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Alternative Materials

Packaging Goes Back to Nature
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Consumers want development of recycled, recyclable, biodegradeable, and biocompostable packaging.  Remember when consumer pressure forced McDonalds to stop using CFCs in its take-out containers? Scrutiny of packaging and expectations of environmental responsibility hardly eased up since then.

Sheet feeder for plastic recycling
Plastic Film & Sheet Recycling

Thomas Embley of Precision AirConvey and Mark Richardson of Plasmac, Ltd., demonstrate the latest in plastic film and sheet recycling equipment to Jessica Shapiro of MD. 6:25

Recycling plastics at local facilities.
Recycling Plastics

Stephen Hawksworth of PTI Recycling Systems and Craig Barrows of Plastic Technology Inc. talk about a new initiative in PET plastic recycling through the creation of distributed recycling plants across the nation. 12:54

Lightweight Lights for Vehicle Marking

LightForm lights can be made with just 2% of the material used in traditional LED lamps, says manufacturer Grote Industries

Say Good-Bye to Mercury Hearing-Aid Batteries

Hearing-aid batteries generally contain a miniscule amount of mercury.

Scanning for Ideas: Smaller, Water-Vapor Chiller Now Possible

What could be more environmentally friendly than a chiller that uses water vapor as a refrigerant? Well, such devices are around, but they are costly

Engineering Green

Green engineering throws an additional monkey wrench into the constant tug-of-war that is design.

Scanning for Ideas: Turning a Dishwasher Green

General Electric engineers added sensors that monitor wash cycles and can signal controllers to alter dishwashers to earn Energy Star certification for being 41% more efficient than federal standards demand

Sustainable Engineering: Greener Machine Tools

Recent naming of a gear-driven spindle design by the Japan Machinery Federation as the “best energy-saving technology.”

Materials Reference Guide: Plastic Compounder’s PET Project: Recycling
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Plastic water bottles can be “upcycled” into durable materials with properties equivalent to virgin polymer.  Production of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one conservation idea that is entering the mainstream.

Sustainable Engineering: Bail Out the Banks, Buck up the Recycling Industry

The Recycling Investment Saves Energy (RISE) provides a 50% accelerated depreciation allowance for purchased recycling equipment.

Sustainable Engineering

Tests of two high-performance pleasure craft from Campion Boats showcased a new use for a bio-based resin technology called Envirez.

Scanning for Ideas: Turning a Dishwasher Green

Many of the new dishwashers from General Electric earn Energy Star certification for being 41% more efficient than federal standards demand.

Plastic Compounder’s PET Project: Recycling

Plastic water bottles can be “upcycled” into durable materials with properties equivalent to virgin polymer.

Sustainable Engineering: Greener Machine Tools

Time was when machinery makers would incorporate gearing as a means of using a less-costly electric motor.

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