Survey of chemical substances in consumer products, 66 – Emission and evaluation of chemical substances from selected electrical and electronic products - part 2

Emission and evaluation of chemical substances from selected electrical and electronic products - part 2

Summary

The purpose the present study is to carry out measurements for emission of chemical substances from electric and electronical products in use and to assess the potential health risks when the tested products are applied in the household. The study is planned to perform tests of new instruments and instruments that have been used for a shorter period in a simulated use situation.

The following electric and electronical products were selected for testing in co-operation with the Danish Environmental Protection:

Printer
Computer (PC)
Television
Electrical heater
Rechargeable batteries
Household oven
Hair drier
Mobile phone with or without charger
Iron
Decorative lamp
Electric panel (multi electric outlet)

All appliances were tested for emission of chemical substances under controlled laboratory conditions. Thermostat-controlled climatic chambers of polished stainless steel were applied for the tests. The measurements included VOCs, aldehydes, isocyanates, and breakdown products hereof, brominated flame retardants and organic tin compounds.

Emission from 73 different substances were determined and the mixture of substances from the tested electrical products. All tested products emit substances in major or minor degree when in use.

The total amount of identified substances is spread over a large number of substance groups (aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, acrylates, acetates, organic acids, phthalates, siloxanes, and others).

Emission of one or more aldehydes was determined from nearly all tested products. The amounts vary and especially formaldehyde is emitted from a number of products in amounts that are regarded hazardous.

One product emits aliphatic isocyanates (methylisocyanate and isocyanic acid). The emission is transitory and hardly presents a threat of health like consideration.

A product emits brominated flame retardants by way of nona- and decaBDE. The emitted amounts are small. However, please note that both substances are prohibited as of 1st June 2006 in accordance to the EU RoHS directive.

Organic tin compounds were not determined from either of the tested products.

When comparing emissions after 7 hours and after 9 days use there is a significant reduction in substance types as well as amounts of emitted substances from the products after 9 days for 10 of 12 products.

When the emitted substances form the products are compared with the official lists of substances with long-term effect and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency's list of unwanted substances it is ascertained that:

15 of 73 substances have documented long-term effects
5 of 73 substances are on the list of unwanted substances

Based on the measured source strengths a calculation of the indoor climate concentrations has been performed in a model room and an assessment of health risks at comparison with limit values cf. Environmental project no 32, 2003.

It turns out that the two apparatures (decorative lamp and household oven) entail such emission of formaldehyde that the theoretical risk factor (fs) of 1 is significantly exceeded. Formaldehyde is the cause of 8 of the 12 highest calculated risk factors in this project. The remaining 4 cases relate to emission of methylisocyanate, phenol, isocyanic acid, or benzene.

The household oven turned out to emit an unidentified fluorine compound in large amount. It has not been possible to identify the compound within the project's economic frames, thus a health assessment has not been carried out.