Polypropylene storage boxes

Tim Edwards <sadete<-a t->hantsnet< . >hants< . >gov< . >uk> writes

>Does anyone have any views on polypropylene boxes for volume
>storage? ... I believe the material itself is sound
>but am concerned with its performance in a disaster situation eg.
>would it be likely to melt at temperatures at which paperboard
>enclosures would only char?

I recently took a workshop sponsored by the Conservation Center for
Art and Historic Artifacts.  They had done a disaster experiment
involving setting on fire and then dowsing with water both the
plastic and paperboard clamshell boxes.  Rather surprisingly, the
plastic melted (no surprise there) and the items inside were ruined.
The paperboard boxes held up rather well, some of the items inside
were rather well protected, some got toasted a bit.  These boxes
were storing "archival" items, and because they were "full" the
inside contents seemed to be insulated better than those on the
outside.  Thus, they recommended the paper board over the plastic.
Are you in a position to conduct such experiments?

Gretchen Fulforth Stroh
Materials Processing Specialist
McCabe Library, Swarthmore College
500 College Ave, Swarthmore PA 19081

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:40
                 Distributed: Tuesday, October 28, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-40-006
                                  ***