Toward Responsible Disposal of Couches and TVs · Abbasi, G. 2015. Story of Brominated Flame...

www.GreenSciencePolicy.org

Toward Responsible Disposal

of Couches and TVs

Sara Petty

Senior Research Scientist, Green Science Policy Institute

[email protected]

10 February 2017

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What do you do with your couch and TV at the end of life?

GREEN SCIENCE POLICY INSTITUTE www.GreenSciencePolicy.org

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FlameRetardant ProductsPentabromodiphenylether(Penta-BDE)

Polyurethanefoam(PUF):mattresses,seatcushions,furniture,andpackaging

Octabromodiphenylether(Octa-BDE)

Plastichousingsforfaxmachines,computersandotherelectronics.Automobiletrim,kitchenappliances…

Decabromodiphenylether(Deca-BDE)

Highimpactpolystyrene(HIPS):electronics,wireandcable,publicbuildings,constructionmaterials

ChlorinatedTris(TDCPP,orTris)

Polyurethanefoams:babymattresses,furniturecushions

TetrabromobisphenolA(TBBPA)

Reactiveflameretardant:epoxyandpolycarbonateresins.Printedcircuitboardsinelectronics,housingsofcomputers,monitors,TV,officeequipment

Hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD)

Polystyrene(EPS,XPS,HIPS),polypropylene.Textilesandcarpetbacking,televisionandcomputerhousings,textilesinautomobiles,buildingmaterials(insulationpanels,constructionblocks,thermalinsulation,roofs),upholsteredfoam


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What products contain FRs?

FlameRetardant HealthRisksPentabromodiphenylether(Penta-BDE)

neurotoxicity,thyroidhormonedysregulation,endocrinedisruption,cognitiveandbehavioraldifficulties(Shawetal.2010,Kicińskietal.2012;Jacobsonetal.2016)

Octabromodiphenylether(Octa-BDE)Decabromodiphenylether(Deca-BDE)ChlorinatedTris(TDCPP,orTris)

Mutagenic,chemicalknowntoCaliforniatocausecancerorreproductivetoxicity(CaliforniaProp65)

TetrabromobisphenolA(TBBPA)

Disruptiontothyroidhormoneactivity,andproduceseffectsonneurotransmitteruptakeatsimilarconcentrationlevelsfoundforpolychlorinatedbiphenyls(PCBs)(Legler2008)

Hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD)

Crossestheplacenta,foundinhumanbreastmilkandassociatedwithdecreasedcognitivelevelsinchildren(Kicińskietal.2012)


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What are the risks?

Abbasi, G. 2015. Story of Brominated Flame Retardants: Substance Flow Analysis of PBDEs from Use to Waste. PhD Thesis, Dept of Geography, University of Toronto.

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40

80

120

160

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020

Sto

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f P

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Total PBDE

Total decaBDE

Total pentaBDE

Total octaBDE

65% PUF 30% vehicles 5% EEE

80% EEE 20% vehicles

35% vehicles 35% EEE 20% Textile 10% Plastic pallets

*Products excluded: Large vehicles, construction and building materials

•  PentaBDE: Total consumption ~45,000 tonnes •  OctaBDE: Total consumption ~25,000 tonnes •  DecaBDE: Total Consumption ~400,000 tonnes •  Total atmospheric emission of PBDEs from 1970 to 2020: 70-700 tonnes

Stock of PBDEs

What do you do with your couch and TV at the end of life?


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RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT OF WASTES WITH FRs April 2016 Participatory Workshop Berkeley, CA

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RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT OF WASTES WITH FRs February 8 2017 Participatory Workshop Berkeley, CA

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Management of Waste Foams & Plastics Mixed with Flame Retardants

Topics U.S. Municipal waste management and environmental considerations

Flexible polyurethane foam and related industries

Technologies for flame retardant destruction

Technology and Policy Research Needs

GREEN SCIENCE POLICY INSTITUTE www.GreenSciencePolicy.org 9

Liu, R., et al. 2016 Environmental Science & Technology Ramin Yazdani, Yolo County, UC Davis

GREENSCIENCEPOLICYINSTITUTEwww.GreenSciencePolicy.org

Landfill •  End-of-life furniture (including foam) is currently

landfilled •  In the US, take-back for WEEE recycling is only 15% •  FRs such as PBDEs escape through leachate, off-gas,

etc •  Leachate is often treated at water treatment facilities

Current Waste Management

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Recycling furniture foam •  FRs are not removed

from the foam •  Dilutes the foam to

0.1% FR content Post-Industrial

Trim FPF Automotive,

Furniture and Mattress

Bob Clark Carpet Cushion Council Bob Luedeka PFA

Post-Consumer FPF

Mattress Carpet cushion

Non-FR treated

FPF

Bonded Carpet

Cushion with diluted FR content

Current Methods

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Recycling WEEE

•  Parts are separated for recovery, but FRs are not removed

•  FR-treated plastics are sent to incinerator or landfill •  Brominated FRs have been found in toys, and items in

contact with food

Brian Riise MBA Polymers

Current Methods

nonaBDEs (all three congeners) and less octaBDEs (a fewcongeners). Newer types of BFRs such as TBBPA,TBBPA-BDBPE and DBDPE replacing the PBDEs andPBBs were also identified and can address the presence ofrecent/modern contamination. The combination of a shortproduct lifetime together with a quick recycling chainmight lead to the occurrence of the newer BFRs in thetested samples.

PBBs were not found in any of the tested samples. Theusage of PBBs in electronic equipment has always beenminor compared with the usage of PBDEs in plastics.HBCD was not detected in the samples, which might beexplained either by the thermal instability of this moleculeduring the recycling process or by the low abundance inWEEE. HBCD is known to be intensively used as a BFR

in textiles and as a major BFR for the building industry.No BTBPE, tribromotoluene or dibromotoluenes weredetected in any of the samples.

This study focused mainly on black polymer FCA inorder to prove the roots of the WEEE-recycled polymerfractions. The comparison of the presented BFRs in blackthermo cups and the absence of BFRs in the green and redthermo cups might direct the hypothesis that black itemsare “risky”. However, the tested population is too small toarrive at a statistically based conclusion and more samplesshould be analysed all over Europe in order to make soundstatements about whether these products really pose a riskto consumers. Not only should the content of BFRs in theblack polymeric FCA be tested, but also the migrationability to the food simulants. Thermo cups contain mostly

Table 2. Continued .

Sample name Countrya/city Test pointBr content(mg kg−1) BFR Polymerb

Black lid n.d. – PP + PEThermo cup SK/Bratislava Black sliding

stoppern.d. – ABS

Black lid n.d. – PP + PEThermo cup SK/Bratislava Green sliding

stoppern.d. – ABS

Green lid n.d. – ABSThermo cup SK/Bratislava Black sliding

stopper26 TBBPA ABS

Black lid PP + PEThermo cup CZ/Prague Black sliding

stopper1104 Technical

DecaBDE,TBBPA, DBDPE

ABS

Black lid n.d. – PP + PEThermo cup CZ/Zlín Black sliding

stopper300 TBBPA ABS

Black lid n.d. – PP + PE

Total: 30 samples 5 countries 49 test points 15 Br-positivetest points

14 test pointscontaining BFRs

7 types of polymers

Notes: aCZ, Czech Republic; SE, Sweden; BE, Belgium; DE, Germany; and SK, Slovakia.bABS, poly-(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene); PA, poly-(amide); PP + PE, copolymer of poly-(propylene-ethylene); HIPS, high-impact polystyrene(co-polymer of styrene and butadiene); PP + PS, poly-(propylene-styrene); PVC, poly-(vinyl chloride); and PDMS, poly(dimethylsiloxane).

Thermo cup lid body – typicallybromine negative by XRFspectroscopy

Thermo cup sliding stopper –typically bromine positive byXRF spectroscopy and positivefor BFRs by thermal desorptionGC-MS

Figure 1. Description of selected test points on a screwable lid from a thermo cup. Typical sample with two test points.

8 J. Samsonek and F. Puype

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Samsonek, J, and F Puype (2013) doi:10.1080/19440049.2013.829246.

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Destruction Technologies

LowTemperatures

Dioxins/Furans??

May not fully combust/destroy mixed halogenated FRs

Municipal Waste Incineration Cement Kiln

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Costs: who bears the burden?

Regulations -not uniform

Environmental Justice -disproportionate health & environmental impacts for fenceline communities

Policy and Social Challenges

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NSF report

Commitments between industry and academia to conduct pilot programs

Scientists dedicating time on flame retardants research. Multi-disciplinary research

Professors motivated to use classroom as a platform to inform younger generation


Outcomes from Workshops

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No one-size approach “To bring this issue to light with our plastics sponsor” “Get students to do a capstone design on how to manage the legacy material”

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Outcomes from Workshops


University of California Berkeley

National Science Foundation National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences

The Green Science Policy Institute Team

Veronica Chin, Zoe Laventhol

WITH THANKS TO:

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By advancing more responsible disposal

We can have a healthier world.

For more information

Google: Green Science Policy www.GreenSciencePolicy.org

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Toward Responsible Disposal of Couches and TVs · Abbasi, G. 2015. Story of Brominated Flame...

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