Cfc reduction
Courtesy : bizfluent.com/
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) react with the ozone layer, causing a hole that exposes the surface of the earth to stronger UV radiation. Unfortunately, CFCs are also extremely useful for many purposes, and are used in refrigerants, aerosols and solvents. Since 1987, the Montreal Protocol has drastically reduced the amount of CFCs released into the atmosphere. You can also do your part as an individual or business owner through careful disposal methods and product choices.
Household Products
Most modern household products do not contain CFCs, but some may. Many aerosols, cleaning solvents and foam blowing agents (such as fire extinguishers) used to contain CFCs and occasionally still do. The United Nations Environment Programme releases a list of chemical products that contain substances that deplete the ozone layer, as well as alternative products that do not harm the ozone layer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also has a searchable database containing environmental information for products.
Safe Appliance Disposal
Refrigerators and freezers, especially those manufactured before 1995, often contain CFCs. Air-conditioning units and dehumidifiers may also contain hydrochlorofluorocarbons, which deplete the ozone layer. Safe disposal of old appliances prevents CFCs and HCFCs from being released into the environment. You may be able to a find free or inexpensive safe disposal service by contacting your local utility company. If the appliance still works, you may be able to find a bounty program that will pick up the appliance free of charge and safely redistribute it to somebody who can use it. A more expensive but still safe option involves hiring an EPA-certified technician to remove any dangerous refrigerants from the appliance and then paying for disposal through a local recycling program or garbage dump.
Industrial Efforts
CFCs are currently more common in industrial products than household products. If you own a business or work in the manufacturing industry, search the EPA and United Nations Environment Programme databases for safe CFC-free products. Employees can also recommend safe products to employers and make others aware of the negative effects of ozone-depleting substances. If you sell items manufactured elsewhere, choose items made without the use of CFCs whenever possible.
Policy Changes
Encourage legislation that reduces CFC emissions. The National Resources Defense Council also recommends writing to companies that you or your business patronize to encourage them to reduce use of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances. Let them know the reasons behind your concern, such as ozone depletion and increased skin cancer risk, and then explain that you are making an effort to purchase products without harmful chemicals. Purchasing power can greatly affect ingredients in products and chemicals used in manufacturing.
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The Effects of Air Pollution on Animals
By: Heather Burdo
Reviewed by: Michelle Seidel, B.Sc., LL.B., MBA
Updated October 25, 2018
Pollution in the air can wreak havoc on all forms of life, including animals. Air pollution negatively impacts the health of animals, just as it does humans.
How Does Pollution Affect Animals?
All animals, despite their size, can be affected by pollution. Animals depend on oxygen that comes from the air, and when the air is contaminated, harmful gases and particulates are inhaled. Experts agree that pollution affects animals in the same way as it does humans. The pollution that animals inhale can accumulate in their tissues over time, causing damage to their organs. Not only do animals inhale harmful gases from pollution, but contaminants are also absorbed through the skin and come from food and water.
Types of Air Pollution
Air pollution is a major global concern and it’s important to familiarize yourself with the various kinds of pollutants that affect the health of both animals and humans.
Acid Rain – When water droplets in clouds combine with acidic air pollutants, the water turns acidic. Once the droplets hit the ground, acid rain causes damage to the environment. Not only does acid rain harm animals and fish, but it also kills trees. Once the acid rain soaks into the ground, the soil becomes unfit for habitat and living creatures.
Thinning Ozone Layer – Air pollutants like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been known to destroy parts of the ozone layer. Located in the stratospheric layer of the atmosphere is the ozone layer. The stratosphere shields the planet from the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Ultraviolet radiation harms wildlife, damages plants and causes skin cancer in humans.
Global Warming – The planet is warming due to greenhouses gases, which include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapor. These gases are released into the atmosphere from air pollution.
Tropospheric Ozone – Ozone molecules show up near the surface of the Earth, leading to air pollution. When ozone molecules are near the ground, it causes damage to the lung tissues of animals.
How to Help Protect Animals
You can do your part to keep the pets in your home safe from air pollutants by keeping your home well-ventilated and provide some air purification with a humidifier. Unfortunately, this doesn’t protect wildlife, but it’s a step in the right direction to protect your beloved pet’s health. There is only so much to do on your part when it comes to saving wildlife against pollution. A few things to consider to help the earth and animals are to use less energy, reduce the number of materials and prepackaged items you use, reuse as much as possible, recycle always. Additionally, whenever possible try to use non-toxic biodegradable cleaners.
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OFFICE SUPPLIES
Chemicals Used in Paper Recycling Mills
By: Maryann Ullmann
Updated September 26, 2017
Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Sean McGrath
The paper recycling process, while using fewer chemicals and polluting less than virgin paper, still impacts the environment. Not all recycled paper is the same. Much recycled paper contains a mix of virgin and recycled pulp to strengthen deteriorating fibers. The higher the content of recycled pulp, the less chemicals needed for bleaching. Not all recycling plants use the same processes and chemicals, and some are more harmful to the environment than others.
Surfactants
Various types of surfactants are used in the de-inking process. Some are toxic while others are sugar or protein based. Scientists are also developing mechanical and enzyme-based processes for de-inking that are chemical-free.
Hydrogen Peroxide
This is a common, environmentally benign bleaching agent used as an alternative to chlorine.
Sodium Hydrosulfite
This is also commonly used to reduce the colors in recycled paper pulp. It produces the relatively benign byproduct sodium bisulfite.
Chlorine
Chlorine gas and hypochlorites are more commonly used to bleach virgin paper pulp, but can be used in recycled paper as well. Chlorine produces dioxin, a toxic, carcinogenic chemical that makes its way into the air and water.
Process Chlorine Free
PCF or “Process Chlorine Free” is the term used for recycled paper that does not use chlorine in its bleaching process.
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MARKETING
The Uses of Propylene Glycol in Daily Life
By: Carolyn Green
Updated September 26, 2017
George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Propylene glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid used in the manufacture of consumer and industrial products. Generally recognized as safe (GRAS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves its use as an indirect food additive. Propylene glycol is also used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and a wide range of other practical applications, according to the Dow website. Pharmaceutical-grade and industrial-grade are the two grades used.
Pharmaceutical Uses
Pharmaceutical-grade propylene glycol USP/EP is used as a non-active enabling agent, also known as an excipient. As an agent, it carries flavors in food and beverages, helps retain taste and moisture in pet and livestock feed, and acts as a carrier of active ingredients found in cough syrup and gel capsules. Propylene glycol keeps personal care products consistent, soft and moist. This includes deodorant sticks, sunscreen, shampoos, body lotions, face creams and lipstick. Additionally, it works as an excipient to stabilize foam in personal care and health care products.
Industrial Uses
Industrial-grade propylene glycol is used in industries as a heat-transfer medium that protects against pressure burst and corrosion, controls viscosity, and dissolves active agents. Industrial propylene glycol is also used in paints and coatings for wear and weather protection, as an aircraft de-icer, in liquid detergents, antifreeze, and as a solvent in printing ink. As a basic building block, it is used in its raw form to make formable plastics like unsaturated polyester resins. The resins are used in windmill blades, furniture, marine construction, gel coats, synthetic marble coatings, sheet molding compound and for heavy impact surfaces such as floors.
Medicinal Uses
For medicinal purposes, propylene glycol is used as a solvent in different formats: injectable, oral and topical. For injectable medications, 40 percent is made of propylene glycol. Adverse effects are not likely to occur with normal use; however, heavy use of injectable medication, or extensive topical uses on compromised skin, like burns, has resulted in excess levels of propylene glycol in the body which can cause toxicity, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website.
Special Uses
Aerolized forms of propylene glycol are used to create a dense “smoke” without flames. The aerolized products is used by the United States military as a smokescreen to hide the movements of troops on the battlefield. Additionally, the product is also used to simulate smoke in different types of fire-training procedures as well as theater productions, according to the CDC.
Additional Uses
The greatest amount of propylene glycol is found in the textile industry where it is used in polyester fiber production. For military dietary rations, propylene gycol is an FDA-approved additive, according to the CDC.
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BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Commercial Uses for Hydrogen
By: Carmichael Vincent
Updated September 26, 2017
Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Hydrogen is used in a variety of applications in different elemental states. As a liquid, it forms the base of a fuel in space applications. It is incorporated into fuel cell technology that we can see in modern hybrid vehicles; it is used in food and pharmaceutical technology during chemical processing. In electronics, metallurgy and glass production and manufacture, it is used to control the atmospheric environment. It functions as a cooling element for power generators and is used to refine crude oil and petroleum into usable products.
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Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Hydrogen fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into water through ionization. Electrons pass through an external circuit and are harnessed as electricity. Using hydrogen has advantages over combustion-based energy fuel extraction methods because its efficiency is more than doubled and the by-products created consist solely of water and heat. An example of hydrogen fuel cells can be seen in electric motor vehicles.
Food, Beverages and Pharmaceuticals
Hydrogen is used as a raw material in the chemical synthesis of ammonia, methonal hydrogen peroxide, plastics, solvents and fertilizers. It is also used in the refinement of petroleum, by removing organic sulfur from crude oil, converting heavier unsaturated compounds into a lighter, stable product. An example of this in food technology is the creation of margarine and similar foods, where unsaturated fatty acids are hydrogenated from oils to form a solid product.
Metals, Electronics, Glass and Ceramics
In metallurgy, to obtain the right environment for heat treating, welding, altering strength and hardness properties of stainless steel, magnetic steel alloys, brazing copper and sintering, hydrogen is mixed with inert gases to produce a reducing atmosphere. In electronics, hydrogen is used in a similar way, controlling the atmosphere, in the manufacture of semi-conducting layers in integrated circuits. In glass and ceramic manufacturing, hydrogen prevents the oxidation of large tin baths.
NASA
Liquid hydrogen gas has been employed by NASA to power a number of different vehicles, such as rockets and space shuttle vehicles. Future technology sees hydrogen heavily involved in the quest to develop transportation energy, electrical power through fuel cell technology and breathable air for life support.
Power Generation
Hydrogen is used extensively in power generation, as a cooling device for high speed turbines. In nuclear power generation, it functions as a method of preventing cracking and corrosion of the cooling system.
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MANAGEMENT
Problems in the Textile Industry
By: Heather Skyler
Reviewed by: Elisa Shoenberger, M.B.A.
Updated November 21, 2018
Because so many of our clothes have labels that say “Made in Bangladesh” or “Made in China,” we often picture the textile industry taking place elsewhere, not in our country. You might be surprised to learn that in 2017, the U.S. textile industry supplied 500,550 jobs and the country’s textile and apparel exports totaled $78 billion. While working conditions in the American textile industry are much better than they were 100 years ago, workers worldwide are still subject to a wide variety of health dangers because of their jobs.
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Exposure to Toxic Chemicals
Workers in the textile industry are exposed to dangerous chemicals. It’s part of the business if you work in the dyeing, printing or finishing sector of textiles. Employees work with solvents and fixatives, crease-resistance agents that release formaldehyde, flame retardants with toxic compounds, and antimicrobial agents. Exposure to formaldehyde has been linked to various types of cancer, including thyroid, nasal, stomach and esophageal cancers. The chemical can also cause eczema and dermatitis.
High Noise Levels
Exposure to high levels of noise is common in textile factories, particularly those in developing countries where the machines are older are not as well maintained. This has caused hearing loss in many textile workers, and can also cause sleep disorders, changes in blood pressure, anxiety and other ailments. A study of textile workers in Nagpur, India revealed that 76.6 percent of them were at risk for hearing loss caused by noise in their work environment.
Poor Working Conditions
Egregious garment factory conditions have been detailed in the news. In 2012, a fire in a Bangladesh garment factory that killed 112 workers tragically highlighted the terrible conditions of the industry. Eventually, the factory’s owners were charged with homicide for their culpability. The next year, an entire building collapsed, killing 1,100 workers in Bangladesh.
Smaller scale issues include cramped work environments with poor lighting and ventilation. Problems in garment factories run the gamut from uncomfortable to extremely unsafe.
Working Conditions Can Cause Bad Ergonomics
Many garment workers suffer from musculoskeletal disorders like carpal tunnel syndrome and are also often affected by ailments including forearm tendinitis, lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and osteoarthritis of the knees. All of these conditions are caused by repetitive movements and poor ergonomic conditions. These issues are more common in developing nations but can also occur in the U.S. garment industry.
Cotton Dust Can Cause Breathing Problems
Employees who work with cotton have a problem of their own: exposure to significant amounts of cotton dust along with particles of pesticides and soil. This exposure can lead to respiratory disorders and the fatal disease of byssinosis, commonly known as brown lung, which causes tightening of the chest, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.
Waste in the Industry
The textile industry is known for rampant waste of resources, especially water. Entire ecosystems have been polluted in the past, but modern companies are working toward a relatively cleaner way of doing business. The more progressive companies are reducing water consumption, changing the chemicals they use in dying processes and reusing water for two or more processes, all with a goal of reducing their impact on the local environment.
While the stereotype of poor environmental practices in the textile industry focus on overseas production, American workers are subject to a lot of the same health risks in their own factories. While some companies are working to improve conditions, dangers still exist for a large number of textile workers.
WRITER BIO
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Health Effects of Hazardous Waste
By: Chris Dinesen Rogers
Updated September 26, 2017
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Hazardous waste carries environmental risks and also health risks for humans and wildlife. Some pollutants such as mercury can accumulate in human and animal tissue, thus compounding their effects. Hazardous waste is primarily generated by industry and businesses. Although regulations exist, contamination still occurs. In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recorded 23 million cases of voluntary disclosure of pollution risks and opened 387 environmental criminal cases. As long as threats remain, health effects of hazardous waste will continue to occur.
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Cancer
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American farmers apply more than 300 million pounds of pesticides to farmlands each year. Of the 27 most commonly used pesticides, the EPA has classified 15 of them as carcinogens or cancer-causing agents. Cancer has also been linked to air pollution from industry as well as in the home. Radon, for example, is a radioactive by-product of uranium decay. Uranium is found within the Earth’s crust and is everywhere in the environment. Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer according to the National Cancer Institute.
Respiratory Conditions
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A direct link exists between air pollution and respiratory conditions such as asthma. Exposure to hazardous waste from emissions irritates the mucous membranes of your mouth and throat. A 2008 study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences found that individuals merely living near a hazardous waste site had an increased risk of developing respiratory disease
