The College of William & Mary licensed
an undisclosed U.S. company to test technology that
replaces heavy-metal additives in polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) plastic. Heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium,
used to stabilize the vinyl are toxic and can't be
used in large quantities. Development of non-metal
stabilizers in PVC, should they prove viable, could
spell significant changes for the manufacture of industrial
and residential products. (The Virginian-Pilot)
Virginia Tech's Virginia Center for Coal
and Energy Research in Blacksburg leads a research
effort to develop and test technology to return carbon
dioxide into coal beds. The project is part of the
effort by the Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration
Partnership, supported by $14.3 million from the
Department of Energy, to remove greenhouse gases
from the atmosphere, or prevent their release. (Press
release)
