OTHER NEWS - June 10, 1994

U.S. Breaks Up Price-Fixing Scheme: The Justice Department broke up a conspiracy to drive up the price of plastic cups, glasses and other products in a $100-million industry, U.S. Atty. Gen. Janet Reno said. She said three firms and four of their executives agreed to plead guilty to charges of violating antitrust laws in the scheme, which began in December, 1991, and lasted a year. The companies, which make more than 90% of the plastic dinnerware used nationwide, are Comet Products Inc. of Chelmsford, Mass.; Plastics Inc. of St. Paul, Minn., and Polar Plastics Mfg. of Allentown, Pa. Executives of the firms secretly telephoned and met with each other as part of the conspiracy to set prices, the department said.