|
| Front page | | Contents | | Previous | | Next |
More environmentally friendly alternatives to PFOS-compounds and PFOA
Appendix C Use of PFOS-related compounds in Denmark
In 2001/2002 a project funded by the Danish EPA was carried out in order to gain an overview of which types of products on the Danish market that may contain PFOS and PFOS-related compounds
(Havelund, 2002). The project was a survey of PFOS and similar substances in consumer products.
The survey showed that 75 of the 175 identified PFOS-compounds on OECD's list were registered in the Danish Product Register. These 75 PFOS-compounds were from 17 of the total 22 different
categories of PFOS-compounds (as described in the main report).
The search in the Danish Product Register showed that PFOS-compounds were most widespread in the following types of products:
- Impregnation agents for textiles, leather and paper
- Wax and other polishes
- Paint, varnish and reprographic agents
- Cleaning products
- General cleaning products
- Cleaning products used for cleaning of metal surfaces or carpets
As to products with small consumption, the following types of products are relevant:
- Flame-retardants
- Mould release agents
A total list of application areas for PFOS-related compounds according to the search in the Danish Product register can be found in Table 9.5 below.
The search in the Danish Product Register showed that the total registered sale in Denmark of PFOS-compounds contained in products is 8-16 tons per annum. Products for impregnating leather and paper
as well as paint/varnishes and reprographic agents represent the largest amounts.
However, a search in the Danish Product Register is not necessarily complete with respect to products containing PFOS-compounds as the Danish Product Register only registers products that must be
labelled as dangerous products. Most PFOS-compounds are not considered as dangerous substances. Products containing PFOS-compounds will, however, be registered if the products contain other
substances, which contribute to the classification of the product as a dangerous substance.
In other words, the Danish Product Register does not register all products containing PFOS-compounds on the Danish market, and the registered amounts do not give an adequate picture of the total sales in
Denmark. Finally, imported final products containing PFOS-compounds are not registered in the Product Register.
Therefore, a market survey was initiated in order to quantify the non-registered amount of PFOS-compounds in products. This survey concluded that the total Danish consumption of PFOS-compounds in
products probably was between 5 to 50 tons per year.
The market survey carried out showed that in some areas substitutions of PFOS-compounds have been made, whereas the use of PFOS-compounds in other areas was unchanged (see Table 9.4 below).
Table 9.4: Use of PFOS-compounds for different products according to the Danish survey on PFOS-compounds in consumer products (Havelund, 2002).
| Paint and varnish |
By- and large PFOS-compounds are not used any more (very modest
amounts).
PFOS-compounds could occur in imported products.
|
| Reprographic agents |
By- and large PFOS-compounds are not used any more (very modest
amounts).
PFOS-compounds could occur in imported products.
|
| Cleaning products |
PFOS-compounds are used more deliberately. |
| Cleaning products for industrial use |
A substantial amount has been substituted. |
| Polishers |
PFOS-compounds are used more deliberately.
However, according to a recent research on PFOS-compounds in wax and polish for floor, PFOS-compounds were found in some products, but the producers will remove the
products containing PFOS-compounds from the market. (Vejrup et al, 2002)
|
| Other product groups |
No market shift away from PFOS-compounds yet. |
A more recent survey on PFOS-compounds in impregnating agents as well as wax and polish for floors showed that PFOS-compounds were found in 3 of 21 products. The PFOS-compounds were found
in one impregnating agent for leather and textiles, in one impregnating agent for textiles and in one floor caring product with wax and polish. However, the producers stated, when contacted, that the products
containing the PFOS-compounds either are or will be removed from the market. (Vejrup et al, 2002).
Furthermore, the survey showed that some of the problems in mapping the use of PFOS-compounds are:
- Importers may not be aware that the products contain PFOS-compounds because it is confidential information, and the content is not mentioned in material safety data sheets.
- PFOS-compounds may appear as contaminants or impurities in products containing fluoropolymers. For example, in products for impregnation PFOS-compounds may appear as impurities at the level of
parts per million.
Table 9.5: List of products with PFOS-related compounds registered in the Danish Product Register (Havelund, 2002). The application areas are listed in descending order. The application area with the
highest calculated content (in kilos) in the sold products listed first.
Product type
(as listed in the Danish Product Register)
|
Calculated content of PFOS-compounds
in sold products (in kilos) |
| |
Min. |
Max. |
In % |
Impregnating products (for leather, paper, textiles, etc.)
- Impregnating products – for leather
- Impregnating products – for paper
- Impregnating products – for textiles
- Other impregnating products
|
4993.3
2427.1
2397.6
121.9
47.2
|
5135.8
2455.4
2422.6
207.6
50.2
|
31.8 – 58.0
15.2 - 28.2
15.0 - 27.9
1.3 - 1.4
0.3 - 0.5
|
| Printing ink, toner and additives for printing ink |
575.8 |
2032.1 |
6.7 – 12.6 |
| Paint and varnish |
963.3 |
2003.8 |
11.2 – 12.4 |
| Detergents, surfactants, humidifiers, dispersing agents, emulsifying
agents, antifoam agents, etc. |
360.0 |
1565.6 |
4.2 - 9.7 |
| Polish and caring products (polishing compounds, caring products
for varnish and leather, shoe polish, furniture polish, wax and
polish for floor treatment) |
27.4 |
1401.6 |
0.3 - 8.7 |
| Cleaning agents for removal, washing-up and cleaning (degreasers,
domestic detergents, auto cleaners, window cleaning agents, graffiti
removal, high pressure cleaners, lime removers, dishwasher detergents,
stain removers, carpet cleaners, etc.) |
724.7 |
1338.8 |
8.3 - 8.4 |
| Electroplating / galvanizing products (for metal treatment) |
320.7 |
566.7 |
3.5 - 3.7 |
| Metal surface treatment products (pickling agents, rust-removing
agents, etc.) |
54.7 |
375.6 |
0.6 - 2.3 |
| Inhibitors, adhesives |
58.4 |
278.8 |
0.7 - 1.7 |
| Different oils (hone oils, cutting oils) and other cooling lubricants |
20,7 |
258.9 |
0.2 - 1.6 |
| Process control agents (synthesis regulators) |
34.5 |
431.4 |
0.4 - 2.7 |
| Fire extinguishants |
22.9 |
182.3 |
0.3 - 1.1 |
| Developer / photo developer |
13.8 |
172.6 |
0.2 - 1.1 |
| Antirust agents |
6.9 |
86.3 |
0.1 - 0.5 |
| Fluxing agents (for plumbing) |
-55.6 |
55.2 |
-0.6 - 0.3 |
| Colorants / pigments |
49.6 |
50.2 |
0.3 - 0.6 |
| Unknown function |
53.5 |
49.4 |
0.3 - 0.6 |
| Filling material (caulking compounds, sealing material, filling
material, etc.) |
38.7 |
42 |
0.3 - 0.5 |
| Binding material / adhesive / paint binder |
10.6 |
35.5 |
0.1 - 0.2 |
| Material for isolation |
33.4 |
32.3 |
0.2 - 0.4 |
| Floor covering materials |
21.6 |
25.6 |
0.2 - 0.3 |
| Mould release agents / antitack agents |
21.9 |
23.2 |
0.1 - 0.3 |
| Hardening agents / curing agents (for paint, varnish and filling
material) |
17.9 |
19.5 |
0.1 - 0.2 |
| Matting agents / products for changing brightness |
12.4 |
12.5 |
0.08 - 0.1 |
| Moulding material |
12.2 |
11.1 |
0.07 - 0.1 |
| Sensitizer for silk screen printing |
10.6 |
9.7 |
0.06 - 0.1 |
| Grease and lubricating oil |
6.2 |
6.3 |
0.04 - 0.1 |
| Flushing and rinsing agents for dental hygiene |
6.2 |
6.3 |
0.04 - 0.1 |
| Surface treatment agents for paper, paperboard and other non-metal
products |
3.7 |
6.0 |
0.04 |
| Raw materials for synthesis (monomers) |
0.1 |
5.9 |
0.001-0.04 |
| Odorants / aroma / fragrance |
1.5 |
2.4 |
0.01-0.02 |
| Indication agents for cracks (pentrants, leakage detection agents) |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.001 |
| Thinner / paint thinner |
-66.8 |
-66.8 |
-0.8 - -0.4 |
| Total sum |
8604.1 |
16156.3 |
|
Please notice that for some product groups the calculated content of PFOS-compounds is negative in Table 9.5. The numbers are taken directly from the reference (Havelund, 2002), where there is no
explanation for the negative numbers.
| Front page | | Contents | | Previous | | Next | | Top |
Version 1.0 June 2005, © Danish Environmental Protection Agency
|