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Join the green giant
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J o i n the green giant B r i t i s h j o u r n a l i s t J o h n H a y e s a n d US consult a n t Joe M c D e r m o t t a l t e r n a t e as contributors to the V i e w p o i n t c o l u m n f o r R e i n f o r c e d Plastics. Here M c D e r m o t t replies to H a y e s ' c o l u m n i n the N o v e m b e r 1991 issue.
w o r l d w i d e o r d e r l y s u b s t i t u t i o n for CFCs is underway. Your referral to the stratospheric chemical reactions as 'allegedly', seems somewhat uniformed a n d cavalier. The composites i n d u s t r y does take issue with the l u n a t i c fringe of the green movement, which Dear John, wishes to r e t u r n to a n i m a g i n a r y a g r a r i a n society. The s e n t i m e n t s you expressed in the 'Insidious This is why the CFC p h a s e - o u t is a w i n / w i n story, g r e e n g i a n t ' , y o u r N o v e m b e r V i e w p o i n t are i n c l u d i n g e c o n o m i c o p p o r t u n i t i e s . Had t h e familiar. We h e a r d t h e m often a decade ago. No m a t t e r been j o i n e d as an us-versus-them issue, d o u b t m a n y in the composites i n d u s t r y still find a n a b r u p t b a n could have resulted, or even the comfort in such attitudes. dismally expensive e n d - g a m e of the type played Your c o l u m n begins by s t a t i n g t h a t environ- by the tobacco industry. Because certain segm e n t a l activists are leading us by the nose, a n d m e n t s of the plastics i n d u s t r y c o n s t i t u t e a third closes with asking w h e t h e r t h e r m o s e t composites of CFC usage, their enlightened leadership w e n t are being led u p the e n v i r o n m e n t a l garden path. out in front early as p a r t of the solution. As we Any m a n a g e r in our i n d u s t r y who is in such a refine our u n d e r s t a n d i n g of global warming, a n d passive or u n c e r t a i n mode should have a wake- learn to use the rising tides to irrigate the up call quickly. Our spokespeople are working deserts, our credibility as e n v i r o n m e n t a l i s t s a n d t h e i r s h a r e in t h e l e a d e r s h i p on ecological e n t r e p r e n e u r s (who c a n use c o m p o s i t e s to initiative, a n d we should be with them, eyes advantage in these endeavours) s t a n d s to be wide open. For e n v i r o n m e n t a l activism is p a r t of enhanced. everyone's job today. That's the way to get it right. The challenge to automotive t h e r m o s e t comI take issue with your two o p e n i n g paragraphs. posites is serious. You are on track in citing the The facts are t h a t a t m o s p h e r i c gases regulate the economic deficiency in grinding away to reclaim e a r t h ' s t e m p e r a t u r e . Sometimes this is referred m o u l d e d bodywork for a n o t h e r life in highto as the 'greenhouse effect'. In recent years a p p e a r a n c e parts. In North America we are scientists have d o c u m e n t e d (not speculated) e x p e r i m e n t i n g with similarly u n e c o n o m i c a l pyrt h a t emissions from h u m a n activities are begin- olysis a n d microwave reduction. The a u t o m o t i v e ning to w a r m the e a r t h to an u n n a t u r a l degree. r e c l a m a t i o n i n d u s t r y , no l o n g e r steel scrap From inside the greenhouse we are unwittingly collectors, is a n o t h e r financial stakeholder in t a m p e r i n g with the thermostat. Overriding it by these solutions. These are our allies in the j u s t a few degrees can have devastating effects on c o m m e n d a b l e incentive-based free-for-all which low-altitude areas, where great c o n c e n t r a t i o n s of is now going on, a n d we should use them. The us h a p p e n to be. Too m u c h water, incidentally, d u s t will eventually settle on some w i n n e r s as will be more t r o u b l e t h a n too m u c h desert. well as losers. Stratospheric ozone depletion is a separate The General Motors S a t u r n programme, which i n s t a n c e of i n d u s t r i a l activity's effect on nature, began so e n a m o u r e d of thermoplastics, is proving a n d is not in itself the cause of global w a r m i n g or once again t h a t very few materials have w h a t climate change. Again, the ozone hole emerged in t h e r m o s e t composites can offer in d i m e n s i o n a l the 1970s as theory b u t it is now accepted science stability, fit-and-finish, a n d cost. t h a t chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) act to 'eat' a We do n o t have all the answers yet for the hole in the protective cover of the n a t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l preference for t h e r m o s e t compogreenhouse. What comes t h r o u g h is n o t heat sites. Sooner or later the discussion is going to b u t h a r m f u l radiation. The result is a n a d d i t i o n a l include energy c o n s u m p t i o n , one of o u r t r u m p s . 200 000 US skin cancer deaths over the n e x t 50 What is certain is that, as you wrote, the 'Greens' years because of ozone depletion in the n o r t h e r n will not do it for us. It is our o p p o r t u n i t y to create new markets, boosting the use of reinforced hemisphere. The 200 000 is a n estimate, b u t even CFC plastics t h r o u g h leadership r a t h e r t h a n carping producers a n d users have agreed, t h r o u g h a resistance. Join u p with the green giant, neutralize his United Nations treaty, t h a t the science in this case is strong enough to cease waiting for the guile, s t r e n g t h e n your h a n d precise body count. Which, in n o r t h e r n Europe, is Sincerely likely to be p r o p o r t i o n a l l y higher. Thus, a Joe McDermott •
REINFORCED PLASTICS FEBRUARY1992
i
J o i n the green giant B r i t i s h j o u r n a l i s t J o h n H a y e s a n d US consult a n t Joe M c D e r m o t t a l t e r n a t e as contributors to the V i e w p o i n t c o l u m n f o r R e i n f o r c e d Plastics. Here M c D e r m o t t replies to H a y e s ' c o l u m n i n the N o v e m b e r 1991 issue.
w o r l d w i d e o r d e r l y s u b s t i t u t i o n for CFCs is underway. Your referral to the stratospheric chemical reactions as 'allegedly', seems somewhat uniformed a n d cavalier. The composites i n d u s t r y does take issue with the l u n a t i c fringe of the green movement, which Dear John, wishes to r e t u r n to a n i m a g i n a r y a g r a r i a n society. The s e n t i m e n t s you expressed in the 'Insidious This is why the CFC p h a s e - o u t is a w i n / w i n story, g r e e n g i a n t ' , y o u r N o v e m b e r V i e w p o i n t are i n c l u d i n g e c o n o m i c o p p o r t u n i t i e s . Had t h e familiar. We h e a r d t h e m often a decade ago. No m a t t e r been j o i n e d as an us-versus-them issue, d o u b t m a n y in the composites i n d u s t r y still find a n a b r u p t b a n could have resulted, or even the comfort in such attitudes. dismally expensive e n d - g a m e of the type played Your c o l u m n begins by s t a t i n g t h a t environ- by the tobacco industry. Because certain segm e n t a l activists are leading us by the nose, a n d m e n t s of the plastics i n d u s t r y c o n s t i t u t e a third closes with asking w h e t h e r t h e r m o s e t composites of CFC usage, their enlightened leadership w e n t are being led u p the e n v i r o n m e n t a l garden path. out in front early as p a r t of the solution. As we Any m a n a g e r in our i n d u s t r y who is in such a refine our u n d e r s t a n d i n g of global warming, a n d passive or u n c e r t a i n mode should have a wake- learn to use the rising tides to irrigate the up call quickly. Our spokespeople are working deserts, our credibility as e n v i r o n m e n t a l i s t s a n d t h e i r s h a r e in t h e l e a d e r s h i p on ecological e n t r e p r e n e u r s (who c a n use c o m p o s i t e s to initiative, a n d we should be with them, eyes advantage in these endeavours) s t a n d s to be wide open. For e n v i r o n m e n t a l activism is p a r t of enhanced. everyone's job today. That's the way to get it right. The challenge to automotive t h e r m o s e t comI take issue with your two o p e n i n g paragraphs. posites is serious. You are on track in citing the The facts are t h a t a t m o s p h e r i c gases regulate the economic deficiency in grinding away to reclaim e a r t h ' s t e m p e r a t u r e . Sometimes this is referred m o u l d e d bodywork for a n o t h e r life in highto as the 'greenhouse effect'. In recent years a p p e a r a n c e parts. In North America we are scientists have d o c u m e n t e d (not speculated) e x p e r i m e n t i n g with similarly u n e c o n o m i c a l pyrt h a t emissions from h u m a n activities are begin- olysis a n d microwave reduction. The a u t o m o t i v e ning to w a r m the e a r t h to an u n n a t u r a l degree. r e c l a m a t i o n i n d u s t r y , no l o n g e r steel scrap From inside the greenhouse we are unwittingly collectors, is a n o t h e r financial stakeholder in t a m p e r i n g with the thermostat. Overriding it by these solutions. These are our allies in the j u s t a few degrees can have devastating effects on c o m m e n d a b l e incentive-based free-for-all which low-altitude areas, where great c o n c e n t r a t i o n s of is now going on, a n d we should use them. The us h a p p e n to be. Too m u c h water, incidentally, d u s t will eventually settle on some w i n n e r s as will be more t r o u b l e t h a n too m u c h desert. well as losers. Stratospheric ozone depletion is a separate The General Motors S a t u r n programme, which i n s t a n c e of i n d u s t r i a l activity's effect on nature, began so e n a m o u r e d of thermoplastics, is proving a n d is not in itself the cause of global w a r m i n g or once again t h a t very few materials have w h a t climate change. Again, the ozone hole emerged in t h e r m o s e t composites can offer in d i m e n s i o n a l the 1970s as theory b u t it is now accepted science stability, fit-and-finish, a n d cost. t h a t chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) act to 'eat' a We do n o t have all the answers yet for the hole in the protective cover of the n a t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l preference for t h e r m o s e t compogreenhouse. What comes t h r o u g h is n o t heat sites. Sooner or later the discussion is going to b u t h a r m f u l radiation. The result is a n a d d i t i o n a l include energy c o n s u m p t i o n , one of o u r t r u m p s . 200 000 US skin cancer deaths over the n e x t 50 What is certain is that, as you wrote, the 'Greens' years because of ozone depletion in the n o r t h e r n will not do it for us. It is our o p p o r t u n i t y to create new markets, boosting the use of reinforced hemisphere. The 200 000 is a n estimate, b u t even CFC plastics t h r o u g h leadership r a t h e r t h a n carping producers a n d users have agreed, t h r o u g h a resistance. Join u p with the green giant, neutralize his United Nations treaty, t h a t the science in this case is strong enough to cease waiting for the guile, s t r e n g t h e n your h a n d precise body count. Which, in n o r t h e r n Europe, is Sincerely likely to be p r o p o r t i o n a l l y higher. Thus, a Joe McDermott •
REINFORCED PLASTICS FEBRUARY1992