United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Water Engineering
Research Laboratory
Cincinnati OH 45268
Research and Development
EPA/600/S2-85/088 Sept. 1985
&EPA Project Summary
Industrial Process Profiles for
Environmental Use: The
Plastics and Resins Industry
Three research reports, each concern-
ing an aspect of the plastics and resins
industry, are summarized here. Chapter
10 of the Industrial Process Profiles for
Environmental Use (IPPEU) describes
the plastics and resins production in-
dustry, which converts industrial or-
ganic chemicals into solid or liquid
polymers. IPPEU Chapter 10a describes
the plastics processing industry, which
converts polymers and resins into con-
sumer products. IPPEU Chapter lOb dis-
cusses plastics additives used in the
processing and production of plastics.
This IPPEU (Chapters 10, 10a, and
lOb) series is an update and expansion
of material published in the 1977 report,
"IPPEU Chapter 10, The Plastics and
Resins Industry," EPA/600/2-77/
023j.
This Project Summary was devel-
oped by EPA's. Water Engineering Re-
search Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, to
announce key findings of the research
project that is fully documented in sep-
arate reports of the same title (see Proj-
ect Report ordering information at
back).
Introduction
The IPPEU Series Chapters 10, 10a,
and 10b describe the plastics industry,
the recipes and formulations used to
manufacture plastics products, the
manufacturing process, environmental
and occupational impacts, and addi-
tives used in the industry.
IPPEU Chapter 10: The Plastics
and Resins Production Industry
IPPEU Chapter 10 contains a detailed
analysis of the plastics and resins pro-
duction industry, which includes opera-
tions that convert industrial organic
chemicals into solid or liquid polymers.
tions and descriptions of the industry,
raw materials, products and manufac-
turers, environmental impacts, and oc-
cupational health concerns.
The following polymers are dis-
cussed: acrylic resins, acrylonitrile bu-
tadiene styrene (ABS), alkyd molding
resins, amino resins, modified polyph-
enylene oxide and polyphenylene sul-
fide, epoxies, fluoropolymers, phenolic
resins, polyacetal, polyamides, poly-
olefins (polybutylene, polyethylenes,
polypropylene), polycarbonate, poly
(ester-imide) and poly (ether-imide)
resins, polyesters, polystyrenes,
polyurethane, polyvinyl acetate and al-
cohol, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyli-
dene chloride and styrene acrylonitrile
(SAN).
Raw materials for plastics and resins
are industrial organic chemicals used as
monomers or platicizers and specialty
chemicals used as additives to modify
resin properties.
Polyethylenes, polyvinyl chloride,
polypropylene, and polystyrene ac-
counted for almost 80 percent (by
weight) of the plastics produced in the
United States in 1980. The types of com-
panies involved in plastics production
vary, but the principal producers are
major oil and chemical, paint, tire and
rubber, steel, and electrical manufactur-
ing companies.
Plastic and resin production pro-
cesses generate air emissions, waste-
water, and solid waste. Volatile emis-
sions are generally highest in
processing steps upstream of the reac-
tor and in mass and solution polymer-
ization monomer and solvent recovery
steps. Suspension and emulsion poly-
merization processes typically generate
more paniculate emissions.
The most significant source of
wastewater in plastics production is the
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water used for emulsion and suspen-
sion polymerization. Wastewater may
contain monomer, comonomer, addi-
tives, and fillers.
Solid waste is generated from plastics
production in one of two ways: polymer
lost from the process (i.e., spills, routine
cleaning, or particulate collection) and
byproduct formation (i.e., low-
molecular-weight polymers). Spent cat-
alyst or additives also may constitute
solid waste from some processes.
Some of the chemicals used as raw
materials in plastics production are
highly toxic and may produce serious
adverse health effects in overexposed
employees. However, effective engi-
neering controls and personal protec-
tive equipment and clothing exist that
greatly reduce worker exposure poten-
tial.
Successful application of these con-
trols depends on plant-specific factors
such as plant design, materials handled,
process configuration, and manage-
ment and employee dedication to main-
taining a good occupational health pro-
gram.
IPPEU Chapter 10a: The
Plastics and Resins
Processing Industry
IPPEU Chapter 10a contains a detailed
analysis of the plastics and resins pro-
cessing industry, which includes opera-
tions that convert polymers and resins
into consumer products. Analytical ele-
ments include industry definition, raw
materials, products, manufacturers, en-
vironmental impacts, and occupational
health impacts.
For the purpose of this analysis, the
Plastics and Resins Processing Industry
has been divided into 11 segments,
some of which are made up of a number
of different processes: calendering,
casting, coating, compounding, extru-
sion, finishing, foam (expandable bead,
extruded thermoplastic, multi-
component thermoset, and structural),
laminating, molding (blow, compres-
sion injection, reaction injection, rota-
tional, and transfer), reinforced plastics,
and thermoforming.
The plastics and resins processing in-
dustry is made up of nearly 10,000 pro-
cessors who produced an inventory of
products valued at $37 billion in 1982.
The industry is made up of many plants,
most of which are small and located in
or near urban centers. A compounded
annual growth rate of 6 percent is pro-
jected through 1990.
Raw materials for the industry are the
basic resins and additives described in
IPPEU Chapter 10 (The Plastics and
Resins Production Industry) and IPPEU
Chapter 10b (Plastics Additives).
Products of plastics processing oper-
ations are used as substitutes for wood,
metal, glass, leather, or natural fibers.
Primary uses of plastics are packaging,
construction, housewares, transporta-
tion, electric and electronic products,
paints, furniture, appliances, and toys.
Plastics processing operations pro-
duce air emissions, wastewater, and
solid waste resulting from both polymer
and additive raw materials. Many pro-
cessing operations do not produce all
three waste streams. Particulate emis-
sions made up of polymer and additive
fines are possible during feeding, load-
ing, and blending of dry materials, part
trimming, and grinding of thermoplas-
tic scrap for recycle. Volatile emissions
are possible from operations in which
polymers and additives are heated.
Most process-related wastewater pro-
duced during polymer processing oper-
ations is generated from direct-contact
cooling of newly formed plastic prod-
ucts. Contamination of wastewater re-
sults from material washed or leached
from the polymer.
Solid waste is produced by the collec-
tion of particulates from feeding, han-
dling, and grinding operations and by
trimming of parts. Thermoplastic scrap
may be recycled, but thermoset scrap
must be disposed of.
Worker exposure to harmful chemical
substances and physical agents de-
pends on the materials being handled,
plant design, and effectiveness of engi-
neering controls and personal protec-
tive equipment and clothing. These fac-
tors are essentially plant-specific and
are highly variable throughout the in-
dustry.
IPPEU Chapter 10b: Plastics
Additives
IPPEU Chapter 10b analyzes the
chemicals used as additives in the pro-
duction and processing of plastics, envi-
ronmental releases of these chemicals,
and possible occupational exposures to
them. The report describes in detail
more than 2000 chemical additives used
in the plastics industry.
The following additive classes are dis-
cussed in Chapter 10b: Antioxidants,
antistatic agents, blowing agents and
other additives for foamed plastics, cat-
alysts for thermoplastic polymerization,
colorants, coupling agents, curing
agents and catalysts for thermosettin
resins, fillers and reinforcers for plas-
tics, flame retardants, free radical initia-
tors and related compounds, heat stabi-
lizers, lubricants and other processing
aids, plasticizers, preservatives, solu-
tion modifiers and other polymerization
aids, and ultraviolet stabilizers.
The plastics additives are presented
as major functional groups of chemicals
and are further subdivided into chemi-
cally, functionally, or physically similar
chemicals. An overview of each major
functional group includes the properties
and application of the subclasses, their
environmental impacts, and possible
occupational exposures. A notation is
made for specific chemicals on the Ap-
pendix VIII, Michigan Hazardous Waste
List and/or the priority pollutant list.
Common worker exposure practices for
each functional group of additives are
also presented.
The overview refers to a series of
three appendices that detail (1) the
physical and chemical properties of
polymer application of each chemical
within the functional groups, (2) the
industrial, commercial, and consumer
uses and consumption volumes for each
chemical.
The full reports were submitted ir
fulfillment of Contract No. 68-02-3994
under the sponsorship of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
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This Project Summary was prepared by staff of Radian Corporation, McLean, VA
22102-9990.
Mark J. Stutsman is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
This Project Summary covers the following reports:
"Industrial Process Profiles for Environmental Use: Chapter 10, The Plastics
and Resins Production Industry," (Order No. PB 85-245 280/AS; Cost:
$52.95, subject to change).
"Industrial Process Profiles for Environmental Use: Chapter 10a. The Plastics
and Resins Processing Industry," (Order No. PB 85-245 298/AS; Cost:
$34.95, subject to change).
"Industrial Process Profiles for Environmental Use: Chapter 10b, Plastics
Additives," (Order No. PB 85-245 306/AS; Cost: $58.95, subject to change).
The above reports will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Water Engineering Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, OH 45268
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
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