Chlor-alkali producers evaluate safer alternatives to asbestos
Until recently, 75% of all US capacity for producing chlor-alkali - more than 40% of the world's capacity - has used asbestos diaphragm-cell technology. Although the Environmental Protection Agency continues to exempt asbestos use in diaphragms from restrictions, producers are considering alternatives. In Germany, stringent regulations will ban asbestos in chlor-alkali production after 1994. Heavy fines were levied recently against some chlor-alkali producers in the United States when EPA inspectors found asbestos fibers in cell renewal areas. Restrictions on the mining of asbestos raise the cost of obtaining adequate amounts of high-quality asbestos and gradually raise the cost of transporting and discarding spent diaphragms. Two alternatives are to use newly developed, non-asbestos diaphragms or to convert to existing ion-exchange membrane-cell technology. Only the former seems economical in the United States. The non-asbestos diaphragm is based on an inorganic polymer composite developed in 1988 as an asbestos substitute. The composite received Du Pont's Plunkett Award for Innovation with Teflon[trademark], landed on the National Development Association's 1991 Honor Roll and became a 1991 R D 100 Award winner. 6 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 6479875
- Journal Information:
- Chemical Processing (Chicago); (United States), Vol. 56:3; ISSN 0009-2630
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
POLICY AND ECONOMY
ASBESTOS
REGULATIONS
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
COST
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
ION EXCHANGE
PRODUCTION
TEFLON
US EPA
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EUROPE
FLUORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRY
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLY
POLYETHYLENES
POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
US ORGANIZATIONS
WESTERN EUROPE
290201* - Energy Planning & Policy- Economics- (1992-)
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety