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Article: Foams seek sustainability: material and process developers shoot for "greener" polymeric foams.(NORTH AMERICA)
- Article from:
- Plastics Engineering
- Article date:
- January 1, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Foamed plastics are critical components in many safety, insulation, and weight-saving applications, a fact that contrasts with the often negative public image of foam packaging. Yet advancements in foaming overall are driving new applications while confronting the environmental issues of high-volume foam production through more sustainable materials and processes.
Still, it isn't easy to be a specialist in foamed plastics. Considering "all of the negative publicity that polymeric foams have gotten over the past two decades and more, 'foam' is really treated as if it is a vulgar term by the general public," said Gary Wilkes of packaging specialist Dart Container ...