Making it kosher

Del Riley and Manny Volk think they are sitting on a gold mine covered with plastic.

Kosher plastic, to be exact.

Riley and Volk believe their product, a kosher-certified plastic that is made with vegetable-based oils instead of the animal fat-based tallow used as a lubricant in most plastics, will revolutionize the industry.

According to them, their company, Premier Classic Container, is the first and only manufacturer of kosher plastic bowls, lids and cookware in the world. They plan to launch the products, which the company

sells for $1.39 to $2.99 each, in April, just before Passover. They say that Giant Food Stores Inc., Carlisle, will stock them. Giant Food Stores did not return calls for comment.

"We see the movement coming, and we think the (plastic) industry will have to adjust," Volk said.

Riley added, "We anticipate that the entire plastic industry will switch over to our product within the next three to five years."

Animal vs. vegetable