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The Elements in the Second Rank 1 Introduction
1.1 BackgroundWhen new products are developed or the requirements to quality and performance of existing products and production change, new materials and production processes are often introduced. Similar consequences can result when chemicals on the Danish Environmental Protection Agency's (DEPA) "List of undesired compounds" are phased out or more strict limits are imposed for the working environment or for emissions to the environment. Thus, substitution of e.g. mercury, lead, cadmium and chromium will increase the consumption and change the use patterns of metals, metaaloids and non-metallic elements, which previously were less used. Examples of this are the increased use of battery-powered electronics (lithium batteries), the dramatic increase in the number of personal computers during the last decade (a large number of "exotic" metals such as antimony in displays and printed circuit boards), and the introduction of catalytic converters containing platinum and palladium in the automobile industry. Concurrently with this development, the demand for data on the use and flow of these "new" elements increases as well as the need of knowledge on their fate and effect in the environment. Until now, the focus has been on just a few metals from the classical industrial environment. These metals are the heavy metals lead, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, nickel, zinc, and to a certain extent arsenic. It is beyond doubt still very important to be observant of these classical metals and work on their substitution with less problematic alternatives, but those efforts should not be an obstacle to considering the possible environmental consequences of the increasing use of "new" metals in our dynamic society. Therefore, the DEPA decided to support this study on the health and environmental aspects of a number of elements, which today are regulated very little, but which potentially can turn into environmental problems due to their inherent properties if the emissions into the environment increase. 1.2 ScopeThe scope of the project was to collect and systematize existing data on health and environmental effects of a selection of the "new" elements. The data include use and consumption, dispersal and fate in the environment, and their adverse effects on humans and other organisms. The report summarizes and evaluates the data of the selected elements. The data regarding use, consumption, health and environmental effects are presented in a short handbook format. 1.3 Project teamThe project was carried out by the following project team from COWI A/S: Jesper Kjølholt (project manager), Frank Stuer-Lauridsen, Anders Skibsted Mogensen, and Sven Havelund. The project steering group consisted of: Henri Heron, Chemicals Division of DEPA (chairman), Professor Finn Bro-Rasmussen, (Technical University of Denmark, DTU), docent Jens Christian Tjell, DTU, Jesper Kjølholt, COWI and Frank Stuer-Lauridsen, COWI. Analysis of a number of selected emissions sources and waste products were included in this study. The measurements were conducted in the autumn of 2001. The major part was analyzed by Teknologisk Institut, Tåstrup, Denmark. The samples of stack gas from MSW incineration were analyzed by the laboratories that are in charge of the routine sampling program (dk-Teknik, Søborg, Denmark and Miljölaboratoriet AB, Trelleborg, Sweden, respectively). We thank the following waste and waste waster companies and plants for kind assistance with the collection of samples: I/S Amagerforbrænding and I/S Vestforbrænding (MSW incineration plants, stack gas samples), AV-Miljø (landfill for gas cleaning residuals), DTU - Miljø & Ressourcer (sediment from road runoff retention basins), Lundtofte waste water treatment plant and Spildevandscenter Avedøre (treated municipal waste water), Noveren I/S (landfill leachate and compost) and Fakse Landfill (leachate). 1.4 ActivitiesDuring the project start-up, 11 elements were selected for the study. The selection was based on a screening of easily available information on the elements. Data sheets with information from scientific literature, reports, databases, internet, and selected institutions have been prepared for each element. Each data sheet contains information on: - uses and consumption Due to the scarcity of data on the presence of the selected elements in waste (and thereby the environmental burden), a limited analytical programme was conducted, which included treated waste water and sewage sludge, stack gas and gas cleaning residuals, landfill leachate, compost from municipal household waste and garden waste, and sediment from road runoff retention basins. The elements were evaluated based on the information from the data sheets and compared to the corresponding features of the classical heavy metals.
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