Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 07/13/2007
This is the weekly bulletin of the TURI Library, reporting a selection of recently published titles we have acquired. Our pledge is to keep the bulletin relevant to your work and brief -- no more than 10 titles. You are welcome to send a message to jan@turi.org if you would like more information on any of the articles listed here.
Titles here, abstracts below:
- The role of nanotechnology in chemical substitution
- Italian Navy adopts MARPOL
- An assessment of heavy metals in packaging: screening results using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer
- The CEO water mandate: an initiative by business leaders in partnership with the international community
- Soybean protein-based foamed plywood glue
- Leachability of printed wire boards containing leaded and lead-free solder
- Green Maven: Search the Green Web
1. The role of nanotechnology in chemical substitution
Author: European Technology Assessment Group (ETAG)
Source: European Parliament Scientific Technology Options Assessment (STOA)
Abstract: This project is one of ten projects the Scientific Technology Option Assessment (STOA) panel has initiated this year. The aim of the project is to give an overview of already used and conceivable applications of Nanotechnology (NT) in order to replace hazardous chemicals.
The overall idea behind this project is to identify new applications of NT which could help to reduce the risks related to hazardous substances and chemical processes. One prominent example is the substitution of anti-fouling coatings used in the ship industry by nanotechnological based coatings, which are already under investigation (AMBIO-project, http://www.ambio.bham.ac.uk/).
The project is focused on the identification of concepts or ideas for substitution in the field ofNT. The assessment of the hazardous potential of the nanotechnological substitute itself is not an objective of this study, nor is the evaluation of the feasibility and efficiency of the concepts for substitution. Related to the objective of this study three questions have to be addressed at the beginning of the project:
1. Which substances are considered as ‘hazardous chemicals’?
2. What is meant by the term Nanotechnology and how can it be distinguished from
biology and chemistry respectively?
3. What is the meaning of ‘chemical substitution’ in relation to NT?
Link: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/stoa/publications/studies/stoa181_en.pdf
2. Italian Navy adopts MARPOL
Source: Marine Global Network, July 6, 2007
Abstract: The Italian Navy training ship Amerigo Vespucci, which has been designated a UNICEF ‘ambassador’ vessel, has become one of the first MARPOL-compliant naval ships after receiving MARPOL certification from Italian classification society RINA. The rest of the Italian naval fleet, numbering roughly seventy vessels, is set to follow suit, even though there is no legal or regulatory requirement for it to do so. MARPOL 73/78, or the International Convention for the Prevention of Maritime Pollution, entered force in October 1983 and applies to merchant ships worldwide. But it is not compulsory for naval ships, and the Italian Navy is the first navy in the world to elect, in line with its environmental policy, for voluntary application of MARPOL to all its vessels.
The Amerigo Vespucci, which was built in 1931, it is now compliant with MARPOL Annexes I (prevention of oil pollution), IV (prevention of pollution from sewage) and V (prevention of pollution from garbage).
RINA’s project will continue with the MARPOL certification of the whole Italian Navy fleet, including recent newbuildings such as the Cavour aircraft carrier and the FREMM frigates. The latter also comply with MARPOL Annex VI, which covers prevention of air pollution. In 2002, RINA developed RINAMIL, Rules for the Classification of Naval Ships.
Link: http://www.mgn.com/news/dailystorydetails.cfm?storyid=7871&type=2
3. An assessment of heavy metals in packaging: screening results using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer
Source: Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse, June 20, 2007
Abstract: Nineteen U.S. states have toxics in packaging laws that prohibit the sale or distribution of packaging containing intentionally added cadmium, lead, mercury, and hexavalent chromium, and set limits on the incidental concentration of these materials in packaging. The purpose of these laws is to prevent the use of toxic heavy metals in packaging materials that enter landfills, waste incinerators, recycling streams, and ultimately, the environment.
With funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH) initiated the first comprehensive test program of packaging in the U.S. TPCH screened 355 packaging samples between October 2005 and February 2006 for the presence of the four restricted metals using a portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. The packaging samples were selected to represent different packaging materials (aluminum, glass, paper, plastic, and steel) and product types, mostly in the retail sector.
Of the packages tested, 16% exceeded the screening threshold of 100 parts per million (ppm) for the presence of one or more of the restricted heavy metals, and may be in violation of state toxics in packaging laws. Cadmium and lead were the most frequently detected of the four regulated metals. Historically, these metals were used in colorants and inks, and as stabilizers to retard the degradation of plastics exposed to heat and ultraviolet light. The average cadmium concentration detected in the samples that failed the screening test was 449 ppm while the average lead concentration was 1,740 ppm. Test results for one package, a plastic mailing bag, indicated that the package was almost 1% (10,000 ppm) lead by weight.
Link: http://www.toxicsinpackaging.org/adobe/TPCH_Final_Report_June_2007.pdf
4. The CEO water mandate: an initiative by business leaders in partnership with the international community
Source: United Nations Global Compact, 2007
Abstract: This initiative grew out of a highly collaborative partnership between the United Nations Global Compact, the Government of Sweden and a group of committed companies and specialized organizations dealing with the problems of water scarcity and sanitation. It is designed as a private-public initiative with a focus on developing strategies and solutions to contribute positively to the emerging global water crisis. The CEO Water Mandate will seek to engage a critical mass of companies from around the world, willing to undertake serious efforts, in partnership with other stakeholders, to address this challenge. Whenever possible, this initiative will coordinate efforts and work with existing water programs – both global and local – in order to maximize impact. The CEO Water Mandate seeks to build an international movement of committed companies, both leaders and learners. In this spirit, the initiative is open to companies of all sizes and from all sectors, and from all parts of the world. The initiative requires the endorsement of a company’s Chief Executive Officer, or equivalent.
Link: http://www.unglobalcompact.org/Issues/Environment/
Water_sustainability/The_CEO_Water_Mandate.pdf
5. Soybean protein-based foamed plywood glue
Source: Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer, 2007 FLC Awards
Abstract: Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Midwest Area have developed a soybean protein-based foamed plywood adhesive that is now being used commercially by a major plywood manufacturer. The technology transfer was made possible by a Trust Agreement
between the Department of Agriculture, ARS, and the United Soybean Board, with the Board serving as an intermediary that facilitated the cooperative research efforts between ARS and industry collaborators.
The glue is designed for foam extrusion, a method of applying glue to plywood whereby glue is foamed with air and then extruded into long strands of such diameter as to cover the entire wood surface when pressed. Soybean flour, an inexpensive and readily available protein source, was used to replace spray-dried animal blood, the industry’s current protein extender in the glue mix. Soybean flour does not pose a health threat to mill workers, unlike animal blood, which may harbor disease-causing agents.
The soy flour-based glue had mixing performance, foaming quality, and adhesive strength that equaled those of the plywood industry’s current foamed glue. More importantly, the cost of the soy-based glue was cheaper by $0.84/100 kg of glue mix compared to the blood-based glue, which means considerable annual savings in production costs to the plywood-making industry. Using soybean flour as protein extender in foamed plywood glues will consume up to half a million bushels of soybeans per year, which would translate into added value for soybeans and higher income for U.S. soybean growers.
Link: http://www.federallabs.org/pdf/2007_FLC_Awards_Program.pdf
6. Leachability of printed wire boards containing leaded and lead-free solder
Authors: Townsend, Timothy; Musson, Stephen; Dubey, Brajesh; Pearson, Brian
Source: Journal of Environmental Management, in press corrected proof, July 2007
Abstract: Due to environmental concerns and regulatory initiatives, electronics manufacturers are replacing the tin/lead solder commonly used on printed wire boards (PWBs) with alternative solders. To determine the potential waste management impacts of the alternative solders versus the tin/lead solder, two leaching tests on PWBs manufactured with five alternative types of solder were performed: the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and the synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP). These tests are commonly used in the US regulatory community to assess pollutant leachability in different disposal scenarios. The article discusses the application and limitations of these tests. The five types of solders investigated were 63Sn/37Pb, 99.3Sn/0.7Cu, 95.5Sn/4Ag/0.5 Cu, 96Sn/2.5Ag/1Bi/0.5Cu, and 42Sn/1Ag/57Bi. The leaching tests were conducted on four PWB sections, each with a unique configuration and solder density. The largest lead concentrations were observed from the PWBs containing Sn/Pb solder, with concentrations exceeding the hazardous waste toxicity characteristic (TC) in TCLP leachates. Silver, the other regulated element used in the solders, was rarely detected, with none of the samples exceeding the TC limit for silver. High copper concentrations were observed and were determined to result from the PWB itself, not from the copper-containing solders.
7. Green Maven: Search the Green Web [website]
Abstract: A website that brings the best of the Green Web together. Designed for Mavens that just can't get enough of all things Green. Use it as a research tool, or keep up to date on the latest trends in the Green Revolution. We have a mission to grow the green economy by leveraging the power of the collective internet. Here are our first three tools:
* Green Search Engine : We've built the world's first comprehensive Green Search Engine based on Google's Coop Search technology. Rather than searching the entire web, your search yields "green" results. Soon we will have the ability for anybody to be a Green Maven and help contribute to the research of mapping the Green Web.
* Green News Reader : We've integrated the best of the green blogs into one, easy to read format. We receive new stories all day long day from channels of the best news on the web. Read all the news channels at once, or switch channels to read any specific news source. Use the "Share It!" feature to send a positive news story to a friend, family, or co-worker. If you have any suggestions for great online news sources, let us know .
* Green Directory : This is the source for our Green Search Engine. If you'd rather browse than search, explore the Green Web using our comprehensive directory.
Link: http://www.greenmaven.com/
You are welcome to send a message to jan@turi.org if you would like more information on any of these resources. Also, please tell us what topics you are particularly interested in monitoring, and who else should see GREENLIST. An online search of the TURI Library catalog can be done at http://slk060.liberty3.net/turi/ for greater topic coverage.
This page updated Friday July 13 2007