NEWSLETTER • JUNE 2010 SM PLASTICS MAKE IT POSSIBLE SHOWCASES EXCEPTIONAL INNOVATIONS IN PLASTIC. THIS MONTH WE LOOK AT HOW PLASTIC IS USED IN PACKAGING. Packing the Perfect Picnic SPOTLIGHT ON

Winemakers Turn to Plastics

If present trends continue, there soon may be no need to lug home heavy glass bo les of your favorite wine or to gingerly carry them to parties and picnics. anks to innovative developments in wine packaging, lightweight and sha er-resistant plastics are bursting onto the scene as a convenient and ecological way to package wine.

While some old-school wine lovers may assume that a plastic bo le or a plastic pouch in a box automatically translates to lower quality wine, winemakers throughout the world are proving otherwise. European and other winemakers have used plastic bo les for years, and it’s becoming more e long, sunny days of summer lend themselves to impromptu outdoor commonplace for gatherings, al fresco dining and picnics in the country. Here’s a number of American ways that plastics can help create easier and more stylish outings. winemakers, as well. e Essentials: In addition to lightening the load in • Cool Packs: ese reusable bags are made with tough polyethylene. your grocery bag or ey’re lled with a gel coolant that helps keep food and drinks cool, plus picnic basket, plastic they have the great advantage of being pliable and leak resistant. Don’t wine bo les also have some in the freezer? A zippered plastic bag lled with ice cubes is a lighten the load on the great, reusable alternative. planet since they require less energy to • Plastic food containers: When preparing and packing the picnic basket, manufacture and to transport. One wine company readied foods can be stored in tightly sealed containers in the refrigerator proclaims that its lightweight plastic bo les leave a so they are thoroughly chilled and convenient. 60% lighter carbon footprint than traditional glass bo les. • Plastic Baggies: Not only will convenient plastic zipper bags help keep food from ge ing soggy, they are also handy for leovers. Wine “casks” or bag-in-a-box packaging has the added advantage of keeping wine fresh for weeks aer • Plastic Tablecloth: What’s a picnic without one? Well, a bit unsanitary. opening since the vacuum-sealed pouch prevents the Cover the table or the ground with a clean, plastic cloth and then bring on wine from being exposed to air. And the plastic pour the food. To spice things up a bit, there are special designs for holidays and spout makes life easy in the kitchen or at the backyard other occasions. Red, white and blue plastic tablecloths are already are in cookout. the stores. (See WINEMAKERS, Page 2) (See PICNIC, Page 2) PAGE 2 Dip or Squeeze? PICNIC, from page 1

Negotiating a ketchup packet • Plastic Trash Bag: When spreading a blanket on the on the go can be tricky, ground under a nice shady tree, lay down a few large sometimes resulting in a plastic trash bags to keep things clean and dry. ese sticky mess. But thanks inexpensive bags have multiple uses: lining picnic baskets, to innovations in plastic rain gear, packing out recyclables and trash and more. packaging technology, Heinz® recently announced the Dip & SqueezeTM, the A Touch of Style company’s rst enhancement to the ketchup packet in 42 Many new plastic products are designed to handle the great years. e breakthrough plastic outdoors while showing a bit of style: packaging allows diners to enjoy ketchup in two ways: peel back the • A unique plastic wine bole/cup combination, designed lid and dip or tear o the tip and primarily for events and the outdoors, adds a new twist to squeeze. e secure plastic packaging holds three times as much ketchup as the serving wine. It’s a single-serve, plastic wine bole with a traditional packaging which means more delicious ketchup, less waste! plastic wine cup that doubles as the closure. No corkscrew – just twist o the top, turn it over, pour and enjoy. is paerned bin, • New plastic trash and available at recycling bins that collapse www.bungalowco.com, WINEMAKERS, from page 1 on themselves are easy to would keep your picnic carry to picnics and to set clean and stylish Many winemakers around up outdoors. Clip plastic the world also are shiing to trash bags inside to keep plastics to take the place of them clean or simply wipe traditional corks made from or hose them down. e the bark of the Cork Oak locking lids help keep bugs tree. One reason for this is a at bay, and they come in a contaminant common to multitude of colorful natural corks that can taint designs. approximately 5 percent of boled wine, resulting in • Want a little mood lighting? unnecessary waste of Turn liquids into lanterns resources and money. with innovative, new plastic LED lights encased in plastic bole tops. ey can Today’s plastic “corks” are Today’s winemakers have innovation in action, oen made of two types of be aached to typical wide turned to plastic stoppers mouthed, reusable plastic plastic: a rm inner core that holds the shape of the to properly seal their wine. stopper and a spongy exterior that is compressed boles, casting a glow into the bole neck to form a seal. Many consumers varying from night light to nd plastic stoppers easier to remove than cork stoppers that sometimes split or reading light. e sturdy crumble, reducing those frustrating ghts with the wine bole. plastic casings allow the light to shine right side up, ere is also a trend towards screw caps. Although in the past screw caps were upside down – even associated with low quality jug wine, today many medium- and high-end hanging from the nearest winemakers are turning to screw caps since tree branch. they are easy to open and seal. ese closures wouldn’t be possible without the plastic liner that keeps the bole airtight.

So whether picnicking at the beach or WE NEED YOUR INNOVATIONS! carrying wine to a neighbor’s barbecue, innovative plastic wine packaging helps SM deliver the same bouquet and avor with less e Plastics Make it Possible Newsleer is published eort and a lighter load on the environment. by the American Chemistry Council to promote innovations in the use of plastics. Please send stories about your innovations to [email protected].

Screw caps help keep We will be pleased to consider air out of wine boles them for publication. thanks to a plastic liner. ank you.