Ecological Assessment of Polymers – Strategies for Product Stewardship and Regulatory Programs

Ecological Assessment of Polymers Strategies for Product Stewardship and Regulatory Programs John D. Hamilton and Roger Sutcliffe The expense of providing ecological assessments of new commercial products is formidable. The cost of the failure to comply with the current regulations--measured in fines, liability damages, and loss of public trust--is potentially much, much higher. Establishing effective environmental product stewardship strategies for assessment upfront not only promotes initial and continued compliance, it can reduce costs via the more efficient development of new products. Based on the collaboration of the Rohm and Haas Company and S.C. Johnson Wax with other manufacturers, contract laboratories, universities, and government agencies, Ecological Assessment of Polymers is the first complete reference to provide environment-oriented information about polymers from a product development and regulatory compliance perspective. A number of books deal with the potential hazards of pesticides and solvents. This is the first to focus on the commercial synthetic polymers that exist in laundry detergents, paints, super-absorbent diapers, packaging materials, and many other consumer and industrial products. Using the principles of environmental toxicology and chemistry, Ecological Assessment of Polymers approaches environmental evaluation as a decision-making process. The book demonstrates how assessment can be used as a planning tool for developing products, reducing potential liability, and creating new products, processes, and disposal systems. Featured discussions:

* Overviews of methods, instrumentation, and databases used by environmental scientists to assess processes/products involving polymers

* Environmental regulatory assessment schemes for preventing dangerous environmental exposure during manufacture, use, transport, storage, and disposal

* Interpretations of ecotoxicity and fate tests with polymers

* New directions of research in degradable polymers

* Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) of polymers

* Polymer regulations from the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Pacific Region

Authoritative, accessible, and comprehensive, Ecological Assessment of Polymers fills a void in the working libraries of technical managers, product development personnel, environmental chemists and engineers, regulatory staff, environmental toxicologists, and students.