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Article: Chicken-feathered industrial products. (Science Update).(research into uses for chicken feathers)
- Article from:
- Agricultural Research
- Article date:
- September 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 U.S. Government Printing Office. 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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With over 9 billion chickens raised for food annually in the United States alone, the industry generates enormous quantities of feathers. Researchers have been searching for new uses for this vast resource, solving a serious waste-disposal problem while putting money into processors' hands. They have already found a way to turn chicken feathers into strong, less dense plastic composites for products as varied as car dashboards and boat exteriors. Feathers make good paper, too, even for filters or decorative wallpaper. They work best combined with wood pulp to increase the number of times the fiber can be recycled.
The superfine size and shape of feathers make ...