Truitt Eco Footprint Fishing Rod

8/2/2019 Truitt Eco Footprint Fishing Rod

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Environmental Issues Ecological Footprint of a Fishing Rod 1

Environmental Issues: Ecological Footprint of a Fishing Rod

March 9, 2012

Ed Truitt

Tait Chirenje

Richard Stockton College of New Jersey


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Table of Contents

Abstract 4

Introduction 5

-Contention of paper 5-Brief history 5-Product Choice 5

Manufacturing 6-Manufacturing process 6-Impacts of the manufacturing process 6-7

Transportation 7-Types of transportation and their impacts 7-8

-Cargo ships 7-8

-Trucking 8-Trains 8

Electricity 8-Power source 8-Production of electricity 8-Coal use and impacts 8-9-Coal impact charts 9

RODS COMPONENTS 9

Graphite 9-Mining and manufacturing 9-12-Impact 11-Transportation 12

Steel 12-Mining 12-Manufacturing 13-Impacts 13-14-Transportation 14-15

Aluminum 15-Mining and manufacturing 15-16-Impact 16-Transportation 17

Paint 17-Manufacturing 17-Impacts 18


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Table of Contents (Cont.)

-Transportation 18

Cork 18-Harvesting and manufacturing 18-19-Impacts 19-20-Transportation 20

Distribution 20

Personal Impact and Experience 20-Insight and statistics 20-21-Personal transportation 21-22

Conclusion 22

Works Cited 23-24

Appendix 25-31-Appendix A 25-27-Appendix B 28-Appendix C 29-31


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Abstract

A fishing rod is used recreationally and commercially. It is much more complex than one would

think. The rod is composed of graphite, steel, aluminum, cork, and coated in paint; all of which

are mined and processed. These materials are mined both in the United States and around the

world causing multiple sources of pollution. The mining and manufacturing process results in

air, water, and soil pollution leaving an environmental footprint that lasts for years. Before and

after the manufacturing process transportation has a significant environmental impact. Shipping

is done by boat, train, and truck. Each one of these has its own bearing on the environment.

This paper will provide details of the environmental impacts of the making and use of a fishing

rod.


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Introduction

One of my main interests is fishing and the outdoors. Looking at my fishing tackle I

began to realize how complex a fishing rod is. It seems that to build a rod, material would have

to be shipped from all over the world. This transportation alone would create a major impact on

the environment not to mention the mining and milling of the rod components. In order to use a

rod the transportation issue comes up again. In todays society you have to drive just about

everywhere you go. I drive to work on a charter fishing boat. People drive to come and fish on

the boat. I drive when I go fishing recreationally. So not only does the manufacturing of the rod

create an impact but the use of it as well has a transportation aspect on the environment. In the

summer I spend about six out of seven days using a fishing rod. Throughout the rest of the year I

use one monthly if not weekly. At some point in everyones lives they have used some sort of

fishing rod, if not they know what one is. It is a way of life for some people while for others it is

a leisurely activity.

Fishing has been a past time for many cultures and life styles. It dates back to some of

the earliest times as a source of food and an income to many people. Today we know of it as a

recreational interest but it still is a major economic aspect of our country. Originally people

fished using wood or bone with lines made of hair. Over time fishing rods have evolved into the

carbon fiber rods that are around today. Today fishing rods vary in size, strength, stiffness,

material, and style. The manufacturing of fishing rods has created a multimillion dollar business

that has expanded globally both in manufacturing and usage. In the manufacturing process there

are multiple steps that include materials such as graphite, steel, aluminum, paint, and cork.

My favorite rod is manufactured by St. Croix. Their manufacturing plant is in Park Falls,

Wisconsin where they manufacture and assemble the rods. The raw materials come from all


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over the world but by the time they make it to this point they have already been processed at

various plants and are ready for construction.

Manufacturing

The process of making a fishing rod starts with laying out a sheet of graphite and cutting

the graphite into a triangular type template. These pieces of graphite are then wrapped around a

mandrel (steel rod) and sent through a rolling station where the graphite is heated to maintain its

shape. Next plastic wrap is added to keep everything intact and to allow the epoxy to cure.

When this is completed the plastic is peeled off and the mandrel is removed from inside the

graphite shaft. At the next station the blanks are sanded down to eliminate any imperfections

and to allow the paint to dry evenly all around. Once the paint is applied the edges are trimmed

so the tips, guides, and handle can be put on. A cork handle is added to the bottom of the rod

where a hole is drilled at one end of the cylinder cork and the shaft is inserted. Part of the handle

includes an aluminum reel seat where the reel can be secured. After the handle is assembled the

steel guides are lined up and held in place by nylon thread and epoxy. Finally at the finish

station the rods are inspected, packaged, and shipped to their destination (Fish With G Loomis,

2010). Throughout the rod manufacturing process it takes about thirty days from start to finish

(Wired2Fish, 2010).

During the manufacturing emissions are given off by machines and the people working

there. There are scrap materials which need to be thrown away. These materials go to a garbage

disposal where they need to be broken down. Also the workers commute and their cars produce

emissions. Anything that the workers do to produce waste adds to the impact.

This manufacturing process is a long and tedious process, but before any of this can be

done the materials need to be harvested, processed and shipped to the factory. Depending on the


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product it may have to be shipped to a refining plant then to a processing plant before it can be

assembled at the rod making factory. When I contacted St. Croix the only information they

provided was that the manufacturing plant was in Park Falls, Wisconsin. They also provided a

link to their website to look over some of their products and a video clip that was posted on you

tube. Other than that they didnt want to disclose any information, such as where they obtained

their materials used to construct their rods. This made it hard to trace the materials from where

they were extracted to arriving at the manufacturing plant. Some of the materials could be

shipped from the mine or extraction plant where they have to be shipped to a processing plant.

These processing plants can be in or out of the United States thus affecting the impact. At the

processing plant the materials are molded or prepared into the desired specifications before being

shipped to the manufacturing plant in Park Falls.

Transportation

A major environmental impact will be the transportation of importing raw materials as

well as the exportation of the finished product. Materials can be transported via ships, trucks, or

trains. Depending on the starting and end points, the impacts will vary. Through my research I

was able to find how ships are environmentally graded. This system is called the Environmental

Ship Index (ESI) where it uses a formula based on the amount of NOX, SOx, and Co2 emissions

given off by the ship. The score ranges from 0, which is when the ship meets the environmental

regulation, to 100 where the ship doesnt produce any air emissions. The best performing ships

are around 40 points. Refer to the Appendix A for further detail and equations (Mediterranean

Shipping Company, 2012). The other major mode of transportation is trucking. Tractor trailers

average 6.5 miles per gallon using diesel fuel. This rate is affected by the terrain, headwinds,

aerodynamics of the truck, and how old the engine is (D. Wilkinson, Dabco Trucking, personal


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contact, 2012). For every gallon of diesel fuel used 22.2 pounds of CO2 are produced (EPA,

2002). With this every mile traveled produces 3.4 pounds of CO2. In some instances when

things need to be shipped cross country to save fuel and energy containers are loaded onto trains.

The trains then stop at stations where trucks will transport the items from there. (D. Wilkinson,

Dabco Trucking, personal contact, 2012). Trains are another mode of transportation that relies

on coal and/or electricity. The EPA estimates that for every ton-mile, trucks produce three times

more nitrogen oxide and particulates than a train. On average a train can move a ton of freight

nearly 500 miles on a gallon of fuel. If 10% of the nations freight changed to rail, there would

be a fuel savings of 1 billion gallons annually (CSX Transportation Inc., 2010).

Electricity

Electricity is the energy used in the manufacturing plant for office workers as well as the

machinery. Electricity is generated by a thermal reactor. A thermal reactor burns coal to

generate electricity. Coal fuels over 40% of electricity worldwide with the US creating 49% of

its electricity from coal. Coal creates electricity first by being crushed into a powder, loaded into

a combustion chamber where it is burned at high temperatures. The hot gasses and heat energy

given off convert water into steam then the steam passes through to a turbine. As the steam

passes through the turbine it causes the turbines blades to spin which produces electricity.

Finally the electricity is transferred to the grid where it can be used by a variety of people (World

Coal Association, 2012).

The coal comes from coal mines where the coal is dug out of the ground. Some of the

environmental impacts of coal mining and other types of mining are soil erosion, dust, noise,

water pollution, and local biodiversity. Coal also can produce methane gas that is 23 times

worse than CO2. Water pollution can occur when there is water runoff from the plant or used


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water is not treated/ filtered before being discharged. Soil erosion is caused when the coal is

mined where occasionally the land starts to fall due to mining underground. Noise pollution is

due to the digging, drilling, trucks driving in and out of the site, and other operations of the

construction vehicles. This type of activity also leads to dust pollution where particles and other

matter leach into the air. Here is a picture to better understand the process of obtaining and using

coal. As you can see there is a plethora of pollutants affecting air, land, and water.

(Keating, 2001)

ROD COMPONENTS

Graphite

The largest component of a fishing rod is the graphite used to make the rod shaft. The

action of the rod determines the amount of graphite used. Graphite is mined in an open pit or

underground. There are three types of graphite; amorphous, crystalline flake, and vein or lump.

Amorphous graphite is the lowest quality which can be found in China, Europe, Mexico, and


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parts of the United States. Flake graphite is of better quality which can be processed to be

expandable for many uses. Australia, Canada, Germany, and Madagascar are the main areas

where flake graphite is located. Vein graphite is most valuable because it is the highest quality

and the rarest occurring where it is located in veins along intrusive contacts in solid lumps. This

type is commercially mined in Sri Lanka (Olson, 2009).

The United States doesnt produce any natural graphite. In 2009 the United States

imported approximately 33,100 metric tons. The total production of graphite in 2009 was 1.09

million metric tons where China, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, and Madagascar accounted for 97% of

the world production of graphite. China alone produced 73% at 800,000 metric tons (Olson,

2009). Amorphous graphite makes up about 60% to 70% of the worlds graphite and is usually

used for traditional purposes such as automotive steel making. Flake graphite makes up the other

30% to 40% of the worlds production and it is used for producing batteries and other consumer

electronics. As mentioned previously vein graphite is rare and the amount mined is minimal

compared to flake and amorphous graphite (Energizer Resources, 2012).

A majority of the graphite is mined from open pits with the use of construction

equipment. The graphite is then transferred to a processing plant using trucks. In places like

Mexico, the Republic of Korea, and Sri Lanka explosives are needed where the graphite deposits

are deep under the ground. After the explosion the ore is obtained by pick and shovel where it is

then transferred by a mine car and trucked to a refining plant (Olson, 2009). The environmental

impacts of mining graphite range from air, soil, and water pollution /contamination where fine

dust particles and other deposits leech out. Other effects are the thousands of acres that are

destroyed to create the open mines (New World Encyclopedia Graphite, 2008).


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The beneficiation process for graphite can range from an intense four step process to

simple sorting and screening depending on the location of the mine and the type of graphite. In

the four stage process the ore is filtered through a wash plant to remove clay and other particles

before going through a process of rough flotation that produces a 60% to 70% carbon product.

Then this product is sent to a refining mill for grinding and another flotation process occurs that

creates an 85% carbon product. After that it is screened. It can produce a variety of products

marked as flake graphite that contain 75% to 90% carbon (Olson, 2009). Graphite carbon fiber

and carbon nanotubes are also used in carbon fiber reinforced plastics and other composites such

as reinforced carbon-carbon. Some of the carbon fiber graphite composites include fishing rods,

golf clubs, and bike frames. The properties of carbon fiber graphite composites are strongly

influenced by graphite in these products (New World Book Encyclopedia, Graphite, 2008).

Graphite is a key material for ultra lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastics (Energizer

Resources, 2012).

The environmental impacts of graphite consist of air, water, and soil pollution. Air

pollution is caused by construction vehicle operations on the site where dust and exhaust is

constantly being kicked up and leaching into the air. Water pollution is caused by water runoff

or unfiltered water being discharged back into the water supply. Soil pollution is caused by

erosion and in cases like Sri Lanka, where mining is underground; there is a chance the land can

cave in. An additional impact is the health of the workers. While mining graphite, the miners

may inhale the dust particles which may cause breathing difficulties and diseases. During the

process of turning the graphite into graphite carbon fiber the fibers can cause irritation and with

some chemicals causing skin reactions (Cengage Carbon Fiber, 2002).


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At the processing plant the graphite is crushed into a powder where it is mixed with

plastic and reacted with a catalyst. This mixture is spun into fibers by being heated and pumped

through a chamber by small jets where the solvents evaporate leaving just the fiber. The fiber is

then washed and stretched to the desired diameter where it is then chemically altered by heating

the fibers at high temperatures. The fibers lose their non-carbon atoms and are then oxidized.

Finally a protective coating is added, the fibers are wound onto bobbins, and loaded into a

spinning machine where various sizes are made. Other gasses given off include ammonia,

carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide which are harmful to the environment if they arent

captured and controlled. These gases can also be a threat to the workers at the plant. Other

health risks are dust inhalation and skin irritations or reactions (Cengage Carbon Fiber, 2002).

With a majority of the graphite developed in China, the United States most likely imports

their graphite from China. The graphite is shipped by trucks from the processing plant to a cargo

port to be loaded into a container to be shipped to the United States. As previously stated, the

impacts depend on the mode of transportation and distance traveled. For these and other

transportation impacts please refer to Appendix B and above transportation section.

Steel

Another material that goes into a fishing rod is steel, which is used for many guides.

Steel production is common in the United States with 1,118 steel manufacturing facilities,

producing $9.3 billion dollars, and employing 241,000 people. In 2005 China was the top

producer of steel producing about 350 million metric tons with Japan the next closest producing

approximately 110 million metric tons. The United States was a close third producing about 85

million metric tons (New World Encyclopedia Steel, 2008).


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In the production of steel from iron ore there are three steps that include creating a heat

source used to melt the iron ore, melting the iron ore, and finally processing the molten iron into

steel. It starts with coke-making where coke is a solid carbon fuel used to melt and reduce iron

ore. Crushed bituminous coal is fed into a coke oven which is sealed and heated at high

temperatures for fourteen to thirty six hours. When the coke is finished it is cooled with water

where the coke is moved to an iron melting furnace or stored for future use. During the iron

making the coke is heated causing combustion, providing heat and carbon sources for iron

production. Impurities float to the top where they are removed and the final product is produced.

The final step in the process to make steel is the use of a basic oxide furnace to refine iron into

steel. Pure oxygen is blown into the furnace that combusts carbon and the silicon in the molten

iron. The final impurities are removed and alloy materials can be added to enhance the steel.

The steel is then cast into slabs or beams and further shaping can be done at steel factories that

re-melt the steel and pour them into molds or desired shapes (Jerry, 1989).

Steel is manufactured predominantly two different ways where each method requires an

input of scrap steel. The primary method uses 13.8% scrap with emissions of 1.987 tons of

CO2/tone of steel. The other method uses 105% scrap steel producing emissions of .357 tons

CO2/ton of steel (Tata Steel, 2002). To get a better understanding of the carbon foot print of

steel refer to the Appendix C.

The manufacturing of steel causes air, water, and soil pollution. In manufacturing steel,

coke-making produces gasses such as naphthalene, ammonium compounds, crude oil, sulfur, and

coke dust resulting in air pollution. There is emission control equipment but sometimes gasses

escape. Some of the heat can be captured and reused in other processes. Water pollution occurs

when the water used to cool the coke after it is finished baking. If it is not filtered before being


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discharge, then it will contaminate the water supply. Coke breezes and other solids are usually

removed from the water by filtration and the water is sometimes used in other manufacturing

processes. Also pulverized coal can be substituted for coke at a 1:1 ratio and it can replace 25%

to 40% of coke used to reduce the harmful coke emissions (Jerry, 1989).

Other gases that are given off include sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen oxide,

and ozone. Depending on the steel being manufactured there will be dust of sludge build up

containing iron, iron oxides, flux, zinc, chromium, nickel oxide, and potentially other harmful

components. Sometimes cadmium is in the waste where it then is handled as hazardous waste.

Slag and dust are major waste components of the steel making process. In 1996 500kg of EAF

dust were produced for each ton of crude steel production and in landfills for every ton of crude

steel dust accounted for 50 kg (Jerry, 1989).

As a positive environmental impact steel is currently the most recycled material in the

world and there are estimates that 42.3% of the new metal produced each year is recycled where

all of the steel produced today can be recycled (New World Encyclopedia Steel, 2008).

As previously mentioned, when I contacted St. Croix they would not disclose any

information about where they obtained their materials. I personally know that when I have tried

to repair guides on my rod, the packaging for one set of guides said made in America while

another said made in China. This means that sometimes the guides are manufactured in the U.S.

and out of the U.S. After these materials are mined in the U.S. the raw material could possibly

be sent overseas to China where it is made into rod guides. Then they would be sent back again

to the U. S. and shipped to Park Falls, Wisconsin to become part of the rod. It seems like a lot of

money is being spent to create a part worth a few dollars. Financially it must be worth it but the


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environment is paying the real price. For transportation impacts refer to Appendix B and the

transportation section.

Aluminum

The reel seat of a fishing rod, which attaches the reel to the rod, is made of aluminum.

Aluminum is a metallic element and the third most plentiful element on the earths surface,

making up 8% of the planets soil and rocks (Cengage Aluminum, 2002). In 1995 the United

States alone produced 3.6 million metric tons of aluminum. Aluminum compounds are found in

all types of clay but the most useful for producing pure aluminum is bauxite which can be mined

in open pits. Bauxite is made up of 45% to 60% aluminum oxide where the rest consists of

various impurities. It takes about 4 pounds of bauxite to produce 1 pound of aluminum metal

(Aluminum, 2011).

There are two processes in manufacturing aluminum that include the Bayer process

which is refining the bauxite ore to obtain aluminum oxide and the Hall-Heroult process of

smelting the aluminum oxide to produce pure aluminum (Aluminum, 2011). The Bayer process

starts by crushing the bauxite ore mechanically, mixing it with sodium hydroxide, and processing

it to produce slurry. Next the slurry is pumped into a tank where the mixture is processed at a

temperature of 230-520 degrees Fahrenheit and under a pressure of 50 lb/in2. Then the hot

sodium aluminate solution passes through a series of flash tanks to reduce the pressure and

recover the heat to use in the refining process. After that the slurry is pumped into a settling tank

where the impurities will settle out, it is pumped through a series of cloth filters to recover the

alumina. Almost complete the liquid is pumped through a six story tall precipitation tank for

washing, sent to a kiln for calcining where the crystals are heated at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit to


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remove any water molecules, and finally sent through a cooler to move onto the Hall-Herput

process (Cengage Aluminum, 2002).

In this process smelting of alumina into metallic aluminum takes place in a steel vat

called a reduction pot where the bottom is lined with carbon that conducts electric current. Here

the aluminum crystals are dissolved in molten cryolite at temperatures between 1,760 and 1,780

degrees Fahrenheit. At this point it creates an electrolyte solution that conducts electricity

through the solution. This reaction breaks the bonds between the aluminum and the oxygen

where the oxygen bonds with the carbon to produce carbon dioxide and the aluminum settles at

the bottom of the pot. At this point the aluminum is 99.8% pure where a crucible collects 9,000

pounds to then pour into a long horizontal mold. In the mold the aluminum cools and is then cut

to the desired lengths. These pots run continuously for twenty four hours and seven days a week

where alumina is always being added and the molten aluminum is siphoned from the bottom

(Cengage Aluminum, 2002).

In this long continuous process of heating, melting, and breaking down components the

environmental impacts affect the land. In the United States alone, aluminum plants produce

about 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and 3,000 tons of perfluorocarbons each year.

There is about 110,000 metric tons of spent poltining (SPL) material removed from reduction

pots each year which has been designated as a hazardous material by the Environmental

Protection Agency because it has created such a significant disposal problem. In 1996 a series of

recycling plants opened to turn the SPL into glass frit and now SPL are in products such as

ceramic tile, glass fibers, and asphalt shingle granules. The largest waste product produced by

this process is ore refuse or red mud that contains iron, titanium, soda, and alumina but for

now there arent any ways to recover these products (Cengage Aluminum, 2002).


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Again it seems likely that the same scenario of shipping it across seas and back is very

possible. These shipping impacts have been stated multiple times in the paper and you can refer

to Appendix B for more details.

Paint

The designs and logos on the rod are usually painted on or at some point in the middle of

the rod making process the shaft is dipped into paint. Paints have been around for a long time

and have served many purposes such as protective coatings, adhesives, epoxies, and for

appearances. Paint is mainly composed of pigments, solvents, resins, and sometimes various

additives. Some of the raw materials include petroleum mineral spirits and aromatic solvents

such as benzol, alcohols, esters, ketones, and acetone. There are also natural resins that include

linseed, coconut, and soybean oil. Synthetic resins may include alkyds, acrylics, epoxies, and

polyurethanes. Sometimes additives can be added as fillers or to add desired characteristics.

During the manufacturing process for commercially used paints, plants obtain bags of grain

pigments where the resin is premixed along with the solvents and additives desired. Different

colors require different materials. For example the color white is produced by using titanium

dioxide, black by using carbon black, iron oxide cadmium sulfide for reds, metallic salts for

yellows and oranges, and iron blues and chrome yellows for blues and greens. The paint

mixtures are then sent to a sand mill which is a large cylinder that grinds the pigment particles

making them smaller and dispersing them throughout the mixture. Then the paste is thinned by

transferring the mixture to large kettles where solvents are added. Finally when the desired

amount of solvent is added the finished product is transferred to the caning room where the paint

is canned, labeled, and prepared for shipping (Cengage Paint, 2002).


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Due to all the ingredients and make up of paint, there is a vast environmental impact.

There have been studies where stains, paints, and varnishes are responsible for 1.8% of the 2.3

million metric tons of volatile organic compounds (VOC) released per year. These compounds

create air, water, and soil pollution which then affect other organisms down the line. VOCs are

some of the worst pollutants and can cause health problems such as irritations, headaches,

nausea, and nerve damage. Some paints contain metals, chromium, and other additives that

effect the environment. To try and reduce these numbers regulations have been put in place

where each liter of paint cant contain any more than 250 grams of solvent. The Environmental

Protection Agency performs regular inspections and large plants are required to have their own

wastewater treatment facility (Cengage Paint, 2002).

Once the paint is canned or put in containers it still has to make it to the rod making

factory. Through most of my research online I have found that the majority of paint

manufacturing plants are in China and India but there are also some throughout the United

States. This means that the paint may potentially have to be shipped to the United States via

cargo ship. As mentioned previously St. Croix didnt disclose information about where their

materials came from. The shipping impact again has a lot to do with the where the products are

made and transported to. For more detail on the shipping aspect refer to Appendix B.

Cork

Other than the graphite used to make the shaft of the rod, the handle is the most important

part of the rod. As an angler you want the most comfortable feel while you are fighting a fish.

The handle is made of a long cylindrical piece of cork, where a hole is drilled at one end so the

shaft can be glued in place. Cork is harvested form cork oak trees Quercussube or the deciduous

tree Quersusoccidentalis. These trees are mainly located in the western Mediterranean region


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and the Iberian Peninsula where Portugals cork forest is the most productive, producing half of

the worlds cork with 30% of the worlds cork trees (Cengage Cork, 2002). Other places

include Southern Europe, Spain, and northern parts of Africa (Viridis, n.d.). A normal cork tree

can reach 40 to 60 feet tall and have a 6 to 10 inch circumference. Cork is composed of dead

cells that accumulate on the outer surface of the cork tree. A tree can be harvested at about

twenty years old but the first harvest wont produce high quality cork. Harvesting occurs in nine

year intervals when the cork layer reaches a thickness of 1-3 inches. Young trees a can produce

about 35 pounds and older trees can produce about 500 pounds with the productive life being

about 150 years (Cengage Cork, 2002). Traditionally cork trees have a life expectancy of

about 250 years and by being harvested every nine years one tree can be harvested more than

fifteen times in its existence (Viridis, n.d.).

To manufacture cork, workers use a specially designed hatchet to slice through the cork

layer of the tree not damaging the tree itself. A series of horizontal and vertical cuts are made to

create strips and panels of cork. These planks are then stacked outside to cure for a time ranging

from a couple weeks to six months where the sun, air, and rain cause changes that improve the

quality of the cork. Next the planks are heated to remove unwanted components and stacked in a

dark cellar where they are cured at a controlled humidity for a few weeks. Finally the planks are

trimmed to a rectangular shape, sorted by quality, and ready to be shipped (Cengage Cork,

2002).

In the overall manufacturing of cork there are minimal environmental effects with

shipping having the most negative effect of all. With cork being shipped from the Mediterranean

to manufacturing and processing plants all over the world, it is considered a low embodied

energy level. When transported to the United States cork is shipped by a cargo ship which uses


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less energy than trucking. Once at the port the cork is then trucked to its destination. The natural

cork process does not give off any volatile organic compounds but sealers and polyurethanes can

be used which do give off VOCs. According to the Rainforest Alliance the process of stripping

trees doesnt harm the trees and with careful forest management practices it helps control growth

and creates open land for grazing animals. Another environmental impact is the pollutants given

off through the burning process but this burning is the same as the burning of wood which if

done properly there should be little environmental impact (Viridis, n.d.).

Since Cork is produced in the Mediterranean it will be shipped to the United States via

cargo ship. Depending on its destination it will be loaded onto a truck or train to be delivered.

The destination and transportation type has a lot to do the impact. For more information on this

you can refer to Appendix B and the transportation section.

Distribution

Once the raw materials are processed to the desired specifications and transported to the

manufacturing plant, the rod can be constructed. After the rods are manufactured they are

transported by trucks, trains, and cargo ships to various distributers around the world. In the case

of my particular rod, I bought it at Fishermans Headquarters in Ship Bottom, NJ. For the rod to

make it there it would have had to been shipped 1,229 miles according to Google maps. If it was

shipped via truck this would create 4,197.51 pounds of CO2 using 189 gallons of diesel fuel at

6.5 miles per gallon. If you havent picked up on this underlining theme you can see through the

various sections of this paper that America runs on trucks.

Personal Impact and Experience

For my recreational fishing I like to surf fish from the beach for striped bass and bluefish

where I practice catch and release. In the state of New Jersey there were 1,307,505 striped bass


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and 3,099,851bluefish caught in 2011 (Personal communication from the National Marine

Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division March 6, 2012). Every once in a while I may

keep a striped bass. Over the course of the year I may keep two or three. In 2011, According to

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 1,458,562 anglers were

registered for coastal fishing in the state of New Jersey (Personal communication from the

National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division March 6, 2012). Taking the

number of anglers and dividing it by the total number of bluefish caught, each angler averages

2.13 bluefish per year. The average striped bass per angler is .896. Not every angler targets the

same species or keeps what they catch. Therefore my ecological impact is slightly higher

compared to other anglers. Through my experience I have met people who fish almost every

day. The number of rods these people have are exponentially higher than the people who fish on

vacation or once a year. Most of the time these people on vacation are renting or borrowing a

rod, which is a great use of resources.

New Jersey angler participation broken down by wave (months) and New Jersey bluefish and

striped bass catch for 2011.

Estimate Status Year Wave Coastal PSE Non-Coastal PSE Out-of-State PSE Total PSE

PRELIMINARY 2011 MARCH/APRIL 175,075 18.9 3,049 76.8 55,715 32.9 233,838 16.2

PRELIMINARY 2011 MAY/JUNE 380,555 13.2 14,646 31.6 136,368 16.9 531,568 10.4

PRELIMINARY 2011 JULY/AUGUST 450,188 9.1 18,029 31.9 165,641 13.2 633,858 7.4

PRELIMINARY 2011 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 270,017 13.6 7,881 41.8 135,347 18.8 413,245 10.9

PRELIMINARY 2011 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 182,727 18.0 863 100.3 93,930 22.2 277,519 14.0

As previously stated when I go fishing I like to surf fish where I practice catch and

release fishing. My average drive is about 20 miles where I like to fish a particular beach. I

Estimate Status Year Common Name Total Catch (A+B1+B2) PSE

PRELIMINARY 2011 BLUEFISH 3,099,851 16

Estimate Status Year Common Name Total Catch (A+B1+B2) PSE

PRELIMINARY 2011 STRIPED BASS 1,307,505 14.1


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drive a 1996 GMC Sierra that gets 15 miles per gallon. For a round trip I will travel about 40

miles using about 2.66 gallons of gas. Gasoline powered engines produce 19.29 pounds of CO2

per gallon of gasoline (Electric Forum, n.d.). During this trip I produce 51.44 pounds of CO2.

When I go to work I have a sixty mile round trip commute. In this instance I would

produce 76.96 pounds of CO2. The boat that I work on has two Caterpillar C32 Accert engines

that run on diesel fuel. On an average day we go off shore fifteen miles using 150 gallons of

diesel fuel between the two engines. As mentioned before a diesel engine emits 22.2 lbs of CO2

per gallon of diesel fuel (EPA, 2002). By using 150 gallons of diesel fuel a day, this produces

3,387 pounds of CO2 per day. This doesnt just go towards the impact of one fishing rod. On an

average day we carry fifty people. To get a more accurate calculation you could divide the

pounds of CO2 produced by the number of rods being used that trip.

Conclusion

In conclusion I have found that the environmental impact of a fishing rod is extremely

significant due to shipping and manufacturing. This is why consumers should think twice when

purchasing just about anything. St. Croix rods have a lifetime guarantee. The quality built into

them minimizes the ecological footprint thus reducing the need to purchase replacement rods.

Personally I have had the same rods for at least twenty years. Most of them have been passed

down to me. In doing this paper I have learned that the overall process in making anything in

todays world is a huge intricate web of resources and businesses coming together at the

environments expense. The more any product can be reused instead of recycled or manufactured

is a plus for the environment.


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Works Cited

Aluminum. (2011). Retrieved 26 Feb. 2012 from http://www.madehow.com/Volume-

5/Aluminum.html

Cengage, G.& Stacey, E. (2002).Aluminum. Enotes. Retrieved 1 Mar. 2012 fromhttp://www.enotes.com/aluminum-reference

Cengage, G., & Stacey, E. (2002).Carbon fiber. Enotes. Retrieved 1 Mar. 2012 from

http://www.enotes.com/carbon-fiber-reference

Cengage, G., & Stacey, E. (2002).Cork. Enotes. Retrieved 1 Mar. 2012 from

http://www.enotes.com/cork-reference

Cengage, G. & Stacey, E. (2002).Paint.Enotes. Retrieved 1 Mar. 2012 from

http://www.enotes.com/paint-reference

CSX Transportation Inc. (2010).Environmental leadership. Retrieved 6 Mar. 2012 from

http://www.csx.com/index.cfm/responsibility/environmentalleadership/?WT.term=enviro

nmentrailroad&ef_id=StyQXdBbricAAHR4fw0AAAHA:20120309012830:s&WT.medi

um=cpc&WT.campaign=Green&WT.content=tPvup2JB&WT.srch=1&cshift_ck=0663c5

11-74a6-49c1-810f-4c967412b582cstPvup2JB

Electric Forum.(n.d.).How much co2 does your car emit?. Retrieved 26 Feb. 2012 from

http://www.electricforum.com/cars/cost-per-mile-fuel-efficiency-emissions/393-how-

much-co2-does-your-car-emit.html

Energizer Recourses. (2012).About graphite. Retrieved 26 Feb. 2012 from

http://www.energizerresources.com/graphite.html

EPA. (2002.) State of Freight Transportation in the US. Retrieved February 17,2012 from http://www.epa.gov/smartway/documents/international/event-2008/buddy-

polovick-exploratory-stage.pdfFishing with G. Loomis.(Producer).(2010). G.loomis factory tour.mpg. You Tube Retrieved 28

Feb. 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfL2xSW6NoQ

Jerry, B. (1989, July). The steel making industry. Retrieved 26 Feb. 2012 from

http://www.istc.illinois.edu/info/library_docs/manuals/primmetals/chapter2.htm

Keating, Martha. (2001, June). Clean air task force. Retrieved from

http://www.catf.us/resources/publications/files/Cradle_to_Grave.pdf

Mediterranean Shipping Company. (2012, January).MSC sustainability ambition 2020. Retrieved

from http://www.mscgva.ch/_library/msc_sustainability_ambitions_2020_en.pdf


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National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division (2012, March 6). [Personal

Communication]

New World Encyclopedia.(2008). New World Encyclopedia.Graphite. Retrieved 26 Feb. 2012

from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/GraphiteNew World Encyclopedia.(2008). New World Encyclopedia.Steel. Retrieved 26 Feb. 2012 from

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Steel

Olson, Donald W. "Graphite." U.S. Geological Survey.U.S. Department of the Interior U.S.

Geological Survey, 2009.Web. 26 Feb. 2012.

http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/graphite/myb1-2009-graph.pdf.Tata Steel. (2002). The carbon footprint of steel. Retrieved 26 Feb. 2012 from

http://www.tatasteelconstruction.com/en/sustainability/carbon_and_steelViridis.(n.d.).Cork: Effects on people, wildlife, and the environment. Retrieved 1 Mar. 2012 from

http://myweb.wit.edu/viridis/green_site/projects/1_materials/other_natural/2_effects/effec

ts.html

Wilkinson, D., Dabco Trucking (2012, March 06). Interview by Ed Truitt [Personal

Communication].

Wired2Fish.(Producer). (2010, May 05). St. Croix rods on factory made. You Tube Retrieved28

Feb. 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_tLCIw3Mvg

World Coal Association.(2012). Coal and electricity. Retrieved 6 March, 2012 from

http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses-of-coal/coal-electricity

World Port Climate Initiative.(2012).Environmental ship index. Retrieved 6 March, 2012 from

http://esi.wpci.nl/Public/Home/ESIFormulas


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AppendixAppendix A

Environmental Shipping Index (ESI) Formulas

The overall ESI formula is built up of different parts for NOx, SOx and CO2; additionally a bonus is awarded for the

presence of an OPS *. The ESI Score ranges from 0 for a ship that meets the environmental performance regulations

in force to 100 for a ship that emits no SOx and no NOx and reports or monitors its energy efficiency; in other words a

ship with a score of 0 points is actually in full conformity with the applicable requirements and thus OK and the ship

with 100 points has zero air emissions. Actually the best performing ships now score at around 40 points.

By comparing the actual performance of a ship with set baselines, the ESI score can be calculated. The baselines are

based on the IMO regulations in force, except for MDO/Gasoil where an additional baseline set by the ESI Working

Group is used.

The weighing factor of ESI NOx in the overall index is twice that of ESI SOx. This reflects the fact that the average

environmental damage from NOx in ship air emissions is approximately twice the damage from SOx. The emission

characteristics of MDO/Gasoil result in their preferred use in ports and their approaches with mandatory requirements

in place in certain ports and areas. This larger impact on improving conditions in ports and their approaches is the

reason that these fuels carry more weight in the formula for determining the ESI SOx .

The formula for the ESI Score is:

2 x ESI NOx + ESI SOx + ESI CO2 +

OPS

3.1

where:

ESI NOx represents the sub-points for NOx and ranges from 0 to 100 sub-points

ESI SOx represents the sub-points for SOx and ranges from 0 to 100 sub-points

ESI CO2 is the bonus for the presence of a SEEMP and is fixed at 10 sub-points

OPS is the bonus for the presence of an OPS* on board irrespective of its use and is fixed at 35 sub-

points


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A maximum of 345 sub-points may theoretically be reached ; since this would result in an ESI score exceeding 100,

the ESI score is limited to 100 points.

ESI NOx

ESI NOx is calculated with the NOx emissions levels based on the rated power per engine.

The data appearing in the EIAPP certificate(s) of the engine(s) on board a ship are used for that purpose. It should be

noted that where IMO approved abatement technologies of primary or secondary nature are applied, their effects

have been included in the respective EIAPP certificate(s) issued.

The baseline for defining the ESI NOx score is Tier I and this approach will be maintained for the next few years.

Ships that do not have an EIAPP certificate cannot obtain points for ESI NOx, unless such ships have been issued

with an approved statement to the effect that engines meet Tier I requirements. Alternatively, the value zero can be

entered.

All Main and Auxiliary Engines must be included.

ESI NOx is defined as:

ESI NOx =100

X(NOx limit value - NOx rating) x Rated Power

of all Engines

Rated Power of all Engines NOx limit value

ESI SOx

The ESI SOx reflects the reduction in sulphur content of the fuels below the limit values set by IMO and that

determined by the ESI working group. IMO limit values determine the baselines for fuels that would normally be used

at the High Seas and in (S)ECAs and these will be tightened in accordance with IMO regulations. In addition there is

a second baseline for MDO/Gasoil set by the ESI Working Group at 0.5 % sulphur which will be maintained for the

next few years. However basically, two types of fuel are distinguished:

Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO);

Marine Diesel Oil / Gasoil (MDO/Gasoil).


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The cleaner emission characteristics of MDO/Gasoil result in their preferred use in ports and their approaches with

mandatory requirements in place in certain ports and areas. This larger impact on improving conditions in ports and

their approaches is the reason that these fuels carry more weight in the formula for determining the ESI SOx.

To establish the ESI SOx for a next period of validity of the system is set up as follows: once a ship has been entered

into the database, the first ESI SOx will be established at the first day of the next quarter of the year and will have a

validity of half a year. Consequently the system establishes the scores on every 1st January, 1st April, 1st July and

1st October for newly entered ships, while for each ship that is already included in the database, the calculation is

only performed twice a year. Alternatively for ESI SOx the equivalent values for an IMO approved exhaust gas

cleaning system may be used for calculation purposes.

For all bunker operations, Bunker Delivery Notes (BDN) shall be issued. At the date of submission of data for ESI,

those BDN which have been issued during the two preceding quarters shall be recorded. The data of each BDN such

as type of fuel oil, mass and percentage (m/m) of sulphur must be accurately entered into the database.

ESI SOx is defined as:

ESI SOx = x x 30 + y x 35 + z x 35

where:

x = the relative reduction of the average sulphur content of HFO.

y = the relative reduction of the average sulphur content of MDO/Gasoil used. z = the relative reduction of the average sulphur content of MDO/Gasoil where part of the

MDO/Gasoil has a sulphur content


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Appendix B

United States Freight Transportation

www.epa.gov/smartway/documents/international/event-2008/buddy-polovick-exploratory-

stage.pdf

EPA. (2002.) State of Freight Transportation in the US. Retrieved February 17,2012 from http://www.epa.gov/smartway/documents/international/event-2008/buddy-

polovick-exploratory-stage.pdf

I wasnt able to convert the pdf file to a word document. It will be sent along with this paper asan attachment.


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Appendix CThe carbon footprint of steel

To accurately establish the environmental impact of steel manufacture, the World SteelAssociation (worldsteel) uses the system expansion method of life-cycle assessment.

This is the most comprehensive assessment method currently available and is the preferredapproach of the ISO 14040 series of environmental standards. The values in Table 1 have beenderived from an extensive dataset collected by worldsteel using the system expansion method.

Plate Sections Tubes

Hot Dip

Galvanised

(generally)

Purlins and

Side Rails

C02

(t/t)0.919 0.76 0.857 1.35 1.10

Energy

(GJ /t)17.37 13.12 15.42 21.63 19.38

Table 1: Carbon and energy impacts of steel construction products in the UK*

It is standard practice to express carbon and energy impacts on a per tonne basis, which can givethe false impression that steel has higher impacts than other construction materials. However,

steel has a high strength-to-weight ratio, which means that the weight of steel required, for agiven application, is often much less than for the alternatives.

There are other values in circulation from a variety of sources. Some are higher and some arelower than those quoted in Table 1. They are often derived from limited cradle to gate analysisthat consider the first manufacture and use of a product, but ignore the impacts or benefitsassociated with the treatment of a product at the end of its life. Highly recycled materials, such asmetals, are penalised by a simplified cradle to gate analysis, whereas materials that arepredominantly disposed of as waste at the end of their first life, such as timber, can beadvantaged. This is clearly contrary to environmental good practice. The system expansionmethod considers the full product life-cycle from cradle to grave.

Calculation of the Carbon Dioxide emissions associated with steel production

The system expansion method credits manufacturing processes for co-products that saveenergy and emissions, such as process gases being used to generate electricity. Credit is alsogiven for the net CO2 that is saved when a product is reused or recycled.


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Steel is manufactured predominantly using two methods. Both methods of production require asignificant input of scrap steel. The primary route uses 13.8% scrap, with emissions of 1.987tonnes of CO2/tonne of steel. The secondary route uses 105% scrap steel, with emissions of0.357 tonnes CO2/tonne. From these basic figures it is possible to calculate the tonnage of CO2that is saved for each tonne of scrap steel that is recycled.

CO2 saved = (1.987-0.357)/(1.05-0.138) = 1.787 t CO2 / t.

We can now calculate the CO2 emissions associated with the production of a tonne of steel,independently of the production route. Using two scenarios demonstrates that the CO2 emissionsfor steel are the same irrespective of the proportions of primary and secondary sourced steelassumed.

Scenario A assume the market sources 50% of its steel from primary production and50% from secondary production.

Scenario B assume the market sources 100% of its steel from secondary production.

In both scenarios, the same end-of-life recycling rate is used. In this case 99%, which is the valuethat has been demonstrated by research for steel sections in the UK.

Scenario A Scenario B

Average amount of scrap in the steel is (105+13.8)/2 = 59.4% 105%

Average CO2 /t1.987x0.5 +0.357x0.5 =

1.172 t/ t0.357 t/t

Net scrap produced through product life-cycle 99%-59.4% = 39.6%

99%-105% =

-6%(some is lost)

CO2 emissions /t1.172- (0.396x1.787)

=0.464 t/t

0.357 -(-0.06x1.787)

=0.464 t/t

Table 2: Scenarios for proportions of primary and secondary sourced steel

The results in Table 2 demonstrate that the impact of steel manufacture is identical regardless ofthe level of recycled content. These results relate specifically to the production of steel slab for

further processing into steel sections. This will vary for different products depending on therecycling rate for the particular product in question (see Table 3).

When the impacts of rolling and formation of the final product are added to those for slabmanufacture, the total CO2 emissions for various steel products are shown in Table 1. The steelindustry is committed to environmental and energy improvement so these values will reduce asprocess improvements are implemented.


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SectionsPurlins and

Side RailsCladding

Composite

Floor Decking

Recycled(%) 86 89 79 79

Reused(%) 13 10 15 6

Table 3: End-of-Life recycling and re-use rates for steel products

Summary

The carbon footprint of steel is derived by the system expansion method The system expansion method is the preferred approach of ISO14040 Part of steels clearest environmental benefit occurs at end of life with virtually

guaranteed recycling or reuse. Other materials need careful end of life management torealise limited benefit.

Most carbon footprint calculations use cradle to gate data which does not take account ofthe full life cycle

The values in Table 1 are derived by system expansion from an extensive dataset Carbon and energy impacts are traditionally expressed on a per tonne basis Because of its high strength-to-weight ratio, the weight of steel required, for a given

application, is generally much less than the weight of alternative materials Steel is a highly recycled (multicycled) material via an established infrastructure in a self

sustaining loop not dependent on artificial precautions or dedicated effort Specifying by recycled content works for materials generally sent to landfill, but it does

not increase recycling rates for steel. However, it may introduce unnecessary transportcosts and emissions

Documents

Truitt Eco Footprint Fishing Rod