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SUBSTITUTION
OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS
IN
THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Frode Soerensen
Summary
Substitution of hazardous chemicals is a method to a
fundamental and continued improvement of occupational health by
selection and development of alternative technical processes
using less hazardous chemicals or no chemicals at all. In a
substitution, the chemicals in the final situation must be
potentially less hazardous than in the initial situation, and
the difference should be as great as possible. It is especially
important to avoid chemicals with long-term effects of a
carcinogenic, reprotoxic, allergenic or neurotoxic (organic
brain damage) nature.
In
this review I present methods, results and both practical and political
experiences. Substitutions will be presented for organic solvents in metal
degreasing, bonding with adhesives, soldering and removal of
flux in electronics industry, lubrication, cutting fluids,
constructions paints and cleaning of offset printing machines,
and for other hazardous chemicals such as epoxy resins,
polyurethanes (isocyanates) and acrylates in coatings and
adhesives, quartz sand for blasting, cadmium, fluor and boron
compounds in soldering and brazing, and cyanides, nickel, and
chromates in electroplating.
The main problem is to get less hazardous technical
possibilities realized to a full extent in a foreseeable
future. The reason is that human rights for life and health in
working environment do not exist in reality. A model for
serious work to realize less hazardous possibilities is the
Montreal Protocol for substances that deplete the ozone-layer.
Less hazardous chemicals are not necessarily harmless, so the
traditional preventive measures may still have to be used, but
the substitution has reduced the level of hazards. Successful
substitution may, however, require technical and organizational
changes. Substitution of hazardous chemicals is one way to
cleaner technology. Substitution is the opposite of biological
monitoring where workers instead of hazardous chemicals are
replaced.
The purpose of this presentation is to
awaken the interest of working for substitution of hazardous
chemicals in workplaces because it is now impossible seriously
to do it in Denmark and EU. The combination of a general very
positive verbal attitude to occupational health, e. g.
substitution, and the lack of money for research and labour
protection, regulations, prohibitions, fines and punishments
for employers will secure a continued bad occupational health -
experienced in Denmark as a pioneer country to
avoid
improvement in working environment. |