SAN DIEGO, CA, May 02, 2012 (Press-News.org) The U.S. plastics industry accounts for about 10 percent of the country's total oil consumption. And despite widespread public outrage about the harmful environmental impacts of plastic bottles and bags, among other ubiquitous items of daily life, only about one percent of that is recycled.
Fortunately, technologies and consumer demands for greener products have created an entire industry dedicated to changing the resources used for the products in our throw-away culture--bioplastics (PLA). Derived from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable oils, corn starch or microbiota, bioplastics are not only petroleum-free, but usually designed to biodegrade.
Although bioplastics have been around for a while, the technology has generally been held back by high costs and issues with heat resistance/durability. However, improved technologies and formulas coupled with high oil prices are creating a bourgeoning commercial market for a variety of alternatives to traditional plastics. Unlike the volatile prices of fossil fuels, crops used for bioplastics are not subject to fluctuations of the price of oil per barrel.
One of the leading companies in this arena is Cereplast. Using starches from corn, wheat, tapioca and potatoes, Cereplast Compostables replace nearly 100 percent of the petroleum-based additives used in traditional plastics--pulling readily available crops from the Midwest, versus oil from the Middle East.
In an interview with Cereplast's CEO Frederick Scheer, Energy Digital gets a peek into the industry from the expert himself. What does the future of the industry look like? Will consumers choose "green" over convenience?
Read all these stories and much more at: http://www.energydigital.com/
About Energy Digital
Energy Digital is a leading digital media source of news and content for C-level executives focused on business and all aspects of managing the environment. Energy Digital provides information for industry specific issues such as: Renewables; Global Operations; Exploration and Production, and Green Business. Energy Digital is the industry-dedicated arm of the WDM Group. Founded in 2007 by entrepreneur Glen White, WDM Group retains a diversified portfolio of websites, magazines, mobile apps, daily news feeds and weekly e-newsletters that leverage technology to innovatively deliver high-quality content, analytical data, and industry news.
Energy Digital is headquartered in San Diego, California, with additional offices in Boston, Toronto, Mumbai, and Norwich, England. For more information, contact 1-760-827-7800 or visit http://www.energydigital.com.
Press Contact
Carin Hall
Energy Digital
Telephone: (760) 607-5503
Email: Carin.Hall@wdmgroup.com
Website: http://www.wdmgroup.com
Cereplast, a Leading Bioplastics Company, Discusses the Industry Potential in the Face of Volatile Oil Prices and Mixed Consumer Feedback, in Energy Digital
The U.S. plastics industry accounts for about 10 percent of the country's total oil consumption.
2012-05-02
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Industry Leaders Gather at CERAWeek to Discuss Potential Domestic Energy Resources to Increase America's Energy Security, in Energy Digital
2012-05-02
This month, CERAWeek provides optimism for the energy industry as executives gather to discus environmental responsibility and transparency as the keys to success.
The 2012 CERAWeek showcased a tremendous sense of optimism within the U.S. and global energy industry, largely due to the potential for vast new oil and natural gas reserves. Industry leaders also exhibited a sincere appreciation for public concern over the technologies used to extract these resources; and specifically noted that concerns related to hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" are legitimate ...
Spot a bot to stop a botnet
2012-05-02
Computer scientists in India have developed a two-pronged algorithm that can detect the presence of a botnet on a computer network and block its malicious activities before it causes too much harm. The team describes details of the system in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Wireless and Mobile Computing.
One of the most significant threats faced by computer networks is from "bots". A bot is simply a program that runs on a computer without the owner's knowledge and carries out any of a number of tasks over the network and the wider internet. It can run ...
Getting the Job Done Despite the Risk, in Supply Chain Digital
2012-05-02
Although supply chain officers are starting to crop up in the boardroom, they've usually been the behind-the-scenes types - you know, the bean-counters making sure everything gets everywhere so everyone can have everything they want. It's not a small job, and it's usually not a very glamorous one either.
And yet, with natural disasters causing major disruptions in the global supply chain and markets rollicking as a result, it's not the charismatic leaders who can get us where we need to be. It's the bean counters.
Good supply chain operations means getting the job ...
Stun guns not safe for citizens, but benefit police, study finds
2012-05-02
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The use of stun guns by police significantly increases the chances of citizen injury, yet also protects the officers more than other restraint methods, according to the most comprehensive research to date into the safety of stun guns in a law enforcement setting.
William Terrill, lead researcher on the project and Michigan State University criminologist, said the federally funded research presents a dilemma for police agencies weighing use of the controversial weapon. Nationally, some 260,000 electronic control devices, or stun guns, are in use in ...
Gunther Roberts Consulting Expands Service Offerings
2012-05-02
Tony Guice, CPA, and Manager / Member of Gunther Roberts Consulting said, "We are always looking for opportunities to offer our clients a broader range of services around our core competencies of accounting, human resources, and IT. This new offering fits well within our HR suite of services and expands our footprint into the Transportation Industry. Companies in this industry need sound advice on compliance with the many DOT regulations that exist and a means to deliver that message to its employees. Given our background and over 15 years of experience in Industrial ...
Plastic Surgeon Not Surprised by Whitney Houston's Breast Implants
2012-05-02
Dr. Remus Repta of Advanced Aesthetic Associates says he's not surprised that the Los Angeles County coroner found scars associated with breast implants on Whitney Houston's body, since breast augmentation in Phoenix and across the nation is extremely common.
What Dr. Repta finds interesting is the spin the media put on the results of the coroner's report, which indicated there were small scars associated with breast implants on Houston's breasts.
"Whitney Houston's tragic death was covered by news sources across the nation, but I was shocked to see that evidence ...
Inexpensive, abundant starch fibers could lead to ouchless bandages
2012-05-02
A process that spins starch into fine strands could take the sting out of removing bandages, as well as produce less expensive and more environmentally-friendly toilet paper, napkins and other products, according to Penn State food scientists.
"There are many applications for starch fibers," said Lingyan Kong, graduate student, food science, "Starch is the most abundant and also the least expensive of natural polymers."
Kong, who worked with Greg Ziegler, professor of food science, used a solvent to dissolve the starch into a fluid that can then be spun into long strands, ...
Carnegie Mellon researchers create dynamic view of city based on Foursquare check-in data
2012-05-02
PITTSBURGH—The millions of "check-ins" generated by foursquare, the location-based social networking site, can be used to create a dynamic view of a city's workings and character, Carnegie Mellon University researchers say. In contrast to static neighborhood boundaries and dated census figures, these "Livehoods" reflect the ever-changing patterns of city life.
Researchers from the School of Computer Science (SCS) have developed an algorithm that takes the check-ins generated when foursquare members visit participating businesses or venues, and clusters them based on a ...
Medicare penalty appears to drive hospital infection prevention efforts
2012-05-02
Washington, April 30, 2012 -- The 2008 decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to cease additional reimbursement to hospitals for certain healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) has led to enhanced focus on infection prevention and changes in practice by front-line staff, according to a national survey of infection preventionists published in the May issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
A team of researchers and public health ...
Rhinoplasty Has High Patient Satisfaction Rate
2012-05-02
Dr. Michael Menachof of The Center for Aesthetic Facial Surgery says the relatively high Worth It Rating for nose surgery on RealSelf.com, a popular online cosmetic surgery forum, does not surprise him considering the high level of satisfaction his Denver rhinoplasty patients experience.
"Rhinoplasty is an extremely effective procedure that is tailored to the personal needs of each patient," Dr. Menachof says. "The almost 80% Worth It Rating on RealSelf reflects how successful this procedure is for creating the desirable results."
Dr. Menachof, ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
AI judged to be more compassionate than expert crisis responders: Study
Scale-up fabrication of perovskite quantum dots
Adverse childhood experiences influence potentially dangerous firearm-related behavior in adulthood
Bacteria found to eat forever chemicals — and even some of their toxic byproducts
London cabbies’ planning strategies could help inform future of AI
More acidic oceans may affect the sex of oysters
Transportation insecurity in Detroit and beyond
New tool enables phylogenomic analyses of entire genomes
Uncovering the role of Y chromosome genes in male fertility in mice
A single gene underlies male mating morphs in ruff sandpipers
Presenting CASTER – a novel method for evolutionary research
Reforestation boosts biodiversity, while other land-based climate mitigation strategies fall short
Seasonal vertical migrations limit role of krill in deep-ocean carbon storage
Child mortality has risen since pandemic, new study shows
Super enzyme that regulates testosterone levels in males discovered in ‘crazy’ bird species
Study tracks physical and cognitive impairments associated with long COVID
Novel model advances microfiber-reinforced concrete research
Scientists develop new AI method to forecast cyclone rapid intensification
Interpreting metamaterials from an artistic view
Smoking cannabis in the home increases odds of detectable levels in children
Ohio State astronomy professor awarded Henry Draper Medal
Communities of color face greater barriers in accessing opioid medications for pain management
Researchers track sharp increase in diagnoses for sedative, hypnotic and anxiety use disorder in young adults
Advancement in DNA quantum computing using electric field gradients and nuclear spins
How pomalidomide boosts the immune system to fight multiple myeloma
PREPSOIL webinar explores soil literacy among youth: Why it matters and how educators can foster it
Imagining the physics of George R.R. Martin’s fictional universe
New twist in mystery of dinosaurs' origin
Baseline fasting glucose level, age, sex, and BMI and the development of diabetes in US adults
Food insecurity in pregnancy, receipt of food assistance, and perinatal complications
[Press-News.org] Cereplast, a Leading Bioplastics Company, Discusses the Industry Potential in the Face of Volatile Oil Prices and Mixed Consumer Feedback, in Energy DigitalThe U.S. plastics industry accounts for about 10 percent of the country's total oil consumption.