Ithaca company turning carbon dioxide into plastic

Novomer's process gets state investment
By Stacey Shackford, The Ithaca Journal, Dec. 13, 2009

ITHACA -- Pollutants that once belched out of power plant chimneys may soon make an appearance in our refrigerators and reduce our dependency on petroleum, thanks to the pioneering work of an Ithaca company.

Researchers at Novomer at the South Hill business complex have discovered a way to harness the harmful greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) and transform it into a plastic that is not only biodegradable and more energy efficient to produce, but also remarkably durable and light-weight.

They have now teamed up with Kodak and the Rochester Institute of Technology to manufacture products using the plastic and send them into various industries for commercial testing.

Applications of the new technology are almost endless, according to Mike Slowik, strategic planning and analysis manager for Novomer.

Click here to read the full article