FP International sees 10% recycling growth
REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. — FP International, a packaging producer based in Redwood City, increased the amount of expanded polystyrene it recycled last year by 10 percent.
``This 10 percent gain gives us a record high of 8.8 million pounds of waste EPS packaging recycled,'' President Arthur Graham said in a news release.
Since 1990 when FP began recycling, it has recycled more than 37.3 million pounds of EPS packaging. Graham claims that amount is about 20 percent of the total recycled domestically.
``We increased the amount of recycled material in our primary product and introduced two new recycled-content PS packaging products this past year,'' he said. ``With these additional uses for recycled EPS, we're always looking for more PS to recycle.''
FP recycles waste PS packaging collected from equipment manufacturers, local businesses and individuals. The company's recycling operations are in Atlanta; Newark, Del.; Thornton, Ill.; Redwood City; and Los Angeles.
Britain addresses PVC safety question
LONDON — Britain's plastics industry has launched a defense of PVC in construction in response to the latest Greenpeace document that urges it be phased out on safety grounds.
A 20-page report titled ``Construction: The PVC Option'' was prepared by the vinyls group of the British Plastics Federation. The document is a response to Greenpeace's ``Building a Future without PVC.''
BPF disputes Greenpeace's claims that several European governments are boycotting PVC. The federation said that worldwide, no national government has banned its use or is committed to the phase-out of PVC.
The report also addresses issues including dioxin emissions from incinerators, use and safety of plasticizers, fire safety issues, and PVC recycling efforts.
Copies of the free BPF publication, and a more scientifically detailed, broader-based report, ``PVC Explained,'' are available from Sue Binnions, BPF, 6 Bath Place, Rivington Street, London EC2A 3JE. Tel. +44 (171) 457 5047, or fax +44 (171) 457 5045.
Firm keeps promoting unconventional resins
SAN DIEGO — American Re Strategic Ventures will continue to encourage commercial sales of Planet Polymer Technologies Inc.'s resins, films and coatings under a three-year extension of their strategic alliance.
The unit of Princeton, N.J.-based reinsurer American Re Corp. began providing limited support in October 1995, introducing Planet Polymer's technology to key companies as a way to help those firms manage risks.
``We are going to be doing more,'' Richard Secchia, assistant vice president of American Re Strategic Ventures, in discussing the extension to January 2000.
Planet Polymer in San Diego provides environmentally compatible polymeric alternatives to conventional plastics.
Nova program grows, includes 122 schools
LEOMINSTER, MASS. — Nova Chemicals Inc. of Leominster expanded its Boston public schools recycling program to include all the city's 122 schools.
Youth workers deliver scrap plastic cafeteria items to Nova's recycling facility in the Egleston Square neighborhood, where Nova converts it to flake for reuse.