At the end of 1997, without warning, MOR slowed the oil spigot to Joy-Lud, cutting it off completely by the end of 1998, Sapir alleges, in order to jeopardize FTL's financing for the plastics plant.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Given the importance of all kinds of chemicals to industry around the world and the ease with which virtually any fertilizer, pharmaceutical or plastics manufacturing plant can be used, when required, to make a batch of weapons agent, no ban on production can solve or even substantially mitigate the chemical weapons problem.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Blowing Smoke About Making Deadly Gas

Al-Tunisi's group is also planning the water, power, logistics and safety backups for an industrial park adjacent to the plant, where manufacturers will be lured in to transform raw plastics into the likes of PVC pipe, injection-molded automotive parts, packaging and carpets.

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Current cellulose based plastics include large amounts of petroleum-based additives, which results in a low plant component ratio.

ENGADGET: NEC builds a better bioplastic from plant stems and cashew nut shells

The new plant will account for only 0.1% of the 270 billion pounds of plastics produced every year, but right now the PLA market is all but nonexistent.

FORBES: Magazine Article