tion now at about 300 million bottles and forecast further growth to a half billion before 1960. Products packaged this way probably range from 3000 t o 400O, including spray deodorants, hair preparations, sun tan lotions, medicinal products, mercury, glass cleaners, water purifiers, caulking compounds, de-icing fluids, lemon juice, shampoos. Pyle estimates current end uses for the polyethylene squeeze bottles: Cosmetics Household and industrial products Pharmaceuticals
50% 35% 15%
Consumption of plastic film should almost double during the seven-year period, 1954-60, says B. M. Miller of Koppers chemical division. Data b y Koppers and the U.S. Department of Commerce suggest this consumption pattern:
Film
1954 1960 Pounds Dollars Pounds (Mill) (Mill) (Mill.)
Cellophane, all types 305 Polyethylene, all types 70 Cellulose acetate, all types 17 PlioBlm 20 Saran 20 All others 18
195
510
41
250
12 23 15 16
20 25 30 20
• 3 0 % Annual Growth. Polyethylene growth i n the past has been unparalleled by any other volume plastic, Pyle asserts. An average increase of 30% annually over the next few years is well in line with past growth of 45% annually. Added impetus to the future growth will be the new types of polyolefins, none of which is reflected in the above rates. In the 20 years from 1935 to 1955, sales of cellophane showed an average increase of 12.5% per year. During the years of its most rapid growth, 1946 to 1950, consumption of cellophane increased at the average rate of 2 1 % per year. From 1952 to 1955, polyethylene film consumption increased at a growth rate average of 62% per year. During the same period, cellophane consumption was increasing at the modest average of 6.5%. Packaging, especially with cellophane, has been one of the major factors in the growth of selfservice, foods particularly. • Molded Housewares. Housewares and appliances this year will ac-
count for about 100 million pounds of low density polyethylene i n contrast to some 12 million pounds i n 1953. Resin manufacturers and molders have been quite active in promoting and advertising the outstanding characteristics of these low and medium density polymers, said L. W . A. Meyer and Ben P. Rouse, Jr., Tennessee Eastman Division of Eastman Kodak. Preplasticizers will increase capacity, probably as much as 500%, of the injection machine, and it is easy to visualize 10- to 12-pound items requiring 3 00 million pounds of resin. As the result of recent advances in ultraviolet inhibitors, an improved weather-resistant polyethylene may soon b e offered to the trade. The resin has lacked resistance to outdoor -weatheringForecasts of the amount of electrical energy that will b e used in 1970 are key to the vast potential for polyethylene as an insulating material, says C. M. Blair of Bakelite. In that year we will have 40% more households, a great increase in housing starts, and a substantial increase in per capita disposable income. Average residential customer may use almost 170% more electrical energy than in 1956, and industry may use 122% more.
New Crops-New Markets N e w , industrially useful crops could h e l p solve mounting dilemma o f f a r m surpluses Markets for farm and forest products can b e boosted by increasing direct Agricvrtiral I domestic consumpFood Cheiraistry tion, by expanding exports, and b y developing new uses. The most promising approach—and the one deserving the greatest emphasis—depends on developing new industrial uses. That's the conclusion of George W . Irving, Jr., of USDA's Agricultural Research Service. Much more work is needed in this area. The farmer, he says, has literally been researched out of many of his markets: ACS NATIONAL MEETING
132
• Synthetic detergents now command over half the soap market that once used inedible fats.
• Substitutes have replaced leather in 60% of shoe soles and are threatening the markets for uppers. • Synthetic fibers are making giant inroads into cotton and wool markets. • Most of the nation's alcohol is now made synthetically. • Synthetic sweeteners threaten sugar markets. However, through application research, lost farm markets can be regained, Irving told the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry at its two-day symposium on Future Utilization of Agricultural Commodities. At the same time, new and better markets can be developed. For example, new uses and techniques are opening up new markets for cotton. Special treatments are making cotton resistant to weather, fire, rotting, staining, and wrinkling. Cottons with wash-and-wear properties are becoming increasingly popular. N e w cottons for automobile seat covers have the advantage of being cool, absorbent, antistatic, and easy to slide across. To meet the challenge of synthetic fibers, scientists are improving wool fabrics. Better shrink resistance is b e ing imparted to wool. N e w treatments not only enhance the properties of wool but do so without impairing the attractive feel of the fabric. A major breakthrough in starch chemistry, says Irving, has b>een made by the dialdehyde starches. These m a y be used economically in producing oxidized starches for coatings, sizings, and adhesives. They can also act as a rapid and effective tanning agent for leather. Speed, of course, is an important factor in making leather more competitive with plastics and other materials. Wheat gluten might be used more in coating and sizing of paper and textiles. It might also be used as an adhesive for insecticides and defoliating agents and as a means of improving the properties of phenolic and urea resins. Animal fats show promise in making plastics, plasticizers, and lubricants. > Castor Oil. Farm problems could be reduced if new large-volume crops, useful industrially, could b e grown on land now devoted to corn, wheat, and other surplus crops. One such crop, says Irving, is castor bean. Oil from castor bean can go into paints, varnishes, fungicides, and cosmetics. The oil is a source of sebacic acid, useful in SEPT.
2 3.
1957
C&EN
33
AMOBAM o THE LOWEST COST DITHIOCARBAMATE
DIAMONIUM ETHYLENE BISDITHIOCARBAMATE (42%
WATER S O L U T I O N )
Suitable
for use as:
Fungicide Short stop in Rubber C h e m i c a l Intermediate C a n be USED in: Preparation of metal Zineb & M a n e b
salt
fungicides
Preparation of Thiuram Sulfides b y oxidation N o w in commercial production For samples and data
wr/fe;
*
