for more information about stanelco click on the links.

driver's research page link
http://www.moneyam.com/InvestorsRoom/posts.php?tid=7681#lastread
website link
http://www.stanelco.co.uk/index.htm

Bugger it. I'll just paste it on here...........

Sir,



Without getting technical I hope I can answer your questions:



1) All PLA can be guaranteed GM free even if the source is GM crops as all GM signature is destroyed during the fermentation process of manufacture. However in reality the corn that goes into NatureWorks may come from genetically modified corn as about 50% of US corn has been modified in order to reduce the herbicides and pesticides used. NatureWorks has a cost offset programme set up that guarantees that if a company want GM free crop they will purchase that amount of raw material on your behalf and mix it with their regular stock. This way a company can honestly say they are buying GM free corn for the product. Alternatively NatureWorks will clean their plant and run guaranteed GM free corn if the order (and cost) is high enough. To make PLA you do not need GM crop, but in the USA a lot of corn has been genetically modified and most companies are taking a pragmatic view that it is better to use a partial GM source sustainable crop material rather than 100% fossil fuel material for food trays and other containers. NatureWorks could not sustain the world usage for PLA and as the demand grows other factories in various other parts of the world will produce PLA from non GM crop. Tate and Lyle have recently purchased the Hycail PLA pilot plant in Holland and will, in the fullness of time, be producing PLA from non GM stock. Others are following. Stanelco is talking to these companies on a regular basis. Whilst GM is a major world issue I believe the way to change things is to work with companies to change and by increasing the use of PLA world wide more factories will be built and non GM crop will be used. There are issues regarding GM in other crops, such as cotton and Soya and US cola drinks. About 50% of the worlds cotton is GM a great deal more Soya has been modified and the corn syrup going into US cola type drinks uses American corn, all of which makes the tiny amount of packaging made from sustainable products that may have come from GM crops a very small issue. Stanelco will purchase guaranteed GM free corn if its customers require it. Starpol 3000 has very little PLA, the main ingredient being starch, which is GM free European grown.



2) Starpol 2000 is currently made as a polymer in Germany, however as sales grow franchises and joint ventures manufacturing plants can be set up where ever the material is required. This is no different from any other plastic polymer which may come from the Far East or the USA to make packaging or other plastic components in any other part of the world.



3) Many plastics are currently transported around the world. Carrier bags for most of the European supermarkets are made in the Far East often from polymers that are made in the USA. The only commercial plant to make PLA is currently in the USA, so all PLA in the world is transported many miles. As the usage of PLA increases more plants will be built which will reduce the transportation down to below that of fossil fuel plastics as crops will be grown on each continent that has a factory. The transport energy used by PLA is generally no more than fossil fuel at the moment and can only improve.



4) The manufacture of PLA takes no more energy than standard fossil fuel plastics to make, however all the time the crop is growing it is absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and is generally CO2 neutral which makes it more environmentally responsible than fossil fuel polymers towards global warming. If you compare energy efficiency between plastic and the most well known sustainable packaging product paper, you will find that paper uses 4 times more water than plastic, takes 4/5 times more energy and need about 5 times more vehicles on the road to deliver the finished good and 5 times more warehouse space to store paper bags compared to plastic bags. PLA material is comparative to a standard fossil fuel plastic in terms of energy use but with reduced greenhouse gasses.







I hope this helps, please call if you have any more queries.





Kind Regards



Terry Robins

Chief Operating Officer

Stanelco plc

Thanks Alan, would appreciate sight of the full mail. Can't elucidate on the long term carbon cycle but had a date with Lucy once!! It looks to me like WM & ASDA are being a trifle overcautious, but given WM's history who can blame them!

Good luck with the cricket/interrogation, I hope you have success in both!
kim

I see I'll have to improve my typing speed! Thanks again Alan.
kim

I wonder if WM have any other issues with SEO that have not come to light? I cannot see any reason for them holding back after reading TR's reply, they are just being very silly now!
kim

kim
I think you mean very very very silly now!

Thanks for sharing that, Alan. An encouraging read.

I second that cheers Al.

Yes, thanks Alan.

the longer WM hang it out, the more companys come to market producing biogradables, hence more choice, more bargaining power, cheaper

Hycail launches first transparent, microwavable and ovenable biopolymer
Noordhorn, the Netherlands, December 3, 2005 - Hycail BV, the European based producer of Polylactic Acid (PLA), has expanded its diversified PLA product portfolio with the first truly high heat resistant, transparent PLA., designated Hycail XM 1020.

About Hycail B.V.
Hycail B.V. has developed a range of bio-based PLA polymers and resins through the use of unique proprietary technology. Hycails products can be used in a variety of applications, including rigid packaging items, films, fibers, adhesives, chewing gum and emulsions. Hycail operates a semi-commercial facility with a few hundred tonnes of capacity in Noordhorn, the Netherlands, using annual renewable resources, such as sugar beats or corn, only sourced from Europe. Currently Hycail is in process of determining the size and scope of a large commercial facility. All product of Hycail are biodegradable and compostable according to EN 13432.

The sugar regime is feeling the impact of the WTO reforms and several sugar producers across Europe will close. Those remaining will look to expand their businesses whilst looking at value-added products and alternative markets.

http://www.piranet.com/admin/_private/ConferenceBrochurePDFs/Bio%20Plastics%20WEB.pdf

hope the link works.

There was a packaging conference in AUSTRIA 12-13/6/06
Terry robbins was selling benefits of GREENSEAL to the masses.

I still think regardless of which company supplies bulk of PLA derivatives, the future will be green and if machines have a liife of approx 5 years, GREENSEAL with its cost savings is well placed to take a good share of market. Hopefully fully supported by starpol 2/3/4/5000.

Re Link

http://www.piranet.com/admin/_private/ConferenceBrochurePDFs/Bio%20Plastics%20WEB.pdf

Hi all,
In the process of returning to civilisation after 2 weeks high in the Caucuses Mountains, within 130miles of Chechnia and 250miles of Iran (against FO advice, I am now told) and driving on the Moscow Circle road (a sort of M25 equivalent but wider and faster - much faster!) in the evening dusk an hour or so ago, I noticed a Food Packaging exhibition was being held at the new Exhibition Centre. No time to stop and look to see if I could get in tomorrow, but it did bring my thoughts to SEO.

Back to the real M25 tomorrow evening :-((

Secret squirrel here......
Unable to glean any more info. stop. my mole was in the second eleven. stop. I was in the first. stop. lost anyway. stop. will try again next week. stop.

message received and understood .... m out.

Bad luck SS, a double whammy!

removed. sorry wrong board

I think you may have to accept sometime that SEO is finished... And report only REAL news, not just extracts from articles praising renewable packaging and trying to link them to SEO, or quoting trades that mean very little.
A few months ago I was stupid enough to buy SEO at 14p!!! I regret that decison everyday and will continue to until I pluck up the courage to take such a loss, I only hope that you got in lower and still have the chance to sell without damaging your portoflio heavily.

Dissappointing, slow, frustrating, enigmatic.
I can accept any of these epithets. Finished is a little strong.
Care to elucidate on the reasons behind that particular sentence. Appealing to REAL news please for your authority.