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Unfortunately discussing the basics of plastics is not enough and the conversation in my opinion needs to be elevated to address more pressing issues in the global market today. With regard to HDPE why not discuss the problems associated with milk bottle HDPE like blow out plugs and the recycling of HDPE bottles and the problems associated with contents of plastic bottles that degrade prematurely in stores and become rancid or the effects of poor process stability on molecular properties of the final molded container on shelf life and end of life upcycling issues;etc.

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Hey Dr. J.R. Webster Webster, I actually don't know that much about HDPE milk bottle issues, but the audience that reads this newsletter is relatively diverse and might not have a good understanding of the differences between grades of polyethylene.

Would like to learn more about these issues if you've written about them somewhere though. Would be happy to share via this newsletter too.

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Would be happy Tony to add to the conversation regarding any polymer or plastic but the devil is in the details and the current problem sets globally are diverse and in need of fact checks and solutions to real problems not just a narrative that generally leads to more questions. Currently HDPE milk bottles contain a blow out plug on the side wall that will release all the milk contents if handled poorly. Studies show the blow molding process of the HDPE is not regulated and varies by 35% wall thickness over standards established by state and federal agencies due to non conformity at the fabricator. This causes greater transmission of UV and reduces life time of the contents. Buyer beware.

Unable to attach photos to this post??

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I worked at a site that manufactured ZN catalysts and was amazed at the value they added to the Polyethylene manufacturing process. When the catalyst to unlink and re-use plastics is developed, it will be a great piece of IP.

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