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"Federal testing of recalled pet foods turned up a chemical used to make plastics..."

I remember dishes made of melamine. sheesh How in the world did it get mixed up with manufactured pet food?

Melamine is a synthetic polymer which is fire resistant and heat tolerant. Melamine is a very versatile material with a highly stable structure. Uses for melamine include whiteboards, floor tiles, kitchenware, fire retardant fabrics, and commercial filters. Melamine can be easily molded while warm, but will set into a fixed form. This property makes it ideally suited to certain industrial applications.
Melamine is manufactured by mixing urea with formaldehyde under heat and pressure. The substances begin to polymerize and are forced into a mold which will create the desired shape. Under pressure, melamine releases water, which could make the plastic unstable if it is not removed. The materials finish polymerizing and create a finished product, melamine.