VOC emissions from the production and the industrial use of paints, inks and adhesives in Flanders, Belgium: evaluation of the reduction potential and the implementation of the European Solvent Directive 1999/13/EG

摘要

The European Directive 1999/13/EG, better known as the 'VOC Solvents Directive', was transposed into legislation in Flanders (Belgium) in July 2001. By order of Aminal, the Flemish environmental administration, Vito (Flemish Institute for Technological Research) performed a study focusing on the effects of the Solvents Directive on the VOC-emissions and the economic impact on the production of paint, ink and glue and the industrial use of these products. The following industrial user sectors were part of this study: metal, wood, synthetic material, rubber, paper processing and paint shops. By means of detailed inquiries and company visits we calculated the VOC emissions to be 13,3 ktons in 2001 in Flanders. Of this, 6,3 ktons can be attributed to metal coating and especially to the construction and machine production subsector, 1,5 ktons to wood coating from which 80% originating from furniture manufacturing, 1,8 ktons to synthetic material, 0,8 kton to rubber processing, 0,5 kton to paint shops and a negligibly small amount to paper processing. Under the Solvents Directive we calculated that the VOC-emissions will decrease to 7,5 ktons in 2010 taking into account a maximum economic growth of 15% between 2001 and 2010. Furthermore, the feasibility and the economic effect of an implementation of primary reduction measures (switch to alternative environmentally friendly products such as high solids, water based, UV-cured, hot melts, etc.) and secondary reduction measures (end-of-pipe techniques like activated carbon filters and incinerators) was determined. A marginal cost curve was constructed in which the above mentioned reduction measures are included. A summation of the reductions with a marginal cost of less then 5000 EUD/ton could bring the remaining emissions at 6,6 kton in 2010. This emission reduction is sufficient to meet the conditions enforced by the solvent guideline and is a good step towards the national emission ceilings which have to be met by 2010.