| MINNEAPOLIS, Apr 18, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- This year as
Earth Day is celebrated across the globe and concerns over
energy and global warming weigh on the minds of many,
consumers are looking for ways to preserve nature's valuable
resources in their everyday lives. One of the solutions now
includes using products made from NatureWorks(TM) PLA,
developed by Cargill Dow LLC. With revolutionary technology,
corn is replacing petroleum in consumer products like
carpeting, clothing, cups, food containers and numerous other
applications, making it easier to protect the environment.
An industrial revolution combining the best of agricultural
processing with the best of industrial processing is taking
shape. With the introduction of NatureWorks PLA, Cargill Dow
has become the leader of this revolution by using annually
renewable resources, like corn, to replace petroleum as the
feedstock for fibers and plastics applications across the
globe. Through this technology, the company is able to
conserve non-renewable energy resources.
"In the past it was harder for consumers to do their
part to help the environment because they were forced to
sacrifice product cost and performance," said Dr. Pat
Gruber, vice president and chief technology officer for
Cargill Dow. "Now, with NatureWorks, consumers can be
more sustainable and help the environment as part of their
everyday lives."
The technology used to create the NatureWorks polymer
allows the company to "harvest" the carbon corn
plants remove from the air during photosynthesis. This is
achieved by tapping into the carbon stored in plant starches,
which can be broken down into natural plant sugars. The carbon
and other elements in these natural sugars are then used to
make plastic through a process of simple fermentation and
separation. In the future, NatureWorks technology will likely
use other sources of biomass such as wheat, sugar beets and
agricultural waste as feedstock.
"Biobased resources hold the key to successfully
addressing issues about energy, the environment and
sustainability," Gruber continued. "There is no
limit to the possibilities of using renewable, plant-based
resources in a wide range of commercially competitive
applications. And, by using raw materials that can be renewed
and replenished on an annual basis, we can help ensure a
bright future for generations to come."
By substituting corn or other natural feedstocks for
petroleum, NatureWorks PLA uses 20 to 50 percent less fossil
resources than conventional plastics. The fossil resources
used to produce NatureWorks PLA are used only in process
energy. Long term, Cargill Dow plans to reduce the impact on
fossil fuels through system improvements and alternative
energy sources.
In addition, since the production of PLA recycles the
earth's carbon, the PLA system emits less CO2 compared to
other petroleum-based thermoplastics. Disposal of NatureWorks
fits with existing systems including the additional option of
composting.
"The dramatic influence Cargill Dow's technology holds
for the future of the environment as well as for consumers is
immeasurable," said Denise Swink, deputy assistant
secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of
Industrial Technology. "In the United States and across
the globe, their technology combines the best of agriculture
and industry to create products that establish alternatives to
petroleum use while saving substantial energy."
Cargill Dow is committed to creating more sustainable
solutions for consumers, industry and the way they do
business. With the development of numerous NatureWorks PLA and
fibers applications, the company is able to offer and deliver
solutions across the world. By partnering with other industry
leaders, the company has been able to introduce more
sustainable products in Japan, Europe and the United States.
Founded in 1997, Cargill Dow LLC company is based in
Minnetonka, Minn. It is the first company to offer its
customers a family of polymers derived entirely from annually
renewable resources with the cost and performance necessary to
compete with packaging materials and traditional fibers. The
company has achieved this breakthrough by applying its unique
technology to the processing of natural plant sugars to create
a proprietary polylactide polymer (PLA). Future applications
include use in injection blow molded bottles, foams, emulsions
and chemical intermediates. For more company information
please visit the Cargill Dow Web site at
http://www.cargilldow.com.
CONTACT: Cargill Dow LLC, Minnetonka, Minn.
Michael O'Brien, 952/742-0523
michael--o'brien@cargilldow.com
or
Gibbs & Soell Public Relations
Steve Halsey or Jennifer Gray, 847/519-9150
shalsey@gibbs-soell.com
jgray@gibbs-soell.com
|