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TIME: Almanac 1990
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1990 Time Magazine Compact Almanac, The (1991)(Time).iso
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010989
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01098900.008
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1990-09-17
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BUSINESS, Page 48Business NotesRECYCLINGDon't Trash That Foam
Of all the plastic garbage around, the most notorious is
poluystyrene foam. Besides helping clog landfills, some kinds of
foam contain chlorofluorocarbons, which seep into the atmosphere
and deplete the ozone layer. But this month two companies that have
already removed CFCs from their production process -- Mobil
Chemical, a subsidiary of the oil company, and Genpak, a
food-packaging manufacturer -- will open the first plant in the
U.S. to recycle polystyrene foam.
Called Plastics Again, the $4 million venture in Leominster,
Mass., will clean up and break down used hamburger containers,
insulated cups and cafeteria trays. The foam will be turned into
plastic resin that can be formed into such new items as flowerpots,
wall insulation and coat hangers. In its first year the plant is
expected to recycle about 3 million lbs. of foam, or 8% of the
state's annual consumption.