Re: [greenyes] Aseptic containers: Alcoa announces new recycling

["SPENDELOW Peter H" <SPENDELOW.Peter@no.address>]

Gary-

I think the Alcoa process is referring to separating plastic from aluminum after the two of them have already been separated from the paper fibers.  There are existing paper mills today that recover the paper fibers from aseptics, but I don't know of any previous process that separates the aluminum/plastic film laminate, so that material was thrown away.  I don't know anything about the new Alcoa process and so will reserve judgment until I find out things such as how much energy is needed to recover the aluminum.  However, if this can recover aluminum from the laminated material without using too much energy, then it is a very positive development.

If the Zeri process is talking about fermentation, then I assume they are talking about degrading the paper fibers for making ethanol or some other energy-related purpose?  I don't think fermentation would work on the  aluminum/plastic laminate part of the aseptic containers, and for the paper part, I would prefer to recycle the paper back into a new paper product over converting the material to ethanol and using it for energy recovery.

Peter Spendelow
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

--------- Original message ------------
>Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 08:44:22 -0700
>To: <greenyes@no.address>
>From: Gary Liss <gary@no.address>
>Subject: [greenyes] Aseptic containers: Alcoa announces new recycling
  process
>Zero Emissions Research & Initiatives (www.zeri.org) has developed a 
>bio-chemical process that can separate aseptic containers with a 
>fermentation process. The fermentation process catalyzed by enzymes 
>produces the separation.  The fermentation process occurs at temperature 
>between 32 and 38 degrees F. The biochemical  mixture is put in a container 
>at a temperature of 80 degrees F. and the packaging is introduced for 5 
>minutes after which the packaging is totally separated without polluting 
>the environment.

>It seems like that would be a better approach than Alcoa's taking!

>Gary