Transcript Green Chemistry and Design for Sustainability “Because

Material Assessment for Creative, Positive
Design of Industrial Activity
International Experts Dialog on
Substitution and Alternatives Assessment
December 2-4, 2004
Lowell Center for Sustainable Production
Lauren Heine, Ph.D.
Green Blue Institute (GreenBlue)
Charlottesville, VA
www.greenblue.org
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“Cradle to Cradle” Design
• Use current solar income
• Celebrate diversity
– Of geographies, cultures,
needs and designs
• Waste equals food
2
Metabolisms
Biological
Metabolism
Technical
Metabolism
Biological
Nutrients
Technical
Nutrients
3
Value of a Big Picture Mental Model
• Engages technical and non-technical employees
• Provides vision but not a prescriptive approach
• Focus on “materials” and “metabolisms” points to
importance of systems and collaboration with
others in the value chain
4
Organizational Change and Continual
Improvement
Awareness
& Motivation
Assessment
& Strategy
Implementation
Setting and
Reaching Goals
Reviewing/
Reporting
Repeat
5
Focus on Design
• Analyze and fully understand the chemical
composition of materials used
• Select materials for safety to humans and
ecological systems
• Design materials to be ‘nutrients’, either for
high value recovery or other beneficial use
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Material Assessment
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Table 1. Physical Matter and Typical Endpoints
included in Environmental Assessments
(from Overview document)
Endpoints included in Environmental Assessments
Type of
Physical
Matter
Inherent
Environ- Environhazards of mental
mental
a chemical hazards hazards from
from use extraction,
processing,
& production
Environmental
hazards
from
disposal
Recyclability /
degradability
Chemical
X
X
Material
X
X
X
X
X
Product
X
X
X
X
X
Design for Use fewer
dismaterials,
assembly components
X
X
Remove
hazardous substances
X
X = Has been included in assessments of that type of physical matter.
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Chemical Assessment
• Priority Human Health
Criteria
• Additional Human Health
Criteria
• Carcinogenicity (known or
suspected)
• Endocrine disruption
• Mutagenicity
• Reproductive and developmental
toxicity
• Acute toxicity
• Chronic toxicity
• Irritation of skin/mucous
membranes
• Sensitization
• Other (e.g., skin penetration
potential, flammability, etc.)
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Chemical Assessment
• Ecological Health Criteria
• Bioaccumulation
• Climatic relevance
• Content of halogenated organic
compounds
• Fish/algae/daphnia toxicity
• Heavy metal content
• Persistence/biodegradation
• Other (e.g., mobilization of metals,
regulatory issues, toxicity to soil
organisms, etc.)
• Natural Systems
Equilibrium Criteria
• Global warming potential
• Ozone depletion potential
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Chemical Assessment Scoring
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
= This is considered a preferred material. It is a positively identified, healthy, safe, nonproblematic material.
= This material presents low to moderate risks and cannot be classified as green, but it
also does not have any characteristics that classify it as red. For this reason, yellow
chemicals are recommended for continued use.
= For this material, insufficient information is available to adequately assess its human
health and environmental relevance characteristics. Two potential options are available
(selection is based on the necessity of using the material and the time and budget
available to conclusively assess the material):
1. Phase out the use of this material.
2. Fill data gaps with respect to human health and environmental
relevance characteristics.
= Phase out the use of this material. Known health and environmental hazards exist, or
the risk is too great to continue using it. Look for alternatives for replacement,
redesign the material formulation, or at minimum, establish and implement a strategy
for minimizing the risks (a technical solution).
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Material Assessment Scoring for DfE
• Human Health and
Ecotox Score- sum of the
individual component weights x
the corresponding % credit
divided by the total product
weight
• Recyclability Score
•
•
•
•
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
•
Material is a technical or biological
nutrient and a commercial infrastructure
exists (100%)
Material can be down-cycled and a
commercial infrastructure exists (50%)
Material can be incinerated for energy
recovery (25%)
Material is normally land filled (0%)
•
•
•
• Recycled / Renewable
Content Score
•
100%
50%
25%
0%
Total of Post Industrial Recycled
Content, Post Consumer Recycled
Content, and Renewable Content. The
% credit = the % recycled and/or
renewable content.
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Value Recovery
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Design for the Environment Green
Formulation Initiative
PURPOSE
Encourage the design of I&I cleaning products with favorable
environmental and human health profiles
APPROACH
Develop positive lists of chemical ingredients based on product
functionality for industrial & institutional cleaning products
PROCESS
Multi-stakeholder approach involving formulators, raw material
manufacturers, industry associations, NGOs and US EPA
Funded by the US EPA Design for the Environment Program as a cooperative
agreement with GreenBlue as of September 2004
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Approach
START WITH SURFACTANTS
1. Work with Technical Advisory Committee to establish criteria; suggest:
•
Biodegradability (aerobic only)
–
•
•
•
•
Include consideration of breakdown products
Aquatic Toxicity
Irritancy
Percent bio-based
Other: of toxicological, regulatory, policy or eco-labeling significance
2. Evaluate ingredients based on criteria
•
•
•
Direct supplier submissions
Research commonly used surfactants with EPA assistance
3rd party review if necessary
3. Make results publicly available via web
REPEAT WITH NEXT INGREDIENT CATEGORY
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What a Positive Ingredients List Will
Accomplish
• Promote Continuous Improvement Ethic
• Help Inform a Larger Audience
• Provide a Showcase for Chemical Ingredients with
Positive Characteristics (Green Chemistry)
• Satisfy Increasing Demand for Formulator
Program Services
• Empower Formulators to Choose Green
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Challenges for Assessment
• Stakeholder engagement in defining green attributes
• Avoiding tradeoffs between healthy chemistry, closed loops
and energy impacts
• Developing the right tools for the right applications
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END