Contact: Paula Weis
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPI DISCUSSES PLASTICS INDUSTRY ISSUES WITH KEY LAWMAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL

WASHINGTON (September 30, 2005) - The high costs of health care and energy and their impacts on American plastics manufacturing were at the top of the agenda during recent meetings between Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) president Bill Carteaux and several U.S. lawmakers.

Carteaux met separately with Sens. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Richard Burr (R-NC) and Reps. Dennis Rehberg (R-MT) and Tim Murphy (R-PA) to highlight critical issues facing the plastics industry, including the difficulties of providing employer health coverage amid steadily rising costs.

Carteaux and the lawmakers also discussed potential policy solutions to alleviate skyrocketing natural gas and oil prices, which seriously impact the industry's competitiveness.

"Our goal as an industry is to get these issues in front of our policymakers and to make sure that the concerns of plastics manufacturers are taken into account," Carteax said following the meeting. "In particular, SPI hopes to work closely with Congress to pass legislation that will further open the Outer Continental Shelf to natural gas drilling to boost supplies and lower prices."

Carteaux noted that Sens. DeMint and Burr said they would like to meet again in the near future with plastics industry representatives to further discuss these issues - and how they can help.

Founded in 1937, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., is the trade association representing one of the largest manufacturing industries in the United States. SPI's members represent the entire plastics industry supply chain, including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw materials suppliers. The U.S. plastics industry employs 1.4 million workers and provides nearly $310 billion in annual shipments. For more information, visit SPI on the Web at www.plasticsindustry.org.

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