Ecolab's ProTec System Earns 2010 German Packaging Award

Ecolab Inc. announced that its newly launched ProTec storage system recently won the 2010 German Packaging Award in the transport category. The award, sponsored by the German Packaging Institute, was announced on September 27 at FachPack, a trade fair for packaging solutions in Nuremberg, Germany. This year's award placed special emphasis on sustainability and efficiency factors in which ProTec excelled.

ProTec is a sustainable and efficient transport and storage container for liquid detergents. It includes a 200-litre drum with an integrated drip tray; if the drum inside leaks, the patent-pending ProTec container collects the spilled liquid.

As a 100 percent closed system, ProTec helps eliminate human exposure to spilled liquids. Integrated suction lances further reduce exposure to chemicals and machinery, and complete drum changes can take as little as thirty seconds. Finally, empty drums are cleaned and re-used by Ecolab, further reducing the company's carbon footprint by reducing the need to purchase further plastics to create new drums.

ProTec is suitable for various applications including warewashing and in building cleaning environments such as canteens, hospitals, airports, supermarkets and offices. It will be widely available to Ecolab's European customers in the spring of 2011.


With sales of $6 billion and more than 26,000 associates, Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in cleaning, sanitizing, food safety and infection prevention products and services. Ecolab delivers comprehensive programs and services to foodservice, food and beverage processing, healthcare, and hospitality markets in more than 160 countries. More news and information is available at www.ecolab.com.

Ecolab Inc.

New ASTM Standard Covers Society of the Plastic Industry's Resin Identification Code

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., -The Resin Identification Code (RIC) system is a means of sorting different types of plastics from household waste. The RIC was developed by the Society of the Plastics Industry in 1988. The RIC assigns a numeral from 1 to 7, with a "chasing arrows" symbol around the number, to a piece of plastic to indicate its type.

SPI recognized the importance of the involvement of the technical stakeholder community in updating and maintaining the RIC. In 2008, SPI approached ASTM about adopting the RIC system as an ASTM standard. RIC is now covered in a new ASTM International standard, ASTM D7611, Practice for Coding Plastic Manufactured Articles for Resin Identification. The new standard was developed by Subcommittee D20.95 on Recycled Plastics, part of ASTM International Committee D20 on Plastics.

"Since their beginnings in the mid-1800s, plastics have continued to evolve and new materials and applications have been developed to meet societal needs," said SPI President and CEO William Carteaux. "These innovations have continued since SPI developed the original Resin Identification Code more than 20 years ago and we fully support ASTM's work to involve more stakeholders and develop a new standard that modernizes the Code."

Thomas Pecorini, technology fellow, Eastman Chemical Co., and a D20 member, notes that while the RIC system was originally designed to assist sorters in waste recovery facilities, it has since taken on additional uses. "Scrap brokers use the RIC to trade materials," says Pecorini. "Municipalities use the RICs to tell their constituents which resins are acceptable for collection."

In addition to these uses, Pecorini notes that some states use the RIC system to charge fees for certain packaging products, and brand owners and retailers use the RIC when considering end-of-life options for packaging products.

Pecorini says that ASTM D7611 will be used by those who buy, sell and trade waste plastics that have completed their originally intended life. "It will be used by municipalities, waste collectors, scrap brokers, recyclers, brand owners, retailers and anyone else interested in understanding and directing the end of life of plastic materials."

# Now that ASTM D7611 has been published, D20.95 plans to consider the following questions for future revisions of the standard: Are the chasing arrows surrounding the numbers still appropriate?
# What are the more specific definitions that might be needed for each resin identification code?
# What are the criteria for adding new codes?

All parties interested in contributing to these discussions regarding potential revisions to ASTM D7611 are invited to join the task group responsible for the new standard, D20.95.01 (www.astm.org/JOIN). To purchase ASTM standards, visit www.astm.org and search by the standard designation number, or contact ASTM Customer Relations (phone: 610-832-9585; service@astm.org).

ASTM International is one of the largest international standards development and delivery systems in the world. ASTM International meets the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles for the development of international standards: coherence, consensus, development dimension, effectiveness, impartiality, openness, relevance and transparency. ASTM standards are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems and commercial transactions.

Source : ASTM International