Emissions of additives from plastics in the societal material stock – a case study for Sweden
Book chapter, 2012

Estimating the size of the problems related to release, fate, exposure and effects from the human use of chemical substances in materials and consumer products is daunting. More than 100,000 chemical substances are in commercial use and a reasonable description of their existence in, and release from, plastic polymers, glues, paints, fibres, lubricants etc. comprise a big challenge. Here we report the initial results from a generic emission model that has been developed and applied to estimate emissions of a set of organic chemicals from products. The scope of the study was to estimate emissions from products containing plastic materials during their average lifetime within the geographical boundaries of Sweden. The results show that approximately 2% of the plastic additives are emitted annually. Plasticisers, flame retardants, organic pigments and stabilizers are the use categories of additives that are emitted in the largest quantities. Until now, the method has only been used to estimate emissions of additives from plastic materials, but it is believed to also be applicable to other materials.

Emission model

Plastic additives

Diffusion

Diffuse emissions

Additives

Plastics

Material stock

Author

Tomas Rydberg

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute

Jenny Westerdahl

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute

Elisabeth Hallberg

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute

Andreas Öman

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute

Patrik Andersson

Umeå University

Peter Haglund

Umeå University

Tomas Holmgren

Umeå University

Filippa Fuhrman

Chalmers, Energy and Environment, Environmental Systems Analysis

Sverker Molander

Chalmers, Energy and Environment, Environmental Systems Analysis

Johan Tivander

Chalmers, Energy and Environment, Environmental Systems Analysis

Handbook of Environmental Chemistry

1867-979X (eISSN)

253-264
978-3-642-24875-7 (ISBN)

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Subject Categories

Other Engineering and Technologies not elsewhere specified

Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified

Roots

Basic sciences

Areas of Advance

Materials Science

DOI

10.1007/698_2011_107

More information

Latest update

10/5/2023