As editor of Sustainability is the latest buzzword in the plastics industry, and now some universities seem to believe it's an issue that will be with us for a long time. The latest to jump on board -- specifically related to plastics -- are the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland.
The universities announced the news today. Their agreement -- they call it a "partnership to promote plastics sustainability" -- "will accelerate research into new-generation plastics that are biodegradable, and environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques," according to the release. Peter Halley, director of the Centre for High Performance Polymers in the Australian university's School of Engineering, said polymer research was vital in developing a sustainable future for the plastics industry.
“The partnership connects leading researchers and research laboratories in nanocomposites, biopolymers and polymer processing, and allows us to share equipment and expertise,” Halley said.
In the United States, the University of Massachusetts Lowell has a sustainability effort with a notable plastics angle. (It's interesting that UMass Lowell also has a "Precautionary Principle Project," a topic that also of interest to the plastics industry.)
To learn more about sustainability, check out the Sustain '08 conference in November organized by Plastics News Global Group and the Society of the Plastics Industry Inc.