Europe Western

Polyethylene use is growing slowly while PVC use drops by 14-16% each year, to the benefit of PET. 

Blow-moulded containers have various and diversified applications from small bottles to drums for packaging of foods and beverages, chemicals, motor oils, cosmetics, toiletries, drugs and pharmaceuticals. Table 2.24 displays some examples for industrialized countries. The use of bottles and other containers depends on several growing markets, for example  

Blow-moulded drugs, cosmetics toiletries packaging 129 7 

To improve their development in packaging, thermoplastics must innovate and enhance their performances in terms of characteristics, ease of processing, productivity and recycling. Such improvements include  

The bottle and container sector stimulates manufacturers and researchers who study and innovate in several directions  

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This three-volume history of the events which transferred world power to Western Europe - and founded Modern History - has been universally acclaimed as a masterpiece. 

The base products, TEL and TML, are liquids having boiling points of 205° and 110° respectively. The contents of additives used are usually expressed in grams of lead per liter of fuel in the past they have reached 0.85 g Pb/1. These concentrations are still found in some of the countries of Africa. Elsewhere, when part or all of the motor fuel pool contains lead, the concentrations are much smaller. Thus in Western Europe they no longer exceed 0.15 g Pb/1. 

The 15W40 or 15W50 oils are the most widespread in temperate climates (Western Europe), while the 20W40 or 20W50 oils are used in relatively warm climates (Mediterranean countries. Middle East, South America). The 5W or lOW grades are used in countries having severe winters such as Scandinavia and Canada. 

In the coal-mining industry, more than 300 mines are operated in three coal-mining regions Ukraine produces only 5 5 million tons of its own oil, but the ramified network of oil pipelines supports the operation of 10 petroleum plants. The Ukrainian gas pipelines transport the Russian gas to Central and Western Europe. 

United States Western Europe Japan Other Total... 

Most of the world s acetone is now obtained as a coproduct of phenol by the cumene process, which is used by 21 of 31 producing companies in North America, Western Europe, and Japan. Cumene is oxidi2ed to the hydroperoxide and cleaved to acetone and phenol. The yield of acetone is beheved to average about 94%, and about 0.60—0.62 unit weight of acetone is obtained per unit of phenol (13). 

Dehydrogenation of Isopropyl Alcohol. In the United States about 4% of the acetone is made by this process, and in Western Europe about 19% (22). Isopropyl alcohol is dehydrogenated in an endothermic reaction. 

Liquid- and vapor-phase processes have been described the latter appear to be advantageous. Supported cadmium, zinc, or mercury salts are used as catalysts. In 1963 it was estimated that 85% of U.S. vinyl acetate capacity was based on acetylene, but it has been completely replaced since about 1982 by newer technology using oxidative addition of acetic acid to ethylene (2) (see Vinyl polymers). In western Europe production of vinyl acetate from acetylene stiU remains a significant commercial route. 

In 1989 the U.S. production of acryflc ester monomers was ca 450,000 t. This represents about 45% of the worldwide production Western Europe (ca 35%) and Japan (ca 15%) account for most of the remainder. Essentially all of this was converted to acryflc polymers and copolymers. The U.S. production is principally from four companies ... 

United States and Canada Western Europe Japan Total %... 

Western Europe UCB-Ptal SA (Belgium) Oostende, W. Vlaanderen 27... 

Polyamides. In 1988, 77% of U.S. demand for adipic acid was for nylon-6,6 fiber, while 11% was used in nyon-6,6 resins (195). In Western Europe only about 66% was for polyamide, because of the stronger competition from nylon-6. The fiber appHcations include carpets (67%), apparel (13%), tire cord (7%), and miscellaneous (13%). Nylon-6,6 resins were distributed between injection mol ding (85%) for such appHcations as automotive and electrical parts and for extmsion resins (15%) for strapping, film, and wire and cable. 

Polyurethanes. About 3% of the U.S. polyurethanes market in 1988 was derived from the condensation product of polyisocyanates with low molecular weight polyadipates having hydroxyl end groups (195). In 1986 this amounted to 29,000 t, or 4% of total adipic acid consumption. The percentage was similar in Western Europe. About 90% of these adipic acid containing polyurethanes are used in flexible or semirigid foams and elastomers, with the remainder used in adhesives, coatings, and spandex fibers. 

Chlorine cannot be stored economically or moved long distances. International movements of bulk chlorine are more or less limited to movements between Canada and the United States. In 1987, chlorine moved in the form of derivatives was 3.3 million metric tons or approximately 10% of total consumption (3). Exports of ethylene dichloride, vinyl chloride monomer, poly(vinyl chloride), propylene oxide, and chlorinated solvents comprise the majority of world chlorine movement. Countries or areas with a chlorine surplus exported in the form of derivatives include Western Europe, Bra2il, USA, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. Countries with a chlorine deficit are Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Vene2uela, South Africa, Thailand and Japan (3). 

Directoy of Chemical Producers—Western Europe, Vol. 2, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif., 1990, p. 1225. 

At least in the short term, European production is expected to be impacted by two trends the move away from planned economics in the East should lead to more rapid demand growth and the phaseout of CPCs, including, in Europe, aerosols (qv), should lead to overcapacity in the West. This excess capacity in western Europe could be used to supply the East. 

In Western Europe, the CPC producers are equally varied. The following is a partial Hst of the larger companies with total CPC production capacity (10 t) at all sites shown in parentheses Atochem SA (148.5, Prance and Spain), Hoescht AG (102.0, Germany), KaH-Chemie AG (66.0, Germany and Spain), Montefluos SpA (100.0, Italy), and ICI Chemicals and Polymers Ltd. (>113.6, United Kingdom). These producers account for over 80% of the Western European CPC production. 

The principal fmit juice and beverage markets are the United States, where 12.1 x 10 L is consumed per year followed by Canada, 5.6 x 10 L Western Europe, 1.2 X 10 L andjapan, 0.76 x 10 L. In all significant markets orange juice predominates (Eig. 2). In the United States apple juice is second, followed by grape and then grapefmit juice (12). 

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