|
Clothing,
Plastic Derived From Corn Not Science Fiction But Fact
(10-12-01)
When most people
think of corn, they think of food, livestock feed, a grain harvested
by the best farmers in the world (hey, they sign my paycheck), etc.
What the majority of people don't think about in relation to corn is
clothing...
But that's changing.
Farmers invested
grants and checkoff funds from 20 grower states that allowed the National
Corn Growers Association (NCGA) to partner with Cargill Dow in researching
a corn-derived substance called polylactide or PLA, which can be used
for a number of non-traditional uses, such as fibers to make clothing
and plastics.
Cargil Dow is currently
constructing a plant in Blair NE, scheduled to open later this year,
which will produce plastic resin from corn. Corn Growers were involved
in many ways in supporting the development of this new product including
funding research on various applications for PLA. Cargill Dow recognized
NCGA's outstanding industry leadership at the plant's groundbreaking
ceremony April 25, 2000.
"PLA is the
first of a new kind of corn-based product," said NCGA Customer
and Business Development Action Team Vice Chairman and York, Neb., corn
grower Boyd Smith. "It is a polymer that can be made into fabric
for clothing, carpeting, furniture, plastic films and containers for
food and other product packaging.
"When used
for clothing," Smith continued, "it has some great characteristics
and can be used in athletic gear, among other applications. I think
customers will be pleased with the performance of these products and
their price."
PLA is made by fermenting
the starch in the corn into lactic acid, which can be made into a form
of plastic. The plastic will be manufactured in a plant in Blair, Neb.,
which is scheduled to come online in November and is the first commercial-scale
plant in the nation. Approximately 14 million bushels of corn will be
utilized annually at the Blair plant. While that's not yet a huge market
that will make a dent in the 9.4 billion bushel U.S. crop it is a start.
"This research
opens a whole new market for corn and corn growers," Smith said.
"We're excited about the possibilities that PLA can bring. This
will be the first major commercial product in a whole new renewable
products industry.
"Another great
thing about this," concluded Smith, "is the how this cycle
works. Growers participate in checkoff programs, then those checkoff
funds go towards research like PLA and then that research creates new
marketing opportunities for the growers."
For more information
on research projects such as PLA, visit the NCGA website at http://www.ncga.com/research/main/index.html.
Last
reviewed October 12, 2001
|