Towards Responsible Disposal

Transcription

1 Towards Responsible Disposal Sara Petty Senior Research Scientist, Green Science Policy Institute February 8,

2 Why do products contain flame retardants? Flame retardants are used to meet standards for furniture, motor vehicles, electronics, building codes, etc. (e.g., Technical Bulletin 117) 2

3 What products contain FRs? Flame Retardant Pentabromodiphenyl ether (Penta-BDE) Octabromodiphenyl ether (Octa-BDE) Decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE) Chlorinated Tris (TDCPP, or Tris) Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) Products Polyurethane foam (PUF): mattresses, seat cushions, furniture, and packaging Plastic housings for fax machines, computers and other electronics. Automobile trim, kitchen appliances High impact polystyrene (HIPS): electronics, wire and cable, public buildings, construction materials Polyurethane foams: baby mattresses, furniture cushions Reactive flame retardant: epoxy and polycarbonate resins. Printed circuit boards in electronics, housings of computers, monitors, TV, office equipment Polystyrene (EPS, XPS, HIPS), polypropylene. Textiles and carpet backing, television and computer housings, textiles in automobiles, building materials (insulation panels, construction blocks, thermal insulation, roofs), upholstered foam 3

4 What are the risks? Flame Retardant Pentabromodiphenyl ether (Penta-BDE) Octabromodiphenyl ether (Octa-BDE) Decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE) Chlorinated Tris (TDCPP, or Tris) Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) Health Risks neurotoxicity, thyroid hormone dysregulation, endocrine disruption, cognitive and behavioral difficulties (Shaw et al. 2010, Kiciński et al. 2012; Jacobson et al. 2016) Mutagenic, chemical known to California to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity (California Prop 65) Disruption to thyroid hormone activity, and produces effects on neurotransmitter uptake at similar concentration levels found for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (Legler 2008) Crosses the placenta, found in human breast milk and associated with decreased cognitive levels in children (Kiciński et al. 2012) 4

5 Stock of PBDEs *Products excluded: Large vehicles, construction and building materials 160 Total PBDE Stock of PBDEs (kt) Total decabde Total pentabde Total octabde 65% PUF 30% vehicles 5% EEE 35% vehicles 35% EEE 20% Textile 10% Plastic pallets % EEE 20% vehicles PentaBDE: Total consumption ~45,000 tonnes OctaBDE: Total consumption ~25,000 tonnes DecaBDE: Total Consumption ~400,000 tonnes Total atmospheric emission of PBDEs from 1970 to 2020: tonnes Abbasi, G Story of Brominated Flame Retardants: Substance Flow Analysis of PBDEs from Use to Waste. PhD Thesis, Dept of Geography, University of Toronto.

6 RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT OF WASTES WITH FRs April 2016 Participatory Workshop Berkeley, CA 6

7 Management of Waste Foams & Plastics Mixed with Flame Retardants NSF Report Criteria: Best Environmental Practices Collection & pretreatments Landfill: legacy concerns with leachate, air emissions Mechanical Recycling: FPF, WEEE, ELV Chemical Recycling: Polystyrene Destruction Technologies: incineration, cement kiln, SCWO 7

8 Knowledge Gaps: Opportunities for Research What s in the waste stream? practical and cost-effective ways to label, quantify and identify FR substances in foam and plastic waste How might FRs escape from landfills? Evaluate landfill gas and leachate for presence of halogenated FRs and byproducts What byproducts form via thermal destruction of a mixed FR waste stream? More complex waste streams need to be investigated More comprehensive diagnostic methods for toxic species are needed 8

9 Responsible Disposal of Flame Retarded Foam and Plastic: Developing the Basic Science Today s Objectives Discuss the flame retardants used in consumer and other products and the implications for recycling and waste management. Explore opportunities for scientific research to advance improved end-of-life management of these products. Develop collaborative research projects with other leading experts. 9

10 WITH THANKS TO: University of California Berkeley National Science Foundation National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences The Green Science Policy Institute Team Veronica Chin 10

11 By advancing more responsible disposal We can have a healthier world. For more information Google: Green Science Policy 11