SBIR Phase I: Flexible Plastic Packaging Without Estrogenic Activity (EA)

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将确认开发软包装的可行性，这种软包装不会泄漏具有雌激素或抗雌激素活性(EA)的化学品，同时保持具有EA的传统软塑料包装的所有适合使用的特性。数百项研究表明，含有EA的外源化学品会导致许多不利的健康影响(包括生殖功能障碍、学习障碍、出生缺陷和癌症发病率增加)。PlattiPure的数据显示，几乎所有塑料产品都会浸出化学物质，这些化学物质在已知有害健康的浓度下很容易检测到EA。PlattiPure正在开发专有材料和工艺，以制造不含EA的柔性薄膜和袋子，与具有EA的传统包装相比，这些薄膜和袋具有成本和性能竞争力。这个项目是创新的，因为没有其他公司表明，开发生产用于医疗、食品和饮料包装的不含EA的柔性薄膜和袋子所需的聚合物材料和工艺是可行的。这项研究的更广泛/商业影响是不含EA的柔性薄膜产品的广泛商业化。在过去的几年里，市场迅速从含有双酚A塑料的个人电脑转向不含双酚A的塑料产品，这表明消费者施加市场压力，以确保市场上有更安全的产品可用。如今市场上几乎所有不含双酚A的塑料产品都会渗出许多易被检测到的化学物质，其含量往往高于最初使用双酚A的产品。NSF SBIR赠款的资金将有助于全面减少对公众健康的风险，并减少含有EA的化学品对环境的影响。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will confirm the feasibility of developing flexible packaging that does not leach chemicals having estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activity (EA), while maintaining all the fit-for-use properties of conventional flexible plastic packaging having EA. Hundreds of studies have shown that exogenous chemicals having EA can cause many adverse health effects (including reproductive dysfunctions, learning disabilities, birth defects, and increased rates of cancers). PlastiPure's data show that nearly all plastic products leach chemicals having easily detectable EA at concentrations having known adverse health effects. PlastiPure is developing proprietary materials and processes to fabricate EA-free flexible films and bags that are cost- and performance-competitive with conventional packaging having EA. This project is innovative because no other firm has shown that it is feasible to develop the polymer-based materials and processes needed to produce EA-free flexible films and bags for use in medical, food, and beverage packaging.The broader/commercial impacts of this research is the widespread commercialization of EA-free flexible film products. In the past few years, a rapid market switch from PC containing BPA-based plastics to BPA-free plastic products has shown that consumers apply market pressure to ensure that safer products are commercially available. Almost all BPA-free plastic products on the market today leach many chemicals having easily detectable EA, often at levels higher than the original BPA-based product. The funding of this NSF SBIR grant will help facilitate a comprehensive reduction of risks to public health and reduced environmental impact from chemicals having EA.