NEW - PLASTICS IN NATURAL DISASTERS

NEW - Plastics In Natural Disasters. The world is an ever changing environment and often hostile. Damage can be caused by several factors: storms, floods and tornadoes to wildfires, hurricanes and earthquakes - all natural disasters.

This is certainly evident in the recent earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan and Haiti. We have also caused by man. Nuclear concerns in Japan have captured the attention of people around the world. The Gulf oil spill is an example of another environmental disaster. Plastics are the perfect choice for the prevention, preparation and cleaning of natural disasters.

Plastics in disaster preparedness.

Many plastics are used in the prevention, control and management of repair - when and where a natural disaster may occur.

One of the most visible is the plastic used in polycarbonate hurricane window coverings / blinds. Polycarbonate is a clear rigid plastic which has extremely high impact resistance, and is the material most commonly known as "bullet-resistant glazing." It is used in safety goggles, riot shields and glazing bank theft prevention. Polycarbonate protects windows and flying debris population and broken glass caused by strong winds and tornadoes. The use of polycarbonate window coverings save homes from damage and help reduce insurance premiums.

The slopes are affected by storms and heavy rainfall, causing mudslides. Standard solution and the most popular is to cover the sides with a polyethylene film. This helps to prevent rain from saturating the soil and causing the ground to move or change. Cops film normally.004 "-. 010 "thick in widths up to 20 meters and lengths of 100 feet (the same material used as a canvas painters centers home improvement). This film is fixed at the hill with spikes, stakes or sandbags; and this material sheds water rather than let it soak in. folds can be applied and used as rain gutters to direct water flow away from specific areas. In addition, the current used sandbags are not the old cotton cloth bags used years ago are now highly resistant polypropylene bag and tear-resistant woven 'fabric'.

Recent critical problems with nuclear leaks to open an interesting use of a plastic material. It will be recalled after the earthquake and tsunami, the Japanese energy experts were pumping water and boron in the reactors to help control the amount of nuclear energy release. The nuclear industry uses a plastic, high density polyethylene (HDPE) that has been filled with natural mineral boron. It is filled with boron (usually 5% of boron filler) used to protect the neutron and nuclear power in many applications, nuclear submarines, nuclear power plants, radiation from the hospital, dental X-ray protector and applications industrial radiation. That normally occurs in the leaf, and then can be mounted around the radiation source and shielding. The advantage of using is full of high density polyethylene, boron is this sheet weighs much less than traditional lead shielding, and therefore it is much easier to install.

Plastic used in cleaning disasters.

It is much harder to clean up after natural disasters. Many of the methods used in the preparation of limiting the amount of cleaning caused by natural disasters.

Depending on the severity of the disaster, the uses of plastics in the consequences are almost limitless. In the cleaning and reconstruction after major earthquakes, housing is a key component. One of the shelters are quickly brought simple wooden frame with plastic sheeting, double wall made of polypropylene or polycarbonate stapled or nailed to the frame. This provides a haven cheap, easy to move and effective short-term housing. The double-wall design provides excellent insulation and energy saving. This haven of style foldable, easy to carry and easy to configure. Several versions can be made from small cottages to larger areas of the family, to separate units of sanitary latrines. These double wall extruded material and work to protect from rain and excessive exposure to the elements. These can be used as mounted or a sandbag reinforced the perimeter. In Haiti, residents reported the fill used bottles of one gallon of muddy water, and shelter to these building blocks of clay.

The Gulf oil spill brought plastic to the front line in cleaning up the mess again. The materials used to collect and remove excess fat from the water were moved to the area. Polyethylene bags used to collect the oil covered and saturated cleaning cloths and clothing, avoiding further spread. Many varieties of machinery was brought in to clean the water. Style machine uses 8 "UHMW rod like a mangle that takes oil from the water surface and then accumulated for later use. Booms oil and castor wheels are common systems for collecting oil spills. Since plastics have a high surface tension, the "sticks" of oil to the plastic surface during the cleaning process. Then the plastic surfaces are cleaned for reuse and capture oil. plastic tubes and hoses used to move oil after collection.

A major use of plastics would be the case of natural disasters, specifically in the areas of sanitation and drinking water. First is sanitation, plastics are used to keep items clean and dry. Polyethylene film covers topics such as medical supplies, shelter, clothing and food boxes. This film keeps the items protected during shipment and ready for use.

Water is the second area of ​​concern. Clean water is critical during the cleaning and again after a natural disaster. Individual water bottles using the fastest and easiest way to carry water. Large tanks are rotationally molded brought the ability to store large amounts of water in the affected areas. Reverse osmosis (many components are made of plastic) is hired to convert contaminated water into clean drinking water on site.

In all these examples, the plastic is lighter than the alternatives, usually less expensive than alternatives, it lasts longer and plastics are recyclable.

Plastics are excellent choices for materials to use in case of natural disasters.