PlastiVan program visits Hamilton School

Parkersburg News and Sentinel

By MICHAEL ERB

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PARKERSBURG - Hamilton Middle School students Friday learned firsthand the importance of and science behind plastics.

The West Virginia Polymer Alliance Zone presented the PlastiVan Learning Program at the school, explaining the technology, chemistry and processing of plastic products through hands-on learning experiences. The program is conducted through the National Society of Plastics Industries.

"The mission of the PlastiVan Program is to provide educational opportunities which spark scientific curiosity in students while increasing their knowledge of the contribution plastics make to modern life," said Karen Facemyer, president of the Polymer Alliance Zone. "This is a truly fun and unique program."

Speaker Marjorie Weiner spoke with students about the role plastics play in everyday life, especially in the food industry where packaging keeps foods fresh and safe and helps sell products.

She also talked about how different kinds of plastics are used in different products, from automobiles to medical equipment to nail polish.

"Every one of us uses plastics every day, in every single part of our lives," she said. Weiner even pointed out to students how their clothing contained plastics, from buttons to the elastic in their socks.

"Every one of us is wearing plastics," she said.

The program was developed to pique student interest in the science and technology of plastics and polymers. PlastiVans travel to schools and companies throughout North America, educating people of all ages about plastic's chemistry, history, processing, manufacturing, sustainability and application.

The Polymer Alliance Zone is an economic development organization that works to market the plastics industry in Wood, Mason and Jackson counties of West Virginia specifically and to recruit plastic-related companies to locate in the state. For information on the PlastiVan Program or the Polymer Alliance Zone, visit www.pazwv.org.