM International standards for biodegradable coatings and liners, and bioplastics that meet ASTM standards for bioplastics.

The law also said that any bioplastics should be “clearly labeled, preferably with a color symbol” so people who collect and process bioplastics “can easily distinguish the ASTM standard compostable bioplastic from non-degradable plastic.”

Polystyrene ice chests and coolers were excluded from the ban.

Fewer than 5 percent of the cities in California have bans on PS takeout packaging and most of them are coastal communities.

Copyright 2009 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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California Recycler Eco2 Closes Riverbank Plant

Eco2 Plastics Inc. has shuttered its PET recycling plant in Riverbank, Calif., and appears to be running out of time to prove that its water-free recycling process for PET will work.

The financially troubled company laid off 47 of its 58 employees and began dismantling equipment at the plant Sept. 8. Formed in 2000, Eco2 has spent the past five years trying to perfect its process to make it commercially successful.

In papers filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission Sept. 8, the San Francisco-based company now says that it will regroup and hopes to build and open a new plant, most likely in northern California, in the next 6-9 months.

Peninsula Packaging Co. — Eco2’s largest customer, shareholder and investor and a manufacturer of PET thermoformed food packaging containers made with as much as 70 percent recycled content — is headquartered in the northern California town of Exeter in Tulare County. Peninsula accounts for roughly 60 percent of Eco2’s sales.

In its SEC filing, Eco2 conceded that it could have to switch to a conventional water-based process to survive, that it may need to cease operations, and that it needs at least $9 million to build and open another plant — $4 million of which must be raised, they said, “from equity or debt investors, including the company’s principal shareholders.”

Eco2 also said that it will purchase a commercial wash line for the plant and believes that it can adapt a line of that type to use its bio-solvent based cleaning process. But it also said the possibility exists that Eco2 may need to recycle PET conventionally to succeed.

“In the event that the company is unable to achieve expected results from the bio-solvent-based line in the new facility, the new facility should permit the company to switch successfully to a water-based process [as it will have] equipment that has been proven to operate efficiently in a water-based process,” said the company in its SEC filing.

Eco2 had hoped to begin commercial-scale production of recycled PET flake this past June, but the company said that it “had not been able to improve its processes” enough to do that.

The company has “not demonstrated, as yet, the ability to produce product in sufficient volumes, at consistently high quality and at sufficiently low cost for profitable and sustained operations,” despite improvements to drying technologies, improvements that optimized the performance of the bio-solvent and the installation of additional vapor recovery equipment to reduce to bio-solvent evaporation, said the company in its SEC filing.

“The company’s difficulty in achieving sufficient volumes of production has consumed significant capital, with $42 million in capital raised since 2006” alone in an effort to achieve commercial viability, said the company’s SEC filing.

Those realities led Eco2’s board to conclude that the Riverbank plant was “no longer suitable” if the company was to achieve “an efficient flow” to the recycling process, said the filing.

Still, Eco2 said it believes that the planned new facility, by incorporating a new wash line and all the process improvements made to date, “will operate successfully” and be able to produce 100,000 pounds of recycled PET flake daily. “But there can be no assurances” of that, it added.

“The company still has not perfected the overall processes required to produce recycled plastic flake in sufficient volumes, of sufficient quality, and at sufficiently low production cots to support sustained profitable operations,” said the company in its SEC filing. “If the company is not able to improve its processes to achieve such goal, the company will need to cease operations or potentially switch to a water-based process. The potential ability to switch to a water-based process reduces the risk associated with the investment in the new plant.”

Last November, Eco2 laid off 85 of its 120 workers and shut down its batch processing line in order to switch over to its next-generation, continuous-flow, water-free PET washing process. In springtime, it had slowly begun to recall some workers, but couldn’t lower the cost of its operations sufficiently. It had hoped to produce food-grade recycled PET at a rate of 40 million pounds annually.

In the first six months of 2009, Eco2 lost $10.8 million on $1.6 million in revenue, bringing its losses in the past 5½ years to nearly $115.5 million. Eco2 received investments in excess of $15 million from Trident Capital Management and Peninsula Packaging in 2008, and raised another $2 million in funding from existing investors this year.

As of June 30, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $243,000, compared to $1.6 million in cash and cash equivalents at the end of 2008.

Eco2’s water-free technology immerses shredded PET bottles in ethyl lactate, a biodegradable solvent made from beets and corn and then blasts the material with liquid carbon dioxide to remove the solvent. The solvent and liquid CO2 are reused.

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Bimbo introduces Oxo-biodegradable Snack Packaging

MEXICO CITY — Multinational baking giant Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV of Mexico City has unveiled what it claims are the world’s first oxo-biodegradable metalized polypropylene snack bags.

The packaging uses additives developed by Symphony Environmental Technologies plc of Borehamwood, England.

The bags’ metal coating is aluminum, which keeps the contents fresh. The packages degrade between three and five years after the end of a product’s predetermined useful life span, Symphony CEO Michael Laurier said May 12.

“Bimbo is a partnership deal,” Laurier said. “They have been working with us to change all their packaging to d2w.”

Bimbo, which produces 5,000 products in 18 countries and owns 150 brands, had net sales of $7.4 billion in 2008.

For now, Bimbo’s Organización Barcel snack food subsidiary is using Symphony’s d2w additive in packaging for two products, Takis and Ricolino, which are sold in Mexico.

Laurier said Barcel plans to change all of its packaging to oxo-biodegradable. According to Daniel Servitje Montull, Bimbo’s managing director, Barcel’s re-packaging program will take until the end of 2010 to complete.

Gabino Gómez Carbajal, Barcel’s managing director, said the company had made a “considerable investment” in developing the degrading technology in coordination with Mexico’s state-owned research organization CONACYT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología). He declined to be precise as to the size of the investment.

Symphony, which is publicly traded, has 30 full-time employees and clients in 50 countries. In Mexico, it already works with departmental store chain Liverpool, sports store chain Deportes Martí and clothing store chain Zara, among others.

Symphony forecasts sales of £8 million ($12.2 million) this year, up from £5 million ($7.6 million) in 2008.

In several presentations in Mexico City, Laurier said “plastic is a product that the world can’t stop using.

“We are one of the few companies that stand up and say you cannot and should not ban plastics,” he said. “We’re saying there’s nothing wrong with plastics.”

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Bioplastics Industry Joins Oxo-Degradable Debate

European Bioplastics, the Berlin-based trade association representing producers of bio-based or biodegradable plastics, hit out today at manufacturers of plastics containing degradable additives, accusing them of making misleading claims and failing to live up to international and acknowledged standards.

The association has spoken out less than two weeks after the Working Group responsible for plastics and packaging sectors within CEN (the European Committee for Standardisation) ruled out a request by promoters of additive technologies to change the current industry standard covering compostable plastics packaging – EN13432 – to include a longer decomposition period.

Chairman of the board of European Bioplastics Andy Sweetman said it is vital that claims of biodegradability or compostability are backed by internationally recognised standards.

“We just cannot allow that the public, who are generally very sensitive to ecological issues, to be further confused by claims on biodegradability and compostability resulting from conflicting approaches,” he said. “If certain products that claim to be biodegradable or compostable are proven not to fulfil acknowledged standards, this is liable to impact negatively on our own members’ products.”

Sweetman is concerned that packaging products carrying the association’s seedling mark of compostability – indicating compliance with the EN13432 standard – may be harmed by association with products marketed as “oxo-biodegradable.”

This situation is made more likely because there is no standard that specifically defines biodegradability – both the EN13432 and the ISO 17088 standards used in the bioplastics sector focus on composting. ISO 17088 requires that total biodegradation must be achieved within six months.

In a position paper on degradable plastic, European Bioplastics says that the use of the term “oxo-biodegradable” is misleading because the primary degradation process is one of fragmentation.

“The term ‘oxo-biodegradable‘ is an appealing marketing term which is, however, misleading because it cannot be verified due to the absence of a standard specification,” the association states.

“Fragmentation is not the result of a biodegradation process but rather the result of a chemical reaction. The resulting fragments will remain in the environment … plastics fragments would be spread around the surrounding area. As ultimate biodegradability has not been demonstrated for these fragments there is substantial risk of accumulation of persistent substances in the environment,” the association says.

European Bioplastics also points out its concerns over the additives contained in degradable plastics – which typically use a combination of cobalt, managanese, nickel or zinc containing pro-degradant catalysts in combination with rate-determining antioxidants – as well as the potential negative impact on both the developing organic waste and more developed mechanical recycling industries.

In the paper, the association draws hope for clarity of the use of the term “biodegradable” in the United States, at least, saying that the National Advertising Division of the Federal Trade Commission has recommended that advertisers stop using the term “100 percent oxo-biodegradable.”

FTC’s Green Guide advises advertisers that unqualified biodegradable claims are acceptable only if they have scientific evidence that their product will completely decompose within a reasonably short period of time under customary methods of disposal.

FTC announced it was initiating action against three companies – K Mart Corp., Tender Corp. and Dyna-E International – over “deceptive and unsubstantiated biodegradability claims.”

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Biodegradable Plastics

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Plastic Trays and Bowls For Your Party

With your plans of having a classic party, you will be needing Plastic Trays and Bowls. When you have a theme for your party, you should buy colorful disposable paper plates, dishes etc. This trend is catching a lot of air and a lot of people who are throwing the parties are taking this thing into consideration that they should have themed disposable paper plates, cups etc. for their party. It makes the clean much easier.

You can get themed Plastic Trays and Bowls for your party. For example, if you are having a BBQ party, you can buy the disposable paper cups, paper plates, paper dishes with colorful pictures and designs on them that would signify your style and taste in your party. When your guests will see those paper plates and cups with different designs, they are just going to love that sight and would definitely ask you as to whose idea was that, this will especially excite the kids.

The different kinds of Plastic Trays and Bowls that you can get for your party can be Chilli Pepper Tray, Fiesta Mini Bowls, Backyard BBQ Platter, Backyard BBQ Bowl, Watermelon Platter, Patriotic Platter, Patriotic Star Trays, Hamburger Fun Plate, Pizza Face Dish, Taco Fun Plate, Football Mini Bowls, Baseball Mitt Bowl, Cars Kids Plate, Superman Bowl, Superman Kids Plate, Dora Kids Plate, etc. All these different kinds of Plastic Trays and Bowls are going to give you an idea that how much variety is out there to buy from. Happy Partying folks.

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How to Prepare Fresh Oysters

A much-prized mollusc, the oyster appears on menus throughout the world, its unique flavor and texture being unlike any other type of seafood. Many varieties are extensively cultivated around the world; the best European oysters include the English Whitstable oyster and the Belon and green Marenne from France. Most are sold raw, though a few are bottled or tinned in fresh water, or frozen.

Live rock oysters can survive unopened in the shell for up to two weeks if they are kept in a cool, damp place, preferably in a hessian bag, or wrapped in seaweed. If stored in a plastic bag or a refrigerator, they will soon die. Always discard oysters with partially open shells or those with an offensive odor as they are probably already dead and could be dangerous to eat.

Oysters should be plump and creamy and smell of the sea. Opened oysters should be eaten on the day of purchase.

Oyster opening is an acquired skill, but it you follow the instructions below, you should soon master it.

- You will need a short, strong, flat-bladed knife to open oysters, plus a cloth with which to protect the hand that is holding the shells, close to the hinge, where there is a gap in the corrugated shell edge. Lever the shells apart by twisting the knife quickly.

- As you pull the shells apart, take care to retain the liquid in the deeper bottom shell. Oyster liquid is much prized. Detach the oyster from the flatter top shell and place it in the deeper bottom shell, in its liquid.

Serve oysters with lemon wedges, for squeezing, and brown bread and butter, accompanied by a glass of crisp white wine. Alternatively, grill the oysters in their shells with a variety of other flavorings, such as spinach, cheese, cream, cayenne pepper or bacon. Oysters are also delicious in pies and soups.

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Plastic Food Trays and Containers For Restaurants

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Guide To Plastic Molding

Plastics are synthetically produced non-metallic compounds. It can be molded into various forms and hardened for commercial use. Plastic molding products can be seen everywhere. Examples are jars, protective caps, plastic tubes, grips, toys, bottles, cases, accessories, kitchen utensils and a lot more.

Even the keyboard and the mouse that you use are made through plastic molding. Even the plastic parts of the chair that you are sitting on are created this way.

The basic idea in plastic molding is inserting molten liquid plastic into a ready shaped mold, for example the mold of a bottle. It will be then allowed to cool, then the mold will be removed to reveal the plastic bottle.

Plastic molding can also custom mold a wide variety of plastic products including: garden pots, cabinets, office trays and boxes, barriers, barricades and traffic signage and displays for product and marketing promotions.

If you are planning to go into plastic molding business, you should first know the different processes. Choose from a plastic molding process that fits your budget, your expertise, and your resources. Here are basic definitions of various methods of plastic molding.

The Plastic Molding Processes:

1. Injection Molding

In Injection Molding, melted plastic is forced into a mold cavity. Once cooled, the mold can be removed. This plastic molding process is commonly used in mass-production or prototyping of a product. Injection molding machines were made in the 1930’s. These can be used to mass produce toys, kitchen utensils, bottle caps, and cell phone stands to name a few.

2. Blow Molding

Blow molding is like injection molding except that hot liquid plastic pours out of a barrel vertically in a molten tube. The mold closes on it and forces it outward to conform to the inside shape of the mold. When it is cooled, the hollow part is formed. Examples of blow molding products are bottles, tubes and containers.

Equipments needed in setting-up a blow molding business are relatively higher than injection molding.

3. Compression Molding

In this type of plastic molding, a slug of hard plastic is pressed between two heated mold halves. Compression molding usually uses vertical presses instead of the horizontal presses used for injection and blow molding. The parts formed are then air-cooled. Prices of equipments used for compression molding are moderate.

4. Film Insert Molding

This plastic molding technique imbeds an image beneath the surface of a molded part. A material like film or fabric is inserted into a mold. Plastic is then injected.

5. Gas Assist Molding

Also called gas injection molding is used to create plastic parts with hollow interiors. Partial shot of plastic is then followed by high-pressure gas to fill the mold cavity with plastic.

6. Rotational Molding

Hollow molds packed with powdered plastic are secured to pipe-like spokes that extend from a central hub. The molds rotate on separate axes at once. The hub swings the whole mold to a closed furnace room causing the powder to melt and stick to the insides of the tools. As the molds turn slowly, the tools move into a cooling room. Here, sprayed water causes the plastic to harden into a hollow part. In this type of plastic molding, tooling costs are low and piece prices are high. Cycle time takes about 40-45 minutes.

7. Structural Foam Molding

Structural foam molding is a process of plastic molding usually used for parts that require thicker walls than standard injection molding. Inserting a small amount of nitrogen or chemical blow agent into the plastic material makes the walls thicker. Foaming happens as the melted plastic material enters the mold cavity. A thin plastic skin forms and solidifies in the mold wall. This type of plastic molding can be used with any thermoplastic that can be injection molded.

8. Plastic thermoforming

In this plastic molding process, sheets of pre-extruded rigid plastics are horizontally heated and sucked down into hollow one-piece tools. When the hot plastic solidifies, its shape conforms to that of the mold.

Tooling costs are usually low and piece prices vary on the machinery.

Plastic molding is a very technical process. It needs experts in this type of manufacturing business for it to be competitive in the market. Therefore, a very scientific and systematic study should be first made before going into this endeavor.

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