The new European database for chemicals of concern: How useful is SCIP for waste management?

Friege, Henning; Zeschmar-Lahl, Barbara; Kummer, Beate; Wagner, Jörg F.

doi:10.1016/j.scp.2021.100430

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Therefore, it is very difficult for recyclers and converters to maintain an overview, let alone determine what banned pollutants (and candidate substances [93]) are contained in the PVC waste they receive. Also, a glance at the EU database SCIP (Substances of Concern In Products), which was put in place to better inform actors at the end-of-life treatment stage about harmful chemicals in waste, cannot solve this problem [94]. A solution for ending this vicious circle needs to be found.…”

Section: Second Reason: Legacy Chemicals (Legacy Additives)mentioning

confidence: 99%

More than 30 Years of PVC Recycling in Europe—A Critical Inventory

Lahl,

Zeschmar-Lahl

2024

Sustainability

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

PVC has a special status, as chlorine is a component of the polymer molecule. The properties of chlorine are the reason why the polymer molecule needs additivation. PVC is the mass plastic to which the most diverse and quantitatively largest number of additives are added. This makes PVC difficult to recycle. More than three decades ago, the PVC industry announced its commitment to improve the sustainability of the material through material recycling. We analysed the latest figures from the European PVC industry, ensuring that the statistics included the quantities that enter the market as recyclate. We also analysed the significance of replacing virgin PVC with recyclates. We conclude from this that, after a good three decades, the recycling result is rather meagre. The lion’s share of PVC waste in Europe is still going to waste-to-energy plants, where it tends to be a nuisance. The many announcements to close the chlorine cycle via waste incineration have not got very far either. And the announcements to expand chemical recycling in parallel have not been successful. On the basis of this stocktaking, we have analysed, in a second separately published part, which conclusions can be drawn for regulatory measures, building on a current ECHA investigation report.

show abstract

Section: Second Reason: Legacy Chemicals (Legacy Additives)mentioning

confidence: 99%

More than 30 Years of PVC Recycling in Europe—A Critical Inventory

Lahl,

Zeschmar-Lahl

2024

Sustainability

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Hazardous waste management by risk was proposed by Bodar et al (2018). Waste could be treated as products, per risk according to REACH (Friege et al 2021). The interface between chemicals legislation and waste legislation should be as closed as possible to achieve a circular economy.…”

Section: ); or •mentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk Management of Hazardous Solid Wastes by Hazardous Property Including Mercury Containing Wastes

Hennebert

2022

Detritus

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The classification of waste is complex. Once detailed chemical composition, and in some cases speciation testing has been completed, the chemicals present are checked either as hazardous chemicals or persistent organic pollutants (POPs). However, detailed waste characterisation data can be used to support onward management of wastes, including hazardous wastes. A process management flowchart has been compiled using data from twelve waste streams. Specifically, for hazardous waste, the proposed approach can be used to firstly identify how a potential hazard may be eliminated using specific treatment scenarios. Secondly risk mitigation strategies are provided to reduce risks during short-term management of transportation, preparation and processing of wastes. Finally, the approach highlights how waste characterisation data can be used to guide the long-term management of hazardous waste. For non-hazardous waste a risk approach generates case specific permissible concentration limits. Hazardous waste management by risk is proposed, either for short-term operations, or during the recycling loops. The wastes containing “legacy” banned substances must be phased out. But the wastes with hazardous compounds at hazardous concentration should be recycled in controlled recycling loop. They should be managed during the loop by a risk approach, like the products they were and the products that they will become, per risk according to REACH. A worked example of this approach to mercury containing waste by hazard and by risk is presented, using leaching data (risk) to prevent groundwater contamination by mine tailings using reverse modelling, proposed to the conference of the UN Minamata Convention.

show abstract

“…But in case of abandonment or long-term storage in the environment of an abandoned product then designated as waste, as there is no longer any control of the emission and exposure of the material, the material must be managed by its hazardous properties (Hennebert 2022). The interface between chemicals and waste legislation is a major problem for the envisaged circular economy (Friege et al 2021). Appropriate risk management tools to control any risks that might arise from the re-using and recycling of hazardous materials should be built (Bodar et al 2018).…”

Section: Management Of Hazardous Plasticised Polymers By Risk During ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hazardous properties of plasticisers that may hinder the recycling of plastics

Hennebert¹

2022

Detritus

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Plasticisers transform rigid polymers, especially PVC, into flexible and useful material, typically at 10-35% concentration. Four phthalate plasticizers are now banned in the EU (maximum concentration in products of 0.1%). Are other plasticisers, used in concentrations that make a product waste, unsafe? The hazardous properties of plasticisers used in the EU (Plastic Additives Initiative list) were collected from the ECHA registration site. Eight plasticizers (=12% of 69) are either skin sensitizers (2 substances) and under evaluation by ECHA (7 substances), with a potential ban at the end of the evaluation for persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity (PBT), endocrine disruption (ED) and as substances of very high concern (SVHC). Seventeen (=25% of 69) are used at a concentration that makes the plastic hazardous when it becomes waste. The sorting and management options of these additivated plastics are discussed. The recycling of these hazardous wastes is not prohibited. In the short-term recycling phase in modern industrial plants, there is a low emission of these additives, which is controlled by occupational safety and environmental regulations. On the other hand, the long-term low-quality management such as littering (with weathering and fragmentation) and landfilling (with the emission of degradable products in case of phthalates) scatter these substances. The plastics containing “legacy” banned additives must be phased out. But the plastics with compounds at hazardous concentration should be recycled in controlled recycling loop. They should be managed by a risk approach, like the products they were and the new products that they will become.

show abstract

The new European database for chemicals of concern: How useful is SCIP for waste management?

Cited by 12 publications

References 13 publications

More than 30 Years of PVC Recycling in Europe—A Critical Inventory

More than 30 Years of PVC Recycling in Europe—A Critical Inventory

Risk Management of Hazardous Solid Wastes by Hazardous Property Including Mercury Containing Wastes

Hazardous properties of plasticisers that may hinder the recycling of plastics

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About