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Nonylphenol and its Ethoxylates in Products

Performance Report: Pollution Prevention Planning for Nonylphenol and its Ethoxylates in Products

Pollution Prevention (P2) Planning is a process by which organizations examine current operations, develop and implement a plan to eliminate or reduce pollution at the source.

Update to July 2012

Performance Report: Pollution Prevention Planning for Nonylphenol and its Ethoxylates in Products (PDF; 86 KB)

As of July 2012, facilities subject to the P2 Planning Notice have reported an overall 96% reduction in nonylphenol (NP) and its ethoxylates (NPEs) used in manufacturing of products and overall 94% reduction in NP and NPEs imported in products following implementation of their P2 Plans.

Under this notice, 95% of the facilities involved in manufacturing products containing NP and NPEs and 91% of the facilities involved in the import of products containing NP and NPEs have met the first phase reduction target of 50%. In addition, eighty-four percent of the facilities involved in product manufacturing and 76% of the facilities involved in product import have met the second phase reduction target of 95%.

Background

Nonylphenol and its ethoxylates are part of a broader group of compounds known as alkylphenol and its ethoxylates (APEs). These high volume chemicals have been used for more than 40 years in a variety of soap and cleaning products such as detergents. Based on 1998 and 1999 averages, soap and cleaning products accounted for 56% of the NP and NPEs released into the environment and textile processing aids accounted for 18%.

NP and NPEs were found to be harmful to a wide variety of fish, bacteria, freshwater mussels and algae. Assessment of these substances concluded that they were entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that have or may have an immediate or long-term effect on the environment or its biological diversity. As a result, in 2002, NP and NPEs were added to the List of Toxic Substances (Schedule 1) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999).

A P2 Planning Notice was chosen to manage NP and NPEs because it provides flexibility for site-specific solutions, it minimizes potential incompatibilities with existing or future provincial or municipal regulations, and it allows for early action.

Pollution Prevention Planning Notice requirements

On December 4, 2004, Environment Canada published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, the Notice Requiring the Preparation and Implementation of Pollution Prevention Plans in Respect of Nonylphenol and its Ethoxylates Contained in Products (referred to as the Notice in this report).

Persons subject to this Notice include any person or class of persons who (a) owns or operates a facility that manufactures or imports soap and cleaning products, or processing aids used in the wet textile industry or pulp and paper processing aids; and (b) purchases or otherwise acquires 2,000 kilograms or more of NP and NPEs in at least one calendar year between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2012. Persons subject to the Notice must prepare and implement a P2 Plan that takes into consideration the risk management objectives described in the Notice, including Phase 1 and Phase 2 reduction targets. Persons are required to consider reducing the total quantity of NP and NPEs used to manufacture products and imported in products from the base year by 50% and 95% in Phase 1 and Phase 2, respectively. Unless a person became subject to the Notice after the date of publication, timelines for each phase were the 2007 and 2010 calendar years, respectively.

Persons subject to the Notice are required to submit the following reports:

  • A declaration that a P2 plan has been prepared and is being implemented (Schedule 1).
  • Annual Interim Progress Reports (3) to highlight the progress that has been made (Schedule 4)
  • A declaration that a P2 plan was implemented (Schedule 5).

Since the publication of the Notice, Environment Canada has received 67 Declarations of Implementation. Much of the following information is derived from these submissions, which are made available to the public on Environment Canada's website (see References). Two facilities have become subject to the Notice after the date of publication, and they are expected to submit their Schedules 5 on January 31, 2013 and January 31, 2014, respectively.

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Overall reductions

As Figure 1 illustrates, manufacturing and imports of NP and NPEs containing products increased slightly from the base year (1998) to the preparation year (2003), with use in manufacturing increasing from 2.09 million kg to 2.16 million kg of NP and NPEs and imports increasing from 0.85 million kg to 1.19 million kg of NP and NPEs. However, after facilities prepared and began implementing their P2 Plans, both manufacturing and importation of products containing NP and NPEs decreased significantly. After facilities implemented their P2 plan, annual use of NP and NPEs in product manufacturing decreased to 90,000 kg and imports decreased to 50,000 kg. This represents an overall reduction of 96% in NP and NPEs used to manufacture products and an overall reduction of 94% in NP and NPEs imported in products.

Bar graph. See description below.

Figure 1 – Description

This bar graph shows the quantities of NP and NPEs in products manufactured in Canada and quantities of NP and NPEs in products imported into Canada. The graph also shows the percent reduction of NP and NPEs in products manufactured and products imported in the reporting years and the preparation year of the pollution prevention (P2) plan relative to the base year.

  • In the base year (1998), 2.09 million kg of NP and NPEs were used to manufacture products and 0.85 million kg of NP and NPEs were imported in products.
  • In the preparation year (2003), manufacturing and imports of NP and NPEs containing products increased slightly from the base year, with use in manufacturing increasing from 2.09 million kg to 2.16 million kg of NP and NPEs and imports increasing from 0.85 million kg to 1.19 million kg of NP and NPEs. However, after facilities prepared and began implementing their P2 Plans, both manufacturing and importation of products containing NP and NPEs decreased significantly.
    • In 2006, 800,000 kg of NP and NPEs were reported used to manufacture products and 230,000 kg were reported imported in products indicating 63% and 81% reduction in manufacturing and import, respectively, relative to the base year.
    • In 2007, 590,000 kg of NP and NPEs were reported used to manufacture products and 380,000 kg were reported imported in products indicating 72% and 55% reduction in manufacturing and import, respectively, relative to the base years.
    • In 2009, 208,000 kg of NP and NPEs were reported used to manufacture products and 144,000 kg were reported imported in products indicating 90% and 88% reduction in manufacturing and import, respectively, relative to the base year.
    • In 2011, after facilities implemented their P2 plan, annual use of NP and NPEs in product manufacturing decreased to 90,000 kg, and annual import of NP and NPEs in products decreased to 50,000 kg indicated 96% and 94% reduction, respectively.  

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Pollution prevention methods used to achieve the risk management objective   

P2 Planning is a means of protecting our environment, eliminating costly waste, and promoting sustainable development. Environment Canada has provided a list of pollution prevention methods to be considered when creating a Pollution Prevention Plan.  Facilities were asked to identify these methods in their reporting. Eighty-seven percent of the facilities identified either product design or reformulation (57%) or material or feedstock substitution (30%) as the method used to achieve their objectives (Figure 2).

Pie graph. See description below.

Figure 2 – Description

P2 Planning is a means of protecting our environment, eliminating costly waste, and promoting sustainable development. Environment Canada has provided a list of pollution prevention methods to be considered when creating a P2 plan. In their reporting, facilities were asked to identify which P2 method they chose to meet the risk management objective of the P2 Planning Notice for NP and NPEs contained in products. Figure 2 is a pie graph that shows the percent of facilities that chose each pollution prevention method. Eighty-seven percentof the facilities identified either product design or reformulation (57%) or material or feedstock substitution (30%) as the method used to achieve their objectives (Figure 2). The remaining facilities chose inventory management or purchasing techniques (6%), spill and leak prevention (3%), good operating practices or training (3%) and on-site reuse, recycling or recovery (1%) as the methods used to achieve their objectives.

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Conclusion

The P2 Planning Notice for NP and NPEs contained in products has successfully reduced NP and NPEs in the products specified in the Notice. To date there has been 96% reduction in NP and NPEs used in manufacturing products and a 94% reduction in NP and NPEs imported in products. 

References:

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