USA Road Trip: The Lost Notes

(Cryptic Moth apologizes for such a long delay between blog posts but as many know we have been busy editing footage and prepping for the next trip.)

In the final days of our USA road trip, Cryptic Moth finally got to see some biodegradable materials get made into product. Cortec became a world leader in using plastic as a corrosion protectant but has now branched off to packaging materials - mainly bags - that are 100% compostable. But according to Cliff, Cortec's Technical Sales Manager, their Eco Film line of products are not 100% biobased.



You see, in order to increase the strength and durability of their products, Cortec uses 70% corn-based plastic from BASF and blend it with 30% petroleum plastics. Cortec's material is still certified 100% compostable, and therefore 100% biodegradable...in the right conditions. Welcome to the confusing world of bioplastics.



At Cortec's world headquarters outside Minneapolis, the resin mixture is fed into an extruder, heated and then blown into a giant bubble that stretches to the ceiling. The plastic then returns to the production floor through a series of rolls, printed and coverted to bags or sheeting.



What's amazing is how the production process is identical to making non-degradable bags. Tim showed us around the operation, explaining the years of fine-tuning it took to produce stronger PLA films.



Cryptic Moth conducted its final shoot of the trip with the world's leading producer and inventor of PLA biopolymer resin. And it was well worth the vist.



NatureWorks' PLA resin is not only turned into disposable packaging (cups, cutlery, sandwich triangles) but also a line of fabric called Ingeo that can be made into carpet, clothing or diapers. Steve, NatureWorks' Global Marketing Manager, explained in the interview how recent hurricanes, wars and the price of oil make biopolymers an affordable, renewable alternative. Big name customers like Wal-Mart agree.



In the future, NatureWorks hope their products will be recyclable as well as compostable and are looking at alternative sources for starch to make different biopolymers. When asked about GMO corn used in their products, Steve assured me that if a producer - like many in Europe - prefer non-GMO corn, they can accomodate that by buying from appropriate growers and sanitizing the production plant from contamination.

After 20,000 kilometers, Cryptic Moth would like to thank all our American hosts for allowing us through their doors to point cameras at them. Most of all, thank you for fighting plastic pollution and for inventing next generation polymers.



Au Revoir.

G+I

Could Plastic be the Next Tobacco?

On good advice, Cryptic Moth headed south from Nebraska to the University of Missouri-Columbia. We wanted to interview Dr. Frederick vom Saal, a leading researcher in developmental biology. His most recent - and controversial - research has been on the biological impact of synthetic hormones like Bisphenol A (BPA) used in many plastic products - think CD's, eyeglasses, dental sealants and many polycarbonate baby products. When heated or exposed to detergents, BPA can leech from the plastic.



What has made his findings so alarming, however, is the fact that only a miniscule amount - only a trillionth of a gram - can alter the development of the brain, the liver and reproductive organs. His tests on mice were quickly refuted by industry-funded studies as non-replacable but vom Saal insists there are some 20 peer-reviewed scientific studies that duplicated his findings (endocrinedisruptors.missouri.edu).



More than 6 billion pounds of BPA is produced every year. Since polycarbonate isn't recycled, much of that BPA threatens to contaminate groundwater. And because no technology exists to remove BPA from our waterways, we end up absorbing most of this chemical through bathing. Recent government studies already show most us have significant levels of BPA, the greatest at risk being developing fetuses.



Vom Saal also told us how a plastic company practically bribed him if he changed his findings and how 2 network news shows shelved in-depth interviews with him. Sound familiar?

After spending 3 hours with vom Saal, Cryptic Moth headed to Minneapolis for the weekend. We thought a ballgame might lift our spirits.



Out.

I+G