Use phase impacts

Over 60% reduction in the use phase impacts can be achieved if a consumer chooses air drying instead of machine drying. 

Table 5.1 Literature results of use phase impacts of clothing products...

It is clear that use phase impacts are very significant in a clothing product s life cycle, and for the clothing products that are intended for normal/casual wear (apparel purposes), use phase is the most detrimental phase compared to the other life cycle phases. However, this statement is made with caution, as we do not have many studies reported in the literature to confirm this. There is a dearth of LCA studies on various textile and clothing products with a special emphasis on use phase of clothing. No literature data or empirical studies on wearing and laundry behaviour of garments could be found as well. 

If we need to address the issue of consumer use phase impacts to reduce them, it is pertinent to quantify the impacts at use stage for various clothing products. With the basis of those scientific results only, one must be able to address and advise customers on sustainable use behaviour. Many research studies on LCA of textiles and clothing products with a chief focus on use phase and development of PCRs for various clothing products would enable a way to ensure sustainable consumer behaviour, which is of course, the need of the hour. 

Preliminary analysis of production of Li-ion batteries with LiMn204 cathodes did not reveal any significant environmental impacts or requirements for energy-intensive processing. Detailed analysis of other cathode types is required, but is not expected to reveal significant emission or energy concerns. Battery production impacts are small compared to the use-phase impacts. Local impacts need to be examined to determine if any community experiences a disproportionate burden (e.g. from metals mining). 

Blending of ABS with an acrylic material such as poly(methyl methacrylate) can in some cases allow a matching of the refractive indices of the rubbery and glassy phases and providing that there is a low level of contaminating material such as soap and an absence of insoluble additives a reasonable transparent ABS-type polymer may be obtained. More sophisticated are the complex terpolymers and blends of the MBS type considered below. Seldom used on their own, they are primarily of use as impact modifiers for unplasticised PVC. 

Sources of emissions and activities causing impacts during construction and use phases... 

Figure 3.3 shows an illustrative case where the major impacts are during the manufacturing and the use phase. This would be typical of a consumer durable such as a refrigerator or dishwasher. 

Environmental impacts in the use phase dominate the profile. Products with high durability and which go through many cycles of use are found in this category. Examples include automobiles, dishwashers and laser printers. 

Additives are badly represented in LCA case studies. This is not because they do not contribute to impacts, but because they are not included in the assessment. The most likely reason for that is that specific LCI data for additives are missing to a large extent, and additive data are not included in the compound materials. Moreover, this fact is not obvious. Possibly, LCA practicioners are not aware of this gap. Additive data for the use phase and waste treatment phase are lacking as well. LCIA data for additives are also lacking. Approaches exist, however, to estimate interim characterization factors based on substance characteristics. 

Emissions of DEHP during use of the cushion vinyl floor covering appear to have a negligible contribution in the total weighted score. However, the assessment of the impact of the DEHP emission on human health is based on a characterization model that is developed for outdoor emissions, Usetox. The emission of DEHP during the use phase of the floor covering is indoors and therefore fate and the human exposure... 

In the commonly used electron-impact (El) mode, a mass spectrometer bombards molecules in the vapor phase with a high-energy electron beam and records the result of electron impact as a spectrum of positive ions separated on the basis of mass/charge (m/z) most of these ions are singly charged. The mass spectrum of... 

Gas phase molecular aggregates that contain acid molecules have been produced with free jet expansion techniques and detected by using electron impact ionization mass spectrometry. The clusters of aqueous nitric acid paralleled many properties of the condensed phase. Multiple nitric acid molecules were found in the clusters that were sufficiently dilute. The acid molecule was absent in the ionized clusters involving HC1 and only water was evident. Experiments also demonstrated the reactivity of ammonia with aqueous nitric acid and sulfur dioxide clusters and of sulfur trioxide with water clusters. The natural occurrence of acid cluster negative ions offers a means to probe the gas phase acid loading of the atmosphere through laboratory and field studies of the ion chemistry. 

Following this mainly engineering view point, the first volume Polymers -Opportunities and Risks I is dedicated to the basics of the engineering of polymers (materials, processing, design, surface, use phase, recycling, depositing) - but always in view of the environmental impact. 

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