VOA标准英语2010年-Biodegradables Seen as Future for Asia

Asia's plastic industry is growing, with China and India challenging established producers such as Thailand.  Now, there is increasing attention to the environmental impact of plastics.  Both environmentalists and industry executives agree biodegradable plastics will need to play a larger role in the industry's future.

Asia's plastics industry is seeing new expansion, driven by demand in China and India, as consumers and product makers¹ look to plastics to play the role of humble² bag at the corner shop, all the way to sophisticated engineering parts.

The global plastics market is estimated at around 200 million tons and has been growing five percent, annually³.

Some two million tons of Thai 14 million annual tons of solid waste are non-degradable plastics

In the early days, plastic was viewed as a cheap and convenient alternative to other forms of containers and wrapping, such as paper or even traditional banana leaf in regions of Asia.

But Greenpeace activist⁴ Ply⁵ Pirom says, gradually, awareness⁶ of the impact of plastics on the environment has grown.

"People start to use [plastic] they are not really aware of the environmental impact until the past 10 years when the garbage problem is more and more," Pirom said. "Then people start to say, 'Hey it really a problem'. If you look at the trend of waste separation it's still not [much] progress but it's increasing."

Thailand is now a key regional producer of raw materials for plastics and finished products.  The Thai Plastics Industries Association has a membership of 500 companies.

In 2009, Thai exports of plastics products ranked among the top 10 in industrial sectors⁸, with plastics exports worth more than $2.37 billion, targeting key markets such as Japan, the United States, Australia and Indonesia.

The production of plastic products across the region has been rising, with China and India also seen as major producers generating millions of tons of plastic goods each year.

But both environmentalists and industrialists⁹ are in agreement alternatives to plastics need to found. They point to rising environmental costs, calls for substitution of renewable resources and steps to reduce greenhouse gases, key contributors to global warming and effecting climate change.

Krianglit Sukcharoensin, President, Thai Plastics Industries Association

Thai Plastics Industries Association's Krianglit says biodegradable plastics, bio-plastics, are the future goal for the plastics industry.

"In future, the final target should be 100 percent to be biodegradable and right now we try to achieve that," he said. "We buy the biodegradable mix with our normal plastic, maybe 50/50; they can be biodegradable but not so quickly like the 100 percent [plastic]."

Work is well underway. Currently corn-based biodegradable plastic materials are used to produce poly-lactic acid and drawn¹⁰ from plants with high starch¹¹ content, such as corn and cassava roots.

Bio-plastics are seen as being on the verge¹² of a major breakthrough. Already they are being used in packaging, electronics, autos and agriculture.

In Furano Japan the community uses biodegradable plastic bags to collect household organic waste this in turn produces organic fertilizers. A pilot project is now underway in Thailand in a 730-household community north of Bangkok using bio-plastics in waste management.

Thai Plastics Industries Association's Krianglit says Thailand's strength lies in the agricultural sector⁷ contributing to the future of bio-plastics.

 "We are an agricultural product producer.  For example, we have corn; we have the tapioca; and, we have the sugar - all raw materials based in Thailand, and exports. When the technology is perfect and good enough for us to apply, then we can be a good exporter in the future to the worldwide market."

Daniel Loh, the BASF head of business management in specialty¹³ plastics in Singapore, says the future challenge is to ensure communities are involved in the debate about biodegradable plastics.

"Bring this message correctly across to the consumers to the relevant parties, legislatures, that biodegradable plastics serve a certain purpose," he said. "It is not merely to replace normal plastic bags.  If waste collection methods are not in place, the structures are not in place, and if consumers have habits of littering plastics indiscriminately, that does not change.  These are the challenges that we will face. "

Loh says countries across Asia are increasingly aware of the issue of plastics waste and management, including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia.  But he says, in Southeast Asia, Thailand has taken the most steps in dealing¹⁴ with the problem.

BASF has joined with German aid agency, GTZ, along with bio-plastic associations from Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the United States, to work together on research with Thailand's National Innovation Agency (NIA).

Thailand has a plan for development of the bio-plastics industry by 2012, with a budget of $54 million to promote research and development.

Environmentalists want to see more government support promoting development of bio-plastics, as well as having consumers pay a higher price for using plastic containers and bags.
 

1 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

3 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

5 ply   

v.(搬运工等)等候顾客，弯曲

参考例句：

• Taxis licensed to ply for hire at the railway station.许可计程车在火车站候客。
• Ferryboats ply across the English Channel.渡船定期往返于英吉利海峡。

6 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

7 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

8 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 industrialists   

n.工业家，实业家( industrialist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This deal will offer major benefits to industrialists and investors. 这笔交易将会让实业家和投资者受益匪浅。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has set up a committee of industrialists and academics to advise it. 政府已成立了一个实业家和学者的委员会来为其提供建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

11 starch   

n.淀粉；vt.给...上浆

参考例句：

• Corn starch is used as a thickener in stews.玉米淀粉在炖煮菜肴中被用作增稠剂。
• I think there's too much starch in their diet.我看是他们的饮食里淀粉太多了。

12 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

13 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

14 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。