Electronic Parts/Guidelines - infoHouse

Alr Emlsslons: The industry ranges in the amount of blowing agents released into the air. Some man-
ufacturers claim up to 90% capture and reuse, other may have up to 100% released Into the air.
Hydrocarbons are heavier than air and easier to capture and reuse than HCFC, but have more harmful
effects if not captured. Hydrocarbons, if not reused, can be captured and burned which reduces the
by-product of creating ground level ozone. Ground level ozone Is thought to be a major contributor to
global warming. Unlike hydrocarbons, HCFC creates little ground level ozone but does have a harmful
effect on stratospheric ozone (approx 5% to 10% of the harmful effect of CFCs). HCFCs and CFCs
are known to be responsible for the ozone depletion in the stratosphere. The depletion of ozone in the
stratosphere allows more harmful radiation from the sun to penetrate the stratosphere and come in
contact with the surface of the earth.
Hazardous Waste: The following chemicals are commonly used in the production of PE foam:
Polyethylene resin
Hydrocarbons
Hydrochloroflourocarbon
Color additives
7.5.3.3 Packaging Material Usage
Transportatlot? Issues: PE foam although light Weight requires significant space to transport and
should be bought from a local distributor or fabricator.
Reuseblllty: PE foam products when designed properly can be reused many times. The reuse of PE
foam should be encouraged.
Recyclablllty: PE foam if uncontaminated can be recycled although in reality several obstacles exist.
The chief obstacle to recycling is the collection process. PE foam, although produced in large
volumes, ends its life in small quantities over a large geographic area. The logistics of collecting and
getting the material to a manufacturer are very difficult and unrealistic. PE can be and often is recycled
from the convertor level. This is generally post- industrial trim and plant scrap and represents a
small percentage of US. 'PE foam production.
Inclneratlon: PE foam provides 21,407 Btulpound when burned in the modern incinerator. Refer to
Table 11 on page 63 for energy content of other materials.
CompostabIllty/8/odegradablIlt~: PE foam is biostable and will not decompose effectively. Any
attempt to enhance its degradability through starch or photodegrading agents should be avoided. This
would only discourage its reuse and recycling, as these additives cause problems in recycling, and
make a less durable material which would limit its reuse.
7.5.3.4 Recommendations: Companies purchasing PE foam can require several things from
their vendors. PE foam should contain some post consumer andlor post industrial PE content. This will
increase over time with a 25% amount being a practical goal. Equally important is the manufacturers
use of blowing agents While the question of HCFC vs. Hydrocarbons is open to debate, the question of
recapture is not. Hydrocarbon users should capture and reuse or at least burn their off-gasing product
after extrusion.
By using PE foam properly in designs (efficient use, reusable, etc.) and encouraging accountability
from manufacturers the packaging engineer can have a positive impact through conservation of
resources and reduction of air emissions.
62 Environmental Packaging Guidelines