Emissions of volatile organic compounds

The UK Environment Agency deals with over 6000 oil pollution incidents each year. One estimate suggests tliat tlie cheiTtical industry contributes to 50% of all ah pollution witli proportions approximating to sulphur dioxide (36%), carbon dioxide (28%), nitrogen oxides (18%), carbon monoxide (14%) and black smoke (10%). Motor spirit refining is responsible for ca 26% of emissions of volatile organic compounds to the atmosphere. In 1996 there were over 20 000 reports of water pollution incidents with 155 successful prosecutions. 

EC Directive on limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCsJ due to the use of... 

Wallace LA, Pellizzari ED, Leaderer B, et al. 1987. Emissions of volatile organic compounds from building materials and consumer products. Atmos Environ 21 385-395. 

Vapor pressure. The vapor pressure at working conditions should preferably be low if an organic solvent is to be used. High vapor pressure for an organic solvent will lead to the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the process, potentially leading to environmental problems. VOCs will be discussed in more depth later when environmental issues are considered. 

Toluene is used as a solvent for the application of surface coatings. The solvents evaporate as a result of the application, creating a problem with for the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The legislative framework for the emission of VOCs requires that the mass load of VOC emissions allowed to be released to atmosphere should be less than 60%... 

An examination is made of the provisions of European Union directive 1999/13/CE covering the reduction and control of emissions of volatile organic compounds arising from the use of organic solvents. 

The European Commission has adopted a directive which limits the emission of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain industrial activities. The directive sets emission limits for these compounds and lays down operating conditions for industrial installations. In addition, under the directive, new installations must be registered or be authorised to carry out their activities. Further requirements of the directive are listed. EUROPEAN COMMUNITY EUROPEAN UNION WESTERN EUROPE-GENERAL... 

RACT reasonably available control technology standards implemented in areas of nonattainment to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides. 

One of the key components of any green industrial process has to be the selection of the solvent, since working with conventional solvents results in the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a major source of environmental pollution (see Figure 5.4). There are four principal strategies to avoid conventional organic solvents ... 

The VOC Directive (EU Directive 1999/13/EC on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations) thus contains an obligation to substitute hazardous substances. 

Fall, R Biogenic Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds from Higher Plants, in Reactive Hydrocarbons in the Atmosphere (C. N. Hewitt, Ed.), Chap. 2, Academic Press, San Diego, 1999. 

Fehsenfeld, F., J. G. Calvert, R. Fall, P. Goldan, A. B. Guenther, C. N. Hewitt, B. Lamb, S. Liu, M. Trainer, H. Westberg, and P. Zimmerman, Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds from Vegetation and the Implications for Atmospheric Chemistry, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 6, 389-430 (1992). 

Geron, C. D A. B. Guenther, and T. E. Pierce, An Improved Model for Estimating Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds from Forests in the Eastern United States, J. Geophys. Res., 99, 12773-12791 (1994). 

Kirstine, W., I. Galbally, Y. Ye, and M. Hooper, Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (Primarily Oxygenated Species) from Pasture, J. Geophys. Res., 103, 10605-10619 (1998). 

Fortmann, R., N. Roache, J. C. S. Chang, and Z. Guo, Characterization of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds from Interior Alkyd Paint, J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc., 48, 931-940 (1998). 

Because nonattainment areas still exist, especially in urban areas, the 1990 CAAA contain new and more stringent requirements for such areas. The ambient air quality standards for ozone are of particular concern. Controls include tighter standards on emissions from motor vehicles, use of cleaner fuels, and additional controls on industrial facilities. One of the biggest impacts on the chemical industry is more stringent requirements for minimizing the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This can include process emissions as well as emissions from storage tanks. 

The partitioning of compounds among the different phases leads to a stripping of substrates or products, creating emission of volatile organic compounds... 

UNECE (1991) Protocol to the 1979 Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution concerning the control of emissions of volatile organic compounds or their transboundary fluxes, http //www.unece.org/env/lrtap/vola hl. html... 

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