Document ZB3D8LeXNnr3bkKk5Bq46eBYd

UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS ENGINEERING SOUTH CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA MEMORANDUM JUN i 3 J975 nwmER.jz June 12, 1975 TO: Hr. H. E. Elsenhour Hr. R. H. Gregory, Jr. Hr. H. R. Guest Hr. G. J. Hanks, Jr. Hr. R. W. Martin Or. A. B. Steele Or. T. T. Szabo Hr. G. J. Triplett FROM: SUBJECT: W. R. Hanning_________ R. N. Wheeler 'C Excerpts FronkArthur D. Little Report - Vinyl Chloride Honcmer Emissions Frtw TKe~yoTyvlnyl Chloride Processing Industries We ere sending you herewith the Title Page, Table of Contents, List of Figures, List of Tables, Summary, and Table VI-1 from the subject report, copy of which was obtained by Hr. Wheeler from the Society of the Plastics Industry. The report was apparently prepared by Arthur 0. Little, Inc. under contract to the EPA. We think the essence of the report is contained In the Summary and the tables that we are attaching. Although the report does not say so specifically,It implies that there is little need for regulation of the PVC Processing Industries. The entire report amounts to same IbO pages. If, after examining the attached material^ you would like to see other parts of the report, please contact Hr. Wheeler. WRM/RNW/skb Attachment W. R. Hanning R. N. Wheeler ucc 033067 VINYL CHLORIDE HOHOHBt EMISSIONS ppnM THE POLYVINYL CHLOEIDE PBOCESSING INDUSTRIES Report to U. S. Eaviromentel Protection Agency Bescorch Triengle Perk, North Cerollae *y Lite Neleen Jeek Milgro* Robert Bller Mey 1973 76086-11 Arthur D Little Inc ucc 033068 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) VI. qmwr STATUS OF CONTROLS TO LIMIT VOt EMISSIONS Fn*i nil PVC FABBICATIOM INDUSTRIES a. cubbemt control techniques B. FUTURE CONTBOL TECHNIQUES APPENDICES PM VI-1 VI-1 VI-2 LIST Of PICUBES II-la. Polyvinyl Chloride ManufacturingFroceeeee II-lb. Polyvinyl Chloride Manufacturing] Yocaases IV-1. Continuous Hot Coopoundlng Linn IV-2. Botch Hot Conpoundlng Operation IV-3. Banbury Minor IV-4. IV-5. Dry Blond Conpoundlng Typical Double Botch Coopoundlngof Plpo BosIn IV-4. Schsaotlc of Vlrs and Cable Coating Process IV-7. IV-8. Crosahood Dio for Wire Costing Flexible PVC Film Extrusion with In-Plant Conpoundlng IV-9. Typical PVC Plpo Extrusion Operation IV-10. Rigid Profile Extrusion IV-11. Typical Calendaring Operation IV-12. Solvent Cast PVC Film Production II-2 II-3 IV-3 IV-4 IV-3 IV-14 IV-16 IV-21 IV-22 IV-24 IV-26 IV-30 IV-32 IV-34 ucc 111 033070 Arthur D Little Inc LIST OF TABLES P> S-l. S-2. Total U.S. Emission Kata of VQf froa Polyvinyl Chlorlda Procaaalag vinyl Chlorlda Ealaalooa - 1974 II-l. U.S. production of PVC Basins XX-2. Doaastlc Consumption of PVC laaiaa II-3. O.S. Conaunptlon of PVC laaiaa III-l. Daaastie Bad Uaa Braakdown of PVC Baain - 1974 III-2. O.S. Conauaption of PVC Haalna by Bod Oaa III-3. Batinatad Conception of Jtaala for Hiid Compound in 1974 III-4. Batlaatad Conaunptlon of Baain for Plaxibla Coapowd In 1974 III-3. Batlaatad Conswptlca of Paata Baain In 1974 IXI-6. Batlaatad PVC Conaunptlon In Plpa and Conduit III-7. Bad Oaa Karkat for Siding and Othar Bxtrudad Profllaa III-8. Markat Sharaa for Major Suppllara of PVC Ploor Covarinf III-9. PVC tflra and Cabla Oaaga (1973) III-10 . PVC Oaaga In Soft Trla for Avaraga Autoaobiln III-U . Subatltotioo Aapacta of Fabricated Vinyl Productn IV- 1. VQI Lavala in Baain at Pointa along Compounding Procaao (ppa by uaight) IV-2. Vinyl Chlorlda Coneantratlona In Film Procaaalag IV-3. IV-4. Plaatlbln VCM Coapound Production Parcant Vinyl Chlorlda Monoaar la PVC Hoaopolyaar IV-5. Parcant Vinyl Chlorlda Monoaar in PVC-PVA Copolyaar IV-6. VCM Loan During Dry Bland Ccapounding of Rigid PVC Foraulatioua IV-7. Typical Bxtrudar Tamparaturaa for PVC IV-8. V-l. VCM Loaaaa froa Flaxlbla PVC Calondaring Total O.S. falsaloa Rata of VCM froa Polyvinyl Chlorlda Procaaalag V-2. AiwimI vinyl Chlorlda Bniaaiona - 1974 VI-1. Antlcipatad Putura VCM Loaa Rotas froa Confounding and Fabrication S-3 S-4 II-6 11-16 ZI-18 III-2 III-4 III-6 III-7 HI-8 111-10 IH-12 XII-14 III-U III-10 m-32 IV- 7 IV-8 IV-9 IV-U IV-12 IV-17 IV-19 IV-33 V- 2 V-3 VI-1 ucc 033071 Arthur D Little Inc LIST OF TABLES (continued) !t& A-I. A-II. A-III. A-IV. A-V. A-VI. A-VII. F Major U.S. Froduears of Saw FVC Saaln Major Merchant FVC Saaln Consuaers Llat of Suppliers of FVC Coapouad Producara of FVC Flpa and Flttlnsa Suppllara of Saaln or Conpound to FVC Flpa Fabricators Flla and Shooting Calaadars la Oparatlon la tha U.S.l Maaufacturara of Flaxlblo (Flaatlclsad) FVC Shaat A-VIII. Maaufacturara of Rigid FVC Shaat A-IX. U.S. Froduears of FVC Flla (Calendared and Batrudad) *-*- U-S. Producara of Cast FVC Flla aad Shaat A--1 A-2 A-7 A-20 A-22 A-25 A-28 A-32 A-35 A-3S 9 ucc v 033072 Arthur D Little Inc SUMMARY The recognition of tho potential link between the exposure of workers to vinyl chloride Monomer (VCM) end the development of enclosereone of the liver hee reeulted in the Oceupetlonel Sefety end Heelth Adalnietretlon setting standards to Halt the exposure of plant workers to PCM. These standards are expected to reault la controls which reduce the concentration of VCM in plant air to very low levels, jHowever, the ventilation netbods used as one major route to meeting the OSHA regulations in no way reduce the total amount of VCM emitted from the plants to the atvsphere. There is therefore still concern about the effects of VCM emissions on the non-worker population la coanuuitles surrounding PVC production and fabrication plants. The purpose of this present study was to attempt to quantify the extent of VCM emissions from polyvinyl chloride processing plants* including both compowders and fabricators who process the compound--through the melt or solvent phase--into semi-finished products. In this report* ws discuss the structure of the PVC processing industry* and document the emissions from each segment of the processing industry. Emissions are categorised primarily by the type of fabrication process. Data on emissions were obtained from interviews with resin producers* coapouaders* and fabricators. The primary approach to the estimation of emissions was the cl Male matariiu. balance. The VCM content of reslna entering each pipease step wee estimated* and the amount of monomer In the product Barging from each process step was separately estimated. The difference in VCM concentration between the notarial entering and exiting from each process step was used to estimate the VCM losses. Total nationwide emissions* by process* were then obtained by multiplying the VO! lost per kilogram at each process step by the total motet of material processed each year by that process. Since the residual VCM levels in resin ere constantly gn as nanofaeturers seek to minimise them in order to minimise worker exposure to the monomer in fabrication plants* we used late 1974 levels of residual moncmar as the basis of these calculations. Table S-l shows the total D.S. emissions of VQI from polyvinyl chloride processing* categorised by process. As shown by this table* the predomi nant smlealone arise from the co^oundlng portions of the processing operations. VQI amissions from later processing operations are negligible. Table 8-2 compares the annual VQI emission rates from PVC processing with the sniaelooa from vinyl chloride monomer production and from polyvinyl chloride polymerisation. Emissions from compounding and subsequent fabrication processes together account for leas than one-half of one percent of the total 0.S. emissions. ucc S-l fv ^ n o U j jiJ I j Arthur D Link Inc At present there Is no external control aqulpaent used to Halt VCM aaisslons froa coapounding and fabricating facllltlaa. Although auch eontrola aa carbon adaorptlon and scrubbing hava boon conaldarad for VCM allaaiooa froa polymar- xatloo plants, thalr application to coapounding and fabricating facllltlaa appears lapractlcal because of the low levels of VOI la exiting air froa these facilities. Coapounding la the only step In the fabrication process where saaa controls nay be warranted practical, specifically la the dry- blending portion of the operation. However, such controls as nay be practical run counter to the current hlgh-ventllatlon tread In operation used to Halt In-plant aaisslons. The aost promising control technique to Halt VCM eaissloas to the ataosphere froa coapounding and fabricating facilities appears to be further reduction of residual mnneir levels In resin Input to these operations. At present, resin aanufacturers are aodifylng their processes to reduce these levels in order to coaply with OSHA reguletlons. The effect on external aaisslons froa compounding and fabricating facilities la expected to be substantial. Table \S-3}ahova the estimated average residual VCM levels which aanufacturers expect I to achieve by 197S and by 1980; the total nnual U.S. aaisslons of VCM expected ! froa abounding and fabricating facllltlaa using those resins Is also shown. -b ucc a UJJU/H Arthur D Uttle Inc TABLE S-l TOTAL U.S. EMISSION RATE OP VCM l-ROM POLYVINYL CHLORIDE PROCESSING Process Estimated VCM Emission Rate* kg/year A. Flexible PVC 1. Compounding 2. Extrusion 3. Calendering 4. Molding B. Rigid PVC 1. Compounding 2. Extrusion 3. Molding 220,000 <3,000 <4,000 <400 300,000 <4,000 <1,000 C. Plastisols, Organosols, Solution and Latex Fabrication 2,000 (Ibs/yr) (480,000) (<6,000) (<1,QQ0) (<800) (660,000) (<10,000) (<2,QQ0) (4,500) * Based on 1974 production rates and late 1974 VCM contents of resins. IJCC 033075 S-3 Arthur I.) little Inc ***** S-2 AMNUAL VINYL CHLORIDE EMISSIONS - 1974 Process Emissions (kg/kg produced) Amount Produced Subtotal of U.S. Emissions bv Process (kg) A. Monomer Production 2.5 x 10~3 2.2 x io9 B. P lvmerization Suspension Process Dispersion Process Solution Process Bulk Process - 3.9 x 10-2 6.0 x 10"2 1.8 x 10"2 2.4 x io"2 2.4 x 109 1.9 x io9 2.8 x io8 5.9 x io7 1.2 x io8 7.6 x 107 1.7 x 107 1.0 x 106 2.9 x 106 C. Fabrication Processes 2.3 x 109 - Total U.S. Emissions (kg) 5.7 x 106 1.3 x 10 - 5-6 x 105 Percent of Total U.S. Emissions 4.0 95.4 -- 0.4 S-4 Arthur U ljtilc .lix ; '.jO o a oo cry Table VI-1 AMTICTPATtP WITIBI got LOSS BAH8 flOH CCHPOCBDIMG AMD FABBICATION Year 1974 1973 1980 FVC Production Bates (ha) 2.0 x 109 Avg. VCM Content of law Basin (oao) 300 2.1 x 10** 50 2.4 x 10* (ast) 20 Total Annual U.S. VCM Beleasa from Cowpounding and Fabrlcatlnx (fcx) 600,000 105,000 48,000 *Aiumi 7X growth U. Finally, it appears that reduction of VCM amissions at lator atagaa of fabricating (aftar compounding) la boat accomplished bp reducing tha VCM lavala althar In tha input raw raaln or in tha final compound. Tech niques exist for both raductlona, and It would appear wasteful to attempt to design and build equipment for removing VCM further domatraam If It could be rawed before It even entered the fabricating operations. VI-3 uce 033077 Arthur D Little Inc