Day 059 - 01 Dec 94 - Page 40


     
     1        and this is to you and others from Lin Pac.  It says:  "We
     2        have now carried out our initial trials on our stocks and
     3        production".  Then there are some numbered paragraphs and
     4        he says at the last paragraph, this is Mr. O'Shea:  "I am
     5        sorry for the problems Pentane foam is causing you all.
     6        I can only say, and it is perhaps no consolation, we are
     7        finding the change-over from CFCs back to Pentane no
     8        holiday either".  Were Lin Pac Plastics a little unhappy at
     9        this stage, Mr. Oakley, as it would suggest?
    10        A.  They were struggling with the change.
    11
    12   Q.   When was the change actually effectively completed, can you
    13        remember?  Give a month, not an actual date?
    14        A.  The whole market was put on to packaging blown with
    15        Isopentane in July 1988.
    16
    17   Q.   July 1988?
    18        A.  Yes, so these letters you are referring to here are
    19        after the entire market had changed.
    20
    21   Q.   That is the entire market in this country?
    22        A.  Yes.
    23
    24   Q.   And Ireland?
    25        A.  Yes.
    26
    27   Q.   So far as you have described some of the problems with
    28        hydrocarbons, one of which is that they are flammable ---
    29        A.  Yes.
    30
    31   Q.   -- as we used to say inflammable and, therefore, perhaps
    32        somewhat dangerous, are you conscious of any environmental
    33        detriments involved in the use of hydrocarbons for blowing
    34        polystyrene foam?
    35        A.  I think there are.  I cannot be specific.  Certainly,
    36        the impact on the ozone layer in using a hydrocarbon is
    37        dramatically less than it is using a CFC blown package.  I
    38        do not think it is the ultimate ideal world, but it is a
    39        major step forward from CFCs.  The next phase is yet to
    40        come, as I alluded to earlier.
    41
    42   Q.   The chronology you have given us tells us that CFCs began
    43        in 1986 in this country?
    44        A.  Yes.
    45
    46   Q.   But had disappeared from use at any rate from McDonald's
    47        products by July 1988?
    48        A.  That is correct.
    49
    50   Q.   Did HCFCs and, in particular, HCFC-22 ever come into the 
    51        picture so far as McDonald's in this country is concerned? 
    52        A.  McDonald's in the UK have never used packaging blown 
    53        with HCFC-22.
    54
    55   Q.   At this day -- I may have asked you this already so
    56        I apologise -- is it still Isopentane that is being used
    57        for polystyrene foam?
    58        A.  Yes, it is.
    59
    60   Q.   I want to, if I may, ask you some questions generally about

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