Manufacturing Europe

APME (Association of Plastics Manufacturers Europe, today Plastics Europe), with member companies given in [29] has classified plastic waste in a series of categories and monitors their origin and recycling, according to their field of application. Several early publications are still of interest, to compare past and present. A recent book on plastics recycling is Scheirs [38]. A few sites of interest are also ... 

Further information may be obtained from Association of Plastics Manufacturers Europe, (APME), Brussels, or on the Internet at http Mca.apme.org/reports/htm/ 14.htm. 

The Benefits of Using Plastics, GUA Gesellschaft ftir umfassende Analysen, Wien, 2000 e-mail office gua-group.com Information available from Association of Plastics Manufacturers Europe (APME), Brussel. 

Assessing the Potential for Post-Use Plastics Waste Recycling Predicting Recovery in 2001 and 2006, Association of Plastics Manufacturers Europe Summary Report, Brussels, n.d. 

The European specifications require a minimum cetane number of 49 for the temperate climatic zones and the French automotive manufacturers require at least 50 in their own specifications. The products distributed in France and Europe are usually in the 48-55 range. Nevertheless, in most Scandinavian countries, the cetane number is lower and can attain 45-46. This situation is taken into account in the specifications for the arctic zone (Table 5.14). In the United States and Canada, the cetane numbers for diesel fuels are most often less than 50. 

Acetyl chlotide is manufactured commercially in Europe and the Fat East. Some acetyl chlotide is produced in the United States for captive appHcations such as acetylation of pharmaceuticals. 

Early demand for chlorine centered on textile bleaching, and chlorine generated through the electrolytic decomposition of salt (NaCl) sufficed. Sodium hydroxide was produced by the lime—soda reaction, using sodium carbonate readily available from the Solvay process. Increased demand for chlorine for PVC manufacture led to the production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide as coproducts. Solution mining of salt and the avadabiHty of asbestos resulted in the dominance of the diaphragm process in North America, whereas soHd salt and mercury avadabiHty led to the dominance of the mercury process in Europe. Japan imported its salt in soHd form and, until the development of the membrane process, also favored the mercury ceU for production. 

The market for optical fiber worldwide in 1992 was 2.8 billion corresponding to 10 million fiber kilometers (Mfk) (38). This can be broken down into the U.S. market (3.7 Mfk), the rest of North America (0.4 Mfk), northern Europe (4.1 Mfk), eastern Europe (2.6 Mfk), the Pacific Rim (2.8 Mfk), and elsewhere (0.3 Mfk). Most of the optical fiber is manufactured by only a few companies, the largest of which are AT T and Coming. Other producers include Alcatel, Eujikura, Eurakawa, Northern Telecom, Pirelli, and Sumitomo. The market for optical fibers is projected to reach 3.5 biUion by 1998. In addition, according to ElectroniCast (San Mateo, Ca.), the total market for passive optical components, optical electronics, connectors, and fiber-optic cable is predicted to increase from 1.76 billion (U.S.) in 1992 to over 4 billion in 1997, and 10 billion by 2002. 

Chemical Uses. In Europe, products such as ethylene, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, acetone, butadiene, and isoprene have been manufactured from acetylene at one time. Wartime shortages or raw material restrictions were the basis for the choice of process. Coking coal was readily available in Europe and acetylene was easily accessible via calcium carbide. 

Rhc ne-Poulenc (RP), producing both in Europe and the United States, is the only producer of sahcylaldehyde worldwide, for merchant sales. A large portion of it is used captively in the manufacture of coumarin. The remainder is available for the merchant market. 

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