[AV Media Matters] corrosion of CDs from sulphur in paper booklets

[mickelmor@yahoo.com]

That CD fungus report is crazy. It reminded me of
this--

In the July, 2001 issue of Stereophile (page 21)
there's a blurb about how CDs made by Philips & DuPont
Optical (PDO) in the UK from 1988 to 1993 are
corroding, because the discs' protective lacquer
breaks down from the exposure to the sulfur content in
paper CD booklets.

Apparently, Hyperion Records released a memo about the
problem in 1999, so perhaps some of you folks know
about this already.

Of course, PDO made discs for other labels as well, so
one wonders how sizeable the problem is, or whether
any other replicator used the lacquer in question at
the time (it would seem logical that more than one
replicator would buy a certain brand of lacquer on the
market.) PDO used to have a sister facility in the
U.S., one of the first CD manufacturing plants here,
in Kings Mountain, NC. The plant is now owned and
operated by Universal Manufacturing and Logistics, I
believe.

Terence Keegan
Medialine

Moderators Comment:
Heck - I'd be more concerned about the airplanes then the CD's. Seems to me
that this Aluminium eating fungus is a threat to all air safety! :)
jim

>Please excuse the sensationalist story below from
>the "Telegraph" in
>England via the net.  But there may be a fragment of
>truth here worth
>noting.
>
>Carl
>
>
>
http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=005305849264780&rtmo=3H3KSSmM&atmo=rrrrr
>rrq&pg=/et/01/6/18/wfung18.html
>
>
>Scientist finds fungus that eats through compact
>discs
>By Robert Uhlig, Technology Correspondent