Cheap Plastic Made from Sugarcane

MIT Technology Review ^ | 07-25-2011 | Kevin Bullis

[Red Badger]

Crude replacement: This Brazilian sugarcane could supersede oil for making plastic. Credit: Dow Chemical

BETTER LIVING THRU CHEMISTRY....HOW SWEET IT IS!...........

[mewzilla]

Ethanol hasn’t sent food prices high enough, eh?

[Red Badger]

This is from sugarcane, not corn. But the process will likely come here eventually and the corn lobby will fall all over themselves to get it done..............

[bigbob]

Pretty Sweet!

[mewzilla]

This is from sugarcane, not corn.

I did get that, RB :)

But the analogy works.

[Roccus]

We make plastic from food.
The ChiComs make food of plastic.

I understand nothing.....

(Roccus just walks away, shaking head...)

[null and void]

Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages...”

[mewzilla]

Hows about those rocket scientists find something to make plastic outta that isn't a foodstuff? :)

[Red Badger]

If nothing else, it will make the cost of chocolate go up!...............

[Lazamataz]

Because it’s not enough that we burn our food in cars, now.

[Red Badger]

First, there was bakelite......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakelite

[11th Commandment]

I wonder if the sugar tariffs would applied to plastics made from sugar cane as it does with sugar ethanol?

[Iron Munro]

If you get stuck on a remote road most of your car will be edible!

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

” make plastic outta that isn’t a foodstuff?”

Hemp oil?????

[Elsiejay]

But, but, but!! Is this making plastic from the residual cane after extracting the sap for making sugar, or is this another case of diverting a major source of food to a non-food alternative?

[RexBeach]

Gotta be a stripper named “Sugar Cane,” don’t you think?

[Roninf5-1]

More amazing American innovations that will make America more prosperous!

The company plans to build a plant in Brazil

Oh. Nevermind.

[Moonman62]

I wonder if the sugar tariffs would applied to plastics made from sugar cane as it does with sugar ethanol?

Probably. The government protections for the sugar industry in this country seem to be stronger than any other.

[bmwcyle]

One word son, plastics

[Venturer]

The thought entered my mind that maybe they could ahve built the plant here.

The story did say they were doing everything on the cheap.

Cheap Labor, cheap tax’s, cheap sugar cane, cheap land, guess it was just too expensive to build it here.

They won’t mind selling it here though-—and it won’t be cheap.