Clean Production in Action: Assessing Alternatives for Materials and Products

1. Clean Production in Action:Assessing Alternatives for Materials and Products Pam Eliason Toxics Use Reduction Institute 978-934-3142; pam@turi.org www.turi.org

2. What is Clean Production? Clean Production Action website: http://www.cleanproduction.org “Clean production is a way of designing products and manufacturing processes in harmony with natural ecological cycles. It aims to eliminate toxic wastes and inputs and ultimately promotes the judicious use of renewable energy and materials.”

3. Design/Development of Green Products and Materials Prevention/Reduction Recycling/ Reuse Treatment/ Disposal Traditional Approach

4. Methods for Clean Production Design for the Environment Green Chemistry Green Engineering Alternatives Assessment

5. Design for the Environment Designing a product that meets requirements for quality, cost, manufacturability and consumer appeal, while at the same time minimizing environmental impacts.

6. Green Chemistry … Is a science-based approach for achieving strong and healthy economies that are respectful of environmental qualities. Involves a set of principals for reducing or eliminating the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture or application of chemical products. Seeks to focus on the earliest stages of materials and industrial process design so that conventional waste and pollution treatment technologies can be avoided.

7. 12 Principals of Green Chemistry Anastas, P.T. & Warner, J.C. (1998): Green Chemistry Theory and Practice • Prevention • Atom Economy • Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses • Design Safer Chemicals • Safer Solvents and Auxiliaries • Design for Energy Efficiency • Use Renewable Feedstocks • Reduce Derivatives • Catalysis • Design for Degradation • Real-Time Analysis for Pollution Prevention • Inherently Safer Chemistry for Accident Prevention

8. Green Engineering USEPA definition: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/greenengineering/ • Green Engineering is the design, commercialization and use of processes and products that are feasible and economical while minimizing: • Generation of pollution at the source • Risk to human health and the environment

9. How do we know … Alternatives Assessment If we’ve designed for the environment? If that chemistry is really green? If that engineering process is green?

10. Alternatives Assessment • Performance – does it work as well as the traditional method? • Economics – can it be implemented in a cost-effective way? • Environmental, Health and Safety – Does it improve our overall impact on the environment and worker exposure?

11. Alternatives Assessment Methods Life Cycle Analysis Cradle to Cradle Toxics Use Reduction Planning P2OASys Green Screen States Methodologies

12. Life Cycle Analysis LCA looks across the entire life cycle of a product to assess the impacts it has on the environment at each stage of its life.

13. Life-Cycle Impact Categories • Resource consumption (renewable & non-renewable) • Energy use • Water use • Landfill space use • Global warming • Ozone depletion • Photochemical smog • Acidification • Local air quality (PM10) • Water eutrophication • Local water quality (BOD, TSS) • Chronic human health toxicity (occupational & public) • Aesthetics (odor) • Ecotoxicity (aquatic & terrestrial) • Radioactivity

14. Cradle to Cradle Design Protocol McDonough &Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC • The four categories are: • Green - little or no risk. • Yellow - low to moderate risk. • Orange - There is no indication that this is a high risk chemical for the desired application, but a complete assessment is not possible due to lack of information. • Red - High risk. 'Red' chemicals include all known or suspected carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, mutagens, reproductive toxins, and teratogens.

15. Toxics Use Reduction Planning Original goal - 50% reduction in the generation of toxic by-products through TUR Establish TUR as the preferred means of regulatory compliance Sustain and promote the competitive position of Massachusetts industry Promote reduction in the production of toxic and hazardous substances Enhance and coordinate state agency enforcement of environmental laws

16. 1990 - 2005 Trends Indexed for Changes in Manufacturing Activity: Production Adjusted Numbers Trends in Toxic By Product Generation Trends in Toxic Chemical Use Milliions of Pounds From 1990 to 2005 TURA Filers achieved a 40% reduction in chemical use, and 71% reduction in toxic chemical byproducts.* *Core Group Quantities, 1990-2005, Production Adjusted

17. Identify the universe of TUR options • ID all techniques for potentially achieving • toxics use reduction • METHODS: Brainstorming techniques, • vendor info, trade associations Planning Requirements – Options Identification

18. Screen the universe • Determine and eliminate options that • are clearly technically or economically • infeasible • Detailed evaluation • Technical evaluation • Economic evaluation • Develop implementation schedule • Determine timeline for implementation • Project toxics use reduction 2 and 5 • years into the future Planning Requirements – Options Evaluation

19. Pollution Prevention Options Analysis System (P2OASys)

20. P2OASys Spreadsheet

21. Green Screen Developed by Clean Production Action Free and publicly accessible screening tool to promote the design, manufacture and use of safer chemicals Provides a roadmap to green chemistry Is being used by major companies and governments

22. Benchmarks Towards Green Increasingly Preferred

23. How TURI is Promoting Safer Alternatives • Investing research funding in green chemistry and occupational health studies of nanotechnologies • Creating common framework and resource portal for states • TURI conducted an alternatives assessment on five high priority toxic chemicals (2006)

24. TURI Five Chemicals Study • Legislative mandate to study alternatives to five high priority chemicals • Lead • Perchloroethylene • Formaldehyde • Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate • Hexavalent chromium

25. Example of Assessment Table

26. States Alternatives Assessment Forum • Many states are using alternatives assessments to develop chemicals policies, protect their people, and help their companies stay competitive • Examples: • Washington PBDE Chemical Action Plan • Maine Safe Children's Products Bill • California Green Chemistry Initiative

27. General Protocol for AA • Identify Chemicals of Concern • Identify Alternatives • Pre-Screen Alternatives • Assess Alternatives • Analyze • Implement

28. There is a Wealth of Resources Federal government is providing guidance to companies in safer design State governments are using tools to help establish stricter chemicals use policies Companies can and often are taking advantage of these resources

29. Current Activities in Massachusetts • 2006 Amendments to TURA • Raises fees and lowers thresholds for higher hazard chemicals (1000 lbs/yr) • Lowers fees for low hazard chemicals • Encourages resource conservation planning and EMSs for TUR leaders • Requires establishment of priority user segments (including smallest firms) for targeted services and performance standards

30. High Hazard Substances Evaluated by Science Advisory Board Criteria include carcinogenicity, PBT, other health effects Subject to lower reporting threshold Anticipate influx of smaller companies needing assistance and training TCE, Cadmium, Cadmium Compounds and Perchloroethylene are classified as HHS First reports due July 2009 for 2008 data

31. New Directions for Massachusetts • Proposed “Safer Alternatives Bill” • TURI prepares Safer Alternative Assessment Reports (SAAR) on each priority toxic substance • Based on the SAAR, State prepares a Chemical Action Plan (CAP) – possibility for mandatory phase outs • Firms must prepare and implement Substitution Plans (SP) to meet CAP requirements • Establish a tiered categorization list for all chemicals — 4 tiers • State provides business and employee assistance

32. Web Resources TURI’s On-Line Tools • www.turi.org • Industry • Community • Policy • Training • Data • Laboratory • Library • TURA Program Portal

33. Contact Us! Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute www.turi.org, 978-934-3275 1 University Avenue, Lowell, MA 01854 Pam Eliason: pam@turi.org, 978-934-3142