Paints environmental impact

Uses. Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is of interest in chemical and related industries where low toxicity and minimal environmental impact are important (134). For many years tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol has been used as a specialty organic solvent. The fastest growing appHcations are in formulations for cleaners (135) and paint strippers (136), often as a replacement for chlorinated solvents (137). Other major appHcations include formulations for crop sprays, water-based paints, and the dyeing and finishing of textiles and leathers. Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol also finds appHcation as an intermediate in pharmaceutical appHcations. 

Environmental Impact of Ambient Ozone. Ozone can be toxic to plants, animals, and fish. The lethal dose, LD q, for albino mice is 3.8 ppmv for a 4-h exposure (156) the 96-h LC q for striped bass, channel catfish, and rainbow trout is 80, 30, and 9.3 ppb, respectively. Small, natural, and anthropogenic atmospheric ozone concentrations can increase the weathering and aging of materials such as plastics, paint, textiles, and mbber. For example, mbber is degraded by reaction of ozone with carbon—carbon double bonds of the mbber polymer, requiring the addition of aromatic amines as ozone scavengers (see Antioxidants Antiozonants). An ozone decomposing polymer (noXon) has been developed that destroys ozone in air or water (157). 

This article presents details of the gloomy picture of the environmental impacts associated with PVC waste which has been painted by four PVC waste management studies carried out for the European Commission. The studies cover mechanical recycling, feedstock recycling, behaviour in landfill, and the influence of PVC on incinerator flue gas cleaning residues. 

The two candidate compounds are commercially available. These candidate solvents were purchased and tested in the laboratories of paint industries (Constantinou 2005). It was found that the solvent 1-methoxy-2-propanol was very successful in replacing Ethyl Glycol. When it was tested in larger amounts (under actual plant operation), it was also found to be equally successful. Consequently, 1 -methoxy-2-propanol replaced Ethyl Glycol very successfully, while at the same time making a lower environmental impact. This example highlights the breadth of the CAMD-based methodology in terms of its ability to provide realistic solutions which are theoretically consistent and practically applicable. 

Environmental Impact. Methylene chloride is nonphotochemically reactive and is not listed as an ozone (qv) depleler. Methylene chloride removers can easily be recovered from paint chips and other residue sedimentation, tlius allowing recovery of remover and its continued use. Tins greatly increases the useful life of the remover and, when mixed with fresh remover, eluninates the need for disposing of the used remover. This process requires no special recovery equipment. The high volatility of methylene chloride allows the waste residue from the stripping process to be easily dried, The resulting waste is normally considered hazardous because of the amounts of heavy metals from old finishes. 

Papasavva, Kia, S., Claya, J., and Gunther, R., Characterization of automotive paints An environmental impact analysis, Progress Organic Coatings, 43, 193-206, 2001. 

In goal definition, the scope and purpose of the LCA is defined. The functional unit and system boundaries are also established. The functional unit is the reference point to which environmental impacts are attributed. The choice of functional unit depends on the application of the LCA. For a process it could be a tonne of product or feedstock, or a tonne of impurity removed. For a commodity product the functional unit could be a tonne of product, but for specialty chemicals and most consumer products performance properties are more important and the choice can become complex. For example, performance of a paint would be related to its surface coverage and durability hence a possible functional unit for the paint might be the quantity required to cover a square meter of surface over a time span of 20 years. 

Using molded plastics in requisite colors can minimize the use of paint in automobiles. The environmental benefits accrued from not having to produce and apply the automotive paint because of plastics use is quite significant. These environmental impacts include the energy to paint a component and the emissions... 

Another interesting application was the top trim piece on the 1998 Saturn. The part was made using TPO, reducing the mass by approximately 0.45 kg (1 lb) over the previously used painted polycarbonate trim. The need for paint and its associated environmental impacts were also eliminated. 

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