Analysts say PE market to dip through '02

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High feedstock cost and slowing demand have highlighted the risks of the polyethylene market, leading some industry consultants to expect a decline in prices and profitability through the first half of 2002. With prices for natural gas - which provides the ethane to produce 70 percent of North American PE - at double their historic levels, producers are in a bind, even though they've raised prices successfully an average of 8 cents per pounds to date in 2001. Factoring in slower-than normal PE demand, courtesy of a slowing U.S. economy, darkens the picture even further for PE makers. Those conditions have led Howard Rappaport, an Industry analyst with Chemical Market Associates Inc. in Houston, to project lower prices for PE until mid-2002. U.S. operating rates are expected to follow the same pattern. Rappaport sees U.S. HDPE prices dropping into the mid-to high 30s in cents a pound by mid-2002, with LLDPE prices hitting the low 30s and LDPE prices dipping into the high 30s.

PP has long road to recovery

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North American PP operating rates are expected to begin an uptick later this year, climbing from the low 80s in percentage to the mid-80s and staying there through 2002, according to Chemical Market Associates Inc. analyst Graham Harris in Houston. In North America alone, capacity has increased 30 percent since 1999, including almost 2 billion pounds this year from expansions by Dow Chemical Co., Formosa Plastics Corp. USA and others. North American PP prices have fallen steadily since mid-2000, and producers have seen little success with 3 cent-per-pound increase attempts that were slated for Feb. 1.

ASTM June Committee Week Meeting and Registration Information

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The Meeting and Registration information for the ASTM June Committee Week (June 24-29, 2001) in Norfolk, Virginia, is available on the ASTM web site at www.astm.org/COMMIT/WEEKINFO. At the ASTM web site under Technical Committees you will also find committee schedules as they become available. Please note we have added to our Meeting Notice a statement regarding dress and weather in Norfolk. ASTM has new technology that enables us to more efficiently provide meeting information on our web site, eliminating the traditional hard copy sent through the mail. If you do not have access to the Internet and/or require a hard copy mailed or faxed to you, please contact Felicia Otero in the Meetings Department: Email: fotero@astm.org Phone: 610-832-9706 Fax: 610-832-9669

Change of name from WEEKS Technical Services plc to WEEKS Consulting Ltd & WEEKS Laboratories Ltd

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Last year we introduced our new corporate identity with WEEKS Consulting and WEEKS Laboratories clearly identified as distinct parts of WEEKS Technical Services plc. The success of this strategy in giving each business its own persona and opportunity to develop has led us to formalise the arrangement by establishing two separate trading companies: WEEKS Consulting ltd, The Oasis, Newnham Court, Bearsted Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5LH, Tel-01622 632-100 and WEEKS Laboratories, New Melbourne House, Canning Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 2RU, Tel-01622 679-951. Learn more here.;

Record Polyolefin Consumption

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Consumption of polyolefin textiles reached record levels in 2000, according to the latest study. European output now exceeds 3 billion a year. Market Perspectives of the European Polyolefin Textile Industry is an examination of the use of polypropylene and polyethylene textiles, showing quantities consumed by end-uses (such as floor coverings, hygiene, ropes, strapping, bulk containers and geotextiles) and by type of technology (including staple, monofilament, multifilament, split film and spun bond). Published by the European Association for Textile Polyolefins (EATP) the study also highlights both the short-term (1999-2000) and the longer term (1992-1999) trends in consumption. Learn more here.;

ASTM D35.93 Sub Committee Ballot Notification

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The D35.93 SUB COMMITTEE Ballot is now posted on the Committee D35 page of the ASTM web site http://www.astm.org/COMMIT/D35.htm To access the ballot, please enter the Members Only Section. You must enter your member number and the password “ASTM”. The ballot will be open and available on the web from March 23, 2001 – April 23, 2001. All members are required to return ballots. Your ballot response is important to the committee in obtaining the required 60% return for a valid ballot. Please remember that your committee bylaws state that failure to return letter ballots can lead to termination from the committee. ASTM is pleased that your Committee has agreed to participate in the online balloting pilot program. We are very excited about the benefits that online balloting will offer the ASTM membership. The introduction of online balloting will allow a member to access only the information on a ballot that is of interest and reduce unnecessary printing and postage costs. During the ballot period, the members will be able to access the information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This will be a significant benefit to our international members who will no longer be at the mercy of the mail system. It is critical that ASTM is notified of any changes to email addresses as soon as possible. This may be done by going to the ‘members only” ROSTERS area of your committee web (accessed via www.astm.org) where you may correct your membership information on line. Alternatively, send corrections along with your member number to service@astm.org or phone ASTM Customer Service at (610) 832- 9585 or fax at (610) 832-9555. We very interested in receiving your feedback on the online balloting process so that we can improve the system and service to the membership. Please send your comments to Bode Hennegan by email at Bhennega@astm.org or by fax at 610 834-3675. Thank you again for your participation in this program.

Tailings & Mine Waste '02 Announcement and Call for Papers

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SCOPE OF CONFERENCE - The following general topics are within the scope of the conference - Construction and operation of impoundments, Material properties, Static and dynamic stability, Geosynthetics, Heap leach pad design, Liner design and installation, Case histories, Cover systems. PREPARATION OF ABSTRACTS/PAPERS - Short abstract one page or less, double spaced. The deadline for submission is Friday, June 15, 2001. Final papers should not exceed 10 single-spaced pages. Deadline for submission of final papers is Friday, September 14, 2001. The conference will be held January 27-30 2002, in Fort Collins, Colorado on the Colorado State University campus. Send abstracts or inquires to: Linda Hinshaw: Department of Civil Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372. Telephone 970-491-6081, Fax 970-491-3584. Lhinshaw@engr.colostate.edu Information is also available on the web site: www.tailings.org

Technical training session dealing with the subject of natural and artificial weathering

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A technical training session dealing with the subject of Natural and Artificial Weathering will be held on Wednesday 27 June 2001 in Norfolk, VA from 10:00am to 12:00pm. An abstract of the session appears below: INTRODUCTION TO THE FUNDAMENTALS OF WEATHERING Matthew McGreer General Manager, Client Education Frederick P. Schall Standards Program Manager Atlas Electric Devices Company There are three main factors of weather that contribute to the degradation of exposed materials: radiant energy from the sun, temperature, and moisture. These forces work synergistically to cause physical and chemical changes. Understanding these factors are critical when evaluating exposed materials, developing an exposure test program, or choosing an accelerated method of testing. This presentation will feature specific features of various natural and accelerated weathering test methods, discuss what factors of weather are most accentuated by these methods, and provide a guide to determine appropriate exposures based on the end-use application of a material.

Dealing with lining the pits in which dead animals are disposed during the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

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The UK Environment Agency is having to deal with lining the pits in which dead animals are disposed during the foot-and-mouth epidemic. Natural clay is used where available. Alternatively, GCLs or prefabricated PP liners are used. HDPE is not being used because there simply are not enough field welding crews to tackle the problem. The UK Environment Agency will be introducing several landfill liner technical guidance documents followed by a seminar at Manchester University on 28 March 2001. Speakers at the seminar are Bernard Myles (Geomembrane and Geotextile Standards), Ian Peggs (Geomembrane Performance, CQA, Liner Testing), David Hall (Liner Modelling), and Russell Jones/Neil Dixon (Slope Stability). For further information contact Rob Marshall at .

Write your Members of Congress from the Web

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Write to your Members of Congress from ASCE's Internet Advocacy Site. Simply log on to the web site http://www.asce.org/advocacy.html and instantly let your Members of Congress know where you stand on issues that affect the civil engineering profession. ASCE's new online legislative advocacy tool allows you to write to your Members of Congress directly from the World Wide Web. The web site provides information about issues pending in Congress. With the Internet Advocacy Site, you may choose to write your own free form letter, select our speaking points to help outline your letter, or choose from a sample letter template that you may edit to match your own style. In a few easy steps, your letter will be on its-way to your Member of Congress. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contract ASCE's Government Relations Department at (202) 789-220 or govwash@asce.org