ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FIRE

Abnormal inclement weather conditions > Collaborating with local authorities invoived in disaster planning and the assessment of potential environmental impact of fire (see Chapter 13). 

Of major concern are the health and environmental impacts of the abundant chlorinated and brominated hydrocarbons (ref. 2). These materials have numerous industrial applications as pesticides, solvents, propellants, refrigerants, plastics, fire retardants and extinguishers, disinfectants for drinking water, pharmaceuticals and electronic chemicals. Many chemical manufacturers utilize chlorinated and brominated organics as intermediates. It is estimated, for instance, that almost 85 % of the pharmaceuticals produced in the world require chlorine at some stage of synthesis. 

The Texas Transportation Institute has just completed a very extensive two year FHWA sponsored program to look into other aspects of safety and environmental impact of sulfur-asphalt construction [53]. A number of typical sulfur-asphalt and sulfur-concrete paving systems were evaluated to assess their potential environmental impact and establish safety considerations relative to their formulation, construction and maintenance. The environmental impact was investigated from the formulation stages, through weathering, and included considerations of simulated fires and chemical spills. 

The environmental impact of waste disposal and of chemical use in Europe has led to three legislative actions that, in today s global economy, greatly affect flame-retardant use and research. These actions go by the acronyms of RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances), WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemical substances). These actions are discussed in detail in Chapter 22, but need to be mentioned here as they are clear examples of how changing regulations affect flame-retardant use, selection, and new fire-safety developments. The first one, RoHS, refers to how new items are manufactured, and specifically bans chemicals and elements of environmental and toxicological concern in Europe. One fall-out item of RoHS is the move from a lead-based solder on circuit... 

WEEE has had a direct affect on flame-retardant use, because flame retardants are used in almost all electrical and electronic equipment to prevent fires from short circuits. This directive lays down rules for disposal and recycling of all electrical and electronic equipment that goes back to the previous incinerator discussion. For flame retardants, this directive affects how the plastic parts, cable jackets, and enclosures are flame retarded. If the plastic cannot be reground and recycled, it must go to the incinerator, in which case it cannot form toxic by-products during incineration. This has led to the rapid deselection of brominated FR additives in European plastics that are used in electronics, or the complete removal of FR additives from plastics used in electronics in Europe. This led, in turn, to increases in electrical fires in Europe, and now customers and fire-safety experts demand low environmental impact and fire safety. However, the existing nonhalogen flame-retardant solutions brought in to replace bromine have their own balance-of-property issues, and so research continues to develop materials that can meet WEEE objectives. 

Widiyanto, A., Kato, S., Maruyama, N., and Kojima, Y., Environmental impact of fossil fuel fired co-generation plants using a numerically standardized LCA scheme, J. Energy Resource Technol., 125, 9-16, 2003. 

There is no doubt that theuse of BFRs has a societalbenefitin reducing the frequency, severity and impact of fires. However, many of the current compounds are persistent, bioaccumulative and (potentially, at the least) toxic to humans and wildlife. Whether the most appropriate BFRs are currently in use or whether other currently available or new compounds would be as effective with fewer environmental disbenefits remains to be established. 

Kouprianov V. 1. and Bashkin V. N., 2000. Environmental Impact of Heavy Metals Contained in Ely Ash Emitted from the Thai Lignite-Fired Power Plant, In Feeley T. J., HI (Ed.), Particulate Matter and Stationary Sources, Division ofFuel Chemistry, 219-th American Chemical Society Meeting, Vol. 45, No. 1 San Francisco, CA, pp. 83-87. 

The environmental impact of nitrogen oxides has focused attention on emissions regulations in many countries in recent years. The NOx emission limits imposed by German law cannot be achieved by simply applying primary measures such as staged combustion, over-fire air, etc. this makes it necessary to apply secondary measures. Up to now, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) has dominated over other combustion control technologies. 

The flame retardant chemicals industry has historically been driven by regulations and standards. The normal fire-, smoke-, and toxicity-related standards have been joined by environmental standards provoked by the alleged environmental impact of halogens and the alleged toxicity of antimony. Although suitable replacements have not been found for these materials in all cases, the environmental concern has served to depress their growth levels from what it would otherwise have been and/or channel the growth into alternative chemical products. 

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