Environmental Materials & ProductsSo Why Should I Care ?
Using Recycled or Environmental Products Is Not Important Right ?After all, No One is Really Asking For Them , They Costs More and Dont Look as Good As New Stuff
What We Waste28 Billion Pounds Of Glass goes to Landfill39 Million Newspapers go to landfill Each Day- 500,000 trees We use 2 million plastic bottles an hourWe recycle about 10% of our wasteEurope recycles about 65%
Well, Lets SeeSpecified Any Poison Lately ?Victor Yushchenko
DefinitionsBio Accumulative The chemical accumulates in the tissuesMutagens the chemical causes mutation of the Cell StructureCarcenogen The Chemical Causes CancerTeratogen The Chemical is Passed from mother to Child in Vitro, or Breast milk.Sulfonamides- Inhibits the Action of a Plant Enzyme, stopping plant growth. ( Found in Some Textile Dyes)
FormaldehydeIrritation of eyes , Nose and Throat
HHS has determined that formaldehyde may reasonably be considered a human carcenogen
Where is Formaldehyde Used ?Glues and Adhesives
Binder for Fiberglass & Mineral Fiber
Binder for Particleboard and Plywood
Substitutes for FormaldehydeMDI Methylene Biphenyl Isocyanate Once Cured VERY Stable
Lignum Natural Binder Present in Fiber
PTP Plant Based Polymer Triglycerides
LeadLead Does NOT break down in the environment.Lead is a TeratogenLead can damage the Nervous System, Kidneys, Reproductive SystemHHS has determined that may be reasonably anticipated as a carcinogin.
Where Do We Find Lead ?Production of PVC
MercuryMercury is a TeratogenMercury is a Bio AccumulativeMay Damage Brain or Kidneys
In Children: Mental retardation, blindness, seizures, Inability to Speak
Where Do We Find MercuryFluorescent Light Bulbs
In Certain Fabric Dyes
BenzeneBreathing causes drowsiness, dizziness, unconsciousness
Long term exposure can cause anemia, leukemia.
Benzene is a known carcinogen
Where Do We Find Benzene ?Glues
Paints
Furniture Wax
CadmiumDamages the LungsCan Cause Kidney DiseaseIrritation of Digestive Track
It Does Not Break Down in the EnvironmentIt is a Bio Accumulative
Where Do We Find Cadmium ?Pigments
Fabric Dyes
Metal Coatings
Plastics
PVC Production
TrichloroethyleneDrinking or Breathing may cause Nervous System Effects.
Liver and Lung Damage
Abnormal Heart Beat , Coma
Where do We Find Trichloroethylene
Solvent for Grease Removal From Metal Parts
Adhesives
StyreneBreathing Styrene is most likely to effect the Nervous system.DepressionLack of ConcentrationPossible Eye, Nose Throat IrritationHHS has determined that Styrene is possibly carcenogenic.
Where Do We Find Styrene ?Rubber
Plastic
Insulation
Fiberglass
Chromium VINasal DamageUlcersKidney & Liver Damage
A Known Carcenogen
Where Do We Find Chromium VIChrome Plating
Fabric Dyes and Pigments
Leather Tanning
Wood Preservatives
PVC Polyvinyl ChlorideImmune System DamageHormone DisruptionContamination Occurs During Production, Use and DisposalBio AccumulativeProduces Dioxin when burned.Dioxins are Bio Accumulative, Mutagenic and Carcenogenic.
Where Do We Find PVC ?Wall CoverCarpet BackingPanel System Base Panel CoversPanel System ConnectorsEdge Banding on Work SurfacesWindow Treatments
Maybe This is Important After All ?Research CDChttp://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html
Now, What about Recycling ?
Did You See The Tires ?Did You See The People ?
Post Consumer Waste
Where Most Of The Industry Hangs Their Environmental Hats
Recycled Steel
Recycled Aluminum
Recycled Content in Particle Board
Recycled Content ClaimsFTC Guidelines Govern Manufacturers claims for Recycled Content.
A Manufacturer must demonstrate that by their use of the material, the material is diverted from the waste stream.
Steel FactsEveryone's Steel is from Recycled Steel you cant buy it any other way !!A Lot of our Steel is ImportedSteel Does NOT go to the Landfill for Lack of Market - Only Laziness or inability to separate66% of Steel is Recycled Content on Average.Can be 99% from Arc- Furnace
Aluminum FactsEveryone's Aluminum is from Recycled Aluminum. Aluminum is made from Primary and Recycled AluminumRecycled Aluminum Costs LESS than Primary AluminumAluminum Does NOT go to the Landfill because of lack of market.
Particle BoardAll particleboard is, and has been made with Post Industrial Waste.
When a Product is NORMALLY made with Waste Material, From the Manufacturing Process, You Cannot Include those Materials In Your Recycled Calculations- According to FTC Guidelines
How Do YOU Define Sustainabilitiy ?
A Product May Have 100% Recycled Content But High Levels of Toxicity
A Product May Have NO Recycled Content But No Toxicity
What About Greenguard tm?
What Greenguard tm DoesMeasures VOC for Indoor Air Quality
Emphasis on:FormaldehydeBenzyeneStyrene
What Greenguard tm Does Not DoAnalyze Recycled ContentAnalyze ToxicityAnalyze Bio-Based ContentMeasure any effects of degradation in Landfills
Forest Stewardship CouncilFounded in 1993, FSC's mission is to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests. FSC forest management standards are based on FSC's 10 Principles and Criteria of responsible forest management. http://www.fscus.org/
Forest Stewardship CouncilGuiding Principles ( Partial Listing)Forest ManagementEnvironmental ImpactWorkers RightsRights of Indigenous PeoplesMonitoring and Assessment
http://www.fscus.org/standards_criteria/
McDonough - BraungartDesign Philosophy
Cradle to Cradle Design
Waste = FoodDesign Materials and Products That Are SafeCollect & Recover the Value of These Materials
The Focus of Cradle 2 CradleEmphasis on Human and Ecological Health Impact on a a Products IngredientsAbility of the Product to be Truly Recycled or CompostedThe Quality of Energy UsedWater Quality and QuantitySocial Responsibility of the Manufacturer
SPIN - Dead GiveawaysMy Product is RecyclableMy Product is LEED CertifiedMy Product is Green because we use Recycled PackagingMy Product is Green because we Recycle our WasteMy Product is Green because we are Energy Efficient
How GREEN Is It ?
In a LEED Certified FactoryWhere Literature is printed On Recycled Paper... Where Employees collect Aluminum Cans, Waste Paper and Pop Bottles.You make a product that is Green Guard Certified ( low VOC emissions).
How GREEN is The Product if It Contains..
Teratogins, and Bio-accumulatives: formaldehyde, mercury, PVC,cadmium and there are substitutes ?
Negligible legitimate Recycled Content
No Legitimate Sustainable Attributes
Green ????There are Green FactoriesThere are Green ProcessesThere are Green Products
They are Related, but one does not Guarantee the Other !
We Drink the Same WaterWe Breathe the Same Air
We Do Not Inherit The Earth.We Borrow it From Our Children Native American Saying
For further Information onWorkshops, Seminars, Product and Material Consulting...Eugene M. LisaVerde Interior [email protected] 407-673-7474