Fire damaged paper and melted plastics

Catherine Hoskyns asked about fire melted plastics on paper, and I
assume that it is the papers that are needed, not just the
information on them. Firstly, the nature of the plastic must be
determined, then look at solvents, but be aware that much modern
printing and paper coatings are also soluble. It is likely is that
the plastic is polyethylene from bags, etc., difficult to dissolve
except with things like boiling methylene chloride!  One possible
thought might be to acceleratively degrade the plastic to enable
dissolution or physical removal. Interesting problem though.

Colin Williamson
Plastics Historical Society, UK

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:1
                 Distributed: Wednesday, June 19, 1996
                        Message Id: cdl-10-1-003
                                  ***