DEVELOPMENT OF DOMESTIC POLYCARBONATE

[Anchor Lead]

Korean researchers have succeeded in the development of environmentally friendly plastic polycarbonate, which so far had only been produced in Japan. Demand for polycarbonate has been on the rise in recent years, as it contains zero environmental hormones. Now Korea is also on the way to commercializing its own eco-friendly plastic.

[Pkg]

Children are playing with toys at a daycare center. The translucent parts in the toy cars such as windows were made of polycarbonate, a type of plastic. Clear and more than 100 times as strong as glass, this material is widely used in toys and auto components. The only downside -- it contains large amounts of the environmental hormone Bisphenol A. The Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology successfully developed environmentally friendly polycarbonate. The researchers replaced petrochemical Bisphenol A, the main component of polycarbonate, with natural materials extracted from corn and wood.

[Soundbite] PARK JE-YOUNG(KOREA RESEARCH INST. OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY) : "We developed this source technology after discovering that natural plant materials and natural nano fiber can generate a synergistic effect to produce stronger plastic."

Other than safety, the new material has improved quality compared to the existing plastic. It's as clear as glass, with tensile strength about 20 percent higher than that of petrochemical or Japanese materials.

[Soundbite] PARK SEUL-AH(KOREA RESEARCH INST. OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY) : "This material can be used in items for infants and bio-medical products, as it has outstanding properties and is free of environmental hormones."

Some five million tons of polycarbonate is used around the world annually. This latest breakthrough enables Korean researchers to gain a competitive edge against their Japanese counterparts in the eco-friendly plastic market.