The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides access to information on a variety of topics related to the environment and strives to inform citizens of health risks. The EPA also has an extensive library network that consists of 26 libraries throughout the United States, which provide access to a plethora of information to EPA employees, scientists, and researchers. The EPA implemented a reorganization project to digitize their materials so they would be more accessible to a wider range of users, but this plan was drastically accelerated when the EPA was threatened with a budget cut. It chose to close and reduce the hours and services of some of their libraries. As a result, the agency was accused of denying users the “right to know” by making information unavailable, not providing an adequate strategic plan, and discarding vital materials. This case study explores the background of the digitization project, the practices implemented, and the critiques of the project.

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The Environmental Protection Agency

Processing technologies for poly(lactic acid)

For a long time polymers have supplied most of common packaging materials because they present several desired features like softness, lightness and transparency. However, increased use of synthetic packaging films has led to a serious ecological problems due to their total non-biodegradability. Although their complete replacement with eco-friendly packaging films is just impossible to achieve, at least for specific applications like food packaging the use of bioplastics should be the future. The aim of this review was to offer a complete view of the state of the art on biodegradable polymer packages for food application.

Biodegradable polymers for food packaging: a review

Physical and mechanical properties of PLA, and their functions in widespread applications - A comprehensive review.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA), so far, is the most extensively researched and utilized biodegradable aliphatic polyester in human history. Due to its merits, PLA is a leading biomaterial for numerous applications in medicine as well as in industry replacing conventional petrochemical-based polymers. The main purpose of this review is to elaborate the mechanical and physical properties that affect its stability, processability, degradation, PLA-other polymers immiscibility, aging and recyclability, and therefore its potential suitability to fulfill specific application requirements. This review also summarizes variations in these properties during PLA processing (i.e. thermal degradation and recyclability), biodegradation, packaging and sterilization, and aging (i.e. weathering and hygrothermal). In addition, we discuss up-to-date strategies for PLA properties improvements including components and plasticizer blending, nucleation agent addition, and PLA modifications and nanoformulations. Incorporating better understanding of the role of these properties with available improvement strategies is the key for successful utilization of PLA and its copolymers/composites/blends to maximize their fit with worldwide application needs.

Physical and mechanical properties of PLA, and their functions in widespread applications — A comprehensive review

Poly(lactide) (PLA) polymers have garnered increasing attention in the last few years as food packaging materials because they can be obtained from renewable resources; their production consumes quantities of carbon dioxide; they can be recycled and composted; and their physical and mechanical properties can be tailored through polymer architecture. As a consequence, PLA is becoming a growing alternative as a ‘green’ food packaging material. PLA's optical, physical and mechanical properties have been compared to those of polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), although studies comparing and showing the actual performance of PLA, PS and PET plastics containers are scarce. The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the role of PLA in package sustainability for the food service industry. Two of the commonly used materials to make containers to package fresh food, PET and oriented polystyrene (OPS), were compared with oriented PLA (OPLA) and OPLA with 40% recycled content from the industrial trimming process. The recycled OPLA provides an opportunity for full material utilization and lower costs. This study involved a number of tests to quantify the physical, mechanical, barrier and compatibility properties that would affect the selection criteria for containers to be used for food service applications. Based on the data collected, OPLA, OPLA + 40% regrind, OPS and PET performances were evaluated. Exposure of the four materials to vegetable oil and weak and strong acids show a minimal reduction in the performance of these polymers. At ambient temperature, PET has the highest impact resistance, followed by OPLA, OPS and OPLA + 40% regrind. In terms of barrier properties, PET shows the highest oxygen barrier, followed by OPLA, OPLA 40% recycled content, and OPS. Thus, OPLA and OPLA with 40% recycled content can be used for fresh food applications as well as OPS and PET, and in many situations it performs better than OPS and PET. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

http://www.burchamintl.com/papers/petpapers/46_gpec05.pdf

Evaluation of oriented poly(lactide) polymers vs. existing PET and oriented PS for fresh food service containers

The purpose of this study was to measure the vibration levels in commercial truck shipments in Thailand and observe the effects on packaged fruit. The study measured the vibration levels in two of the most commonly used truck types to ship packaged goods as a function of road condition and vehicle speed. The suspension type on the trailers studied was leaf-spring. The results of damage to packaged tangerine fruit as a function of location in the payload are also presented. The data presented in this study will assist product and package designers to reduce damage in transit. The results showed that vibration levels increased with speed and as a result of road condition. Analysis of variance indicated that three controlling factors, road surface, truck speed and truck type, significantly affected (p ≤ 0.05) peak PSD, PSD* (root mean square) over the frequency range 2–5 Hz, and fruit damage. As expected, based on previous work, an increase in truck speed resulted in an increase in vibration levels and damage to packaged fruit. The laterite road condition produced the highest vibration level for a given truck and travelling speed followed by concrete highway and asphalt road conditions. Fruit damage was found to be greatest in the uppermost container for every combination of road, truck type and travelling speed, which also corresponded to the highest vibration levels recorded. The results showed that a significant amount of damage can occur on unpaved roads (laterite), while the packages are transported from farms and harvesting areas to regional truck terminals. Damage on asphalt road conditions was minimal. This paper provides an updated history of measured and quantified levels of vibration for these specific trucks and road conditions. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Measurement and analysis of truck transport vibration levels and damage to packaged tangerines during transit

There is a significant amount of goods that are transported using tractor trailers. Most high-value products, such as electronics, highly perishable goods like fruits and vegetables and most retail consumer products, are shipped using trucks in North America. It is therefore important to measure and quantify the levels of vibration that occur inside this mode of transport as it pertains to damage. Vibration levels inside a tractor-trailer are a function of the road surface, the speed of the vehicle, the type of suspension and the structure of the trailer. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of vibration as a function of trailer suspension at normal operating speeds in commercially used truck equipment, over 16000km of road surfaces in North America. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Measurement and analysis of US truck vibration for leaf spring and air ride suspensions, and development of tests to simulate these conditions

Today's demanding distribution challenges require engineers to choose from various types of materials, design and construction methods, to develop containers that can deliver goods with minimal damage. The challenge is even greater when packing and shipping goods which are perishable and sensitive to both physical and climatic changes in environment. In recent years the type of packaging material used to design and construct containers has undergone more scrutiny than ever, due to environmental challenges. This study focuses on two types of containers that have been designed and are being used to pack and ship fresh fruits and vegetables. The study compares the re-usable plastic containers to single-use display-ready paper corrugated trays. Results show that, based on the scope of this study and comparing 10 different produce items, such as apples, carrots, grapes, oranges, onions, tomatoes, strawberries, etc., the re-usable plastic containers require 39% less total energy, produce 95% less total solid waste and generate 29% less total greenhouse gas emissions. This study focused on the North American market. Major European nations have been using a large number of re-usable plastic containers for these types of fresh produce for the past three decades. This study was initiated by the Franklin Associates, an independent consulting firm for allowing an in-depth review of all data and results from a two year study titled: Life Cycle Inventory of Reusable Plastic Containers and Display-Ready Corrugated Containers Used for Fresh Produce Applications. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Life cycle inventory and analysis of re‐usable plastic containers and display‐ready corrugated containers used for packaging fresh fruits and vegetables

The vibration levels that occur during transportation in vehicles are complex and play a significant role in the level of damage experienced by products when shipped. In the past decade, technology has allowed packaging engineers to measure and analyse the vibration levels in commercial shipments. Recent studies have measured vibration in shipping environments on a global basis to allow packaging designers to develop packaging to meet worldwide distribution challenges. The purpose of this study was to measure and develop simulation methods for truck transport in Spain. The study quantifies vibration characteristics in trucks as a function of speed, payload and suspension type. The shipments were instrumented with vibration data recorders to measure the vibration levels and a global position system to measure the truck speed. The recorders were mounted at the rear and front location of the trailer. Two different trucks, one with leaf spring suspension and the other with air ride suspension were studied using two different load conditions. The road surface was asphalt. The data is presented in the form of power spectral density that can be used to program electrohydraulic vibration tables using ASTM, ISTA and ISO vibration test methods. Results showed that the air ride vibration levels were lower than that of leaf spring suspension trailers. Overall, the vibration intensity was lower for both types of truck as compared with the levels measured in North America, China, India and Southeast Asia. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

S. Paul Singh

Papers

Evaluation of oriented poly(lactide) polymers vs. existing PET and oriented PS for fresh food service containers

Measurement and analysis of truck transport vibration levels and damage to packaged tangerines during transit

Measurement and analysis of US truck vibration for leaf spring and air ride suspensions, and development of tests to simulate these conditions

Life cycle inventory and analysis of re‐usable plastic containers and display‐ready corrugated containers used for packaging fresh fruits and vegetables

Measurement and analysis of vibration levels for truck transport in Spain as a function of payload, suspension and speed