New Energy Hope: Turning Used Plastic into Oil

From The Kiplinger Letter, May 23, 2014

Another promising source of energy: Recycled plastic.

Among producers making a play on oil from plastic

Count on states to become more creative in trying to attract movie projects. With 39 states offering tax breaks and other incentives, competition is stiff. But the payoff can be huge for states chosen as locations for film and TV projects. The biggest winner: Production companies. Most states are trying to take business from the biggies: California, New York and Florida. And those states are sweetening the pot to prevent defections. California, for instance, has added new tax credits for feature films.

Among the states auditioning for a leading role: Nevada, which offers breaks in return for filming at least 60% of a project and spending $500,000 on services such as transportation, housing, studio rental there. Alabama is serving up generous incentives to projects that hire state residents during production. Georgia, which sweetens its deal by cutting taxes even more if productions embed an animated state logo in the film. And Alaska, with its tax breaks for TV commercials and video projects produced there.

Good odds of the MERS virus ebbing this summer. The respiratory bug, which first appeared in Saudi Arabia, has spread to 17 other countries, including the U.S. So far...632 cases worldwide and an alarming 30% mortality rate.

But it will return early next year. The virus is thought to have originated in camels. Its uptick this year was tied to the animals spring birthing season. If thats the case, MERS may be tough to eradicate. Camels are vital in the Mideast.

Meanwhile, no travel curbs to the Middle East. Human-to-human infection requires close contact, so frequent hand washing goes a long way to limit its spread.

A vaccine for humans is years away. One for camels will be finished first. Theres a lower safety threshold for animal drugs, allowing for speedier development.

No chance of a tax holiday for repatriated corporate profits anytime soon. GOP lawmakers will squawk even louder about needing it, however, in light of the potential loss of Pfizer, with net income of $22 billion in 2013, to Britain. Even if the NYC-based drug maker fails to win rival AstraZenecas hand, its plan to move to the brides lower-tax U.K. neighborhood will spur fears about corporations opting to emigrate. Pfizer, for example, makes no secret of its aim to escape U.S. taxes.

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New Energy Hope: Turning Used Plastic into Oil