File No: NA/586February 1998

NATIONALINDUSTRIALCHEMICALSNOTIFICATIONANDASSESSMENTSCHEME

FULLPUBLICREPORT

PolymerinEmulsionE-3467

ThisAssessmenthasbeencompiledinaccordancewiththeprovisions oftheIndustrialChemicals(NotificationandAssessment)Act1989(theAct),andRegulations.ThislegislationisanActoftheCommonwealthofAustralia.TheNationalIndustrialChemicalsNotificationandAssessmentScheme(NICNAS)isadministeredbyWorksafeAustraliawhichalsoconductstheoccupationalhealthsafetyassessment.TheassessmentofenvironmentalhazardisconductedbytheDepartmentoftheEnvironmentandtheassessmentofpublichealthisconductedbytheDepartmentofHealthandFamily Services.

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Director

ChemicalsNotificationandAssessment

NA/586

FULLPUBLICREPORT

PolymerinEmulsionE-3467

1.APPLICANT

RohmandHaasAustraliaLtdof969BurkeRoadCAMBERWELLVIC3124hassubmittedalimitednotificationstatementinsupportoftheirapplicationforanassessmentcertificateforPolymerinEmulsionE-3467.

2.IDENTITYOFTHECHEMICAL

PolymerinEmulsionE-3467isconsiderednottobehazardousbasedonthenatureofthechemicalandthedataprovided. Thereforethechemicalname,CASnumber,molecularandstructuralformulae,molecularweight,spectraldataanddetailsofthepolymercompositionhavebeenexemptedfrompublicationintheFullPublicReportandtheSummaryReport.

Trade Name:PolymerinEmulsionE-3467(productscontaining39%ofnotifiedpolymer)

MethodofDetection

andDetermination:GelPermeationChromatography(GPC)and

infrared(IR)spectrawereprovidedbythenotifier

3.PHYSICALANDCHEMICALPROPERTIES

Unlessstatedotherwise,thecharacteristicsgivenbelowrefertotheproduct,PolymerinEmulsionE-3467containingthenotifiedpolymer.

Appearanceat 20°C

and101.3kPa:milkywhiteliquidwithaacrylicodour

BoilingPoint:100°C

SpecificGravity:1.0to1.2

VapourPressure:2.27 kPaat 21C(seecommentsbelow)

WaterSolubility:notdetermined(seecommentsbelow)

PartitionCo-efficient

(n-octanol/water):notdetermined(seecommentsbelow)

HydrolysisasaFunctionofpH:

notdetermined(seecommentsbelow)

Adsorption/Desorption:notdetermined(seecommentsbelow)DissociationConstant: notdetermined(seecommentsbelow)FlashPoint: notapplicable

FlammabilityLimits:notdetermined(seecommentsbelow)AutoignitionTemperature: notdetermined(seecommentsbelow)ExplosiveProperties: non-explosive

Reactivity/Stability:notifiedpolymerisconsideredtobestable,but

contactwithstrongoxidantsshouldbeavoided

CommentsonPhysico-ChemicalProperties

Thepolymerisahighmolecularweight,surfaceactive,acrylicwithlessthan1%lowmolecularweightspecies. Themoleculeshavenosignificantnetchargeonthem. Mostofthestructureishydrophobicwithverylittlehydrophilicfunctionalities.Duetothesecharacteristicssolubilityofthepolymercanbeexpectedtobeverylow.

ThepolymercontainshydrolysablegroupsbuthydrolysisundertheenvironmentalpHrange(4-9)isnotexpectedduetothelowsolubility.

Thepartitioncoefficienthasnotbeendeterminedduetothelowsolubilityandsurfaceactivenatureofthepolymer. Consideringthelowsolubility,itspartitioncoefficient canbeexpectedtobe high.

Duetotheexpectedhighpartitioncoefficient,thepolymerwouldbindstronglytosoilparticlesandbeimmobile.

Measurementofthedissociationconstantswouldnotbepossibleduetoitslowsolubility. NotifierestimatesthepKavaluesoftheacid/basegroupstobeapproximately4.9and11.0respectively. TheemulsionhasapHrange8.8to9.5.

5.USE,VOLUMEANDFORMULATION

Thenotifiedpolymerisintendedtobeusedasawaterbased,onepack,self-crosslinkingagentforclearwoodfloorfinishes. Ithasbeenspeciallydesignedforsportsurfacesbuthaspotentialforuseingeneraltimberfinishes. ItwillnotbemanufacturedinAustraliabutwillbeimportedinPolymerinEmulsionE-3467ataconcentrationof39%. Import volumesinthefirstfouryearswillbebetween12and40tonnes,risingto50tonnesperannumforyearsfourtofiverespectively.

Theemulsioncontainingthepolymerisexpectedtobeusedbyflooringcontractors,timberflooringmerchantsandpossiblytimberandflooringfinishers.

6.OCCUPATIONALEXPOSURE

Thenotifiedpolymerwillbeimportedasaproductemulsionandtransportedfromthedocksbyroadtothenotifier’swarehousewhereitwillbestoredforuptothreemonths. Thenotifiedpolymerwillbecontainedinsealed215kgsteeldrums.

Fourtoseventransportandstorageworkerswillbehandlingthecontainersforapproximately3hoursperday,6to12daysperyear,butareunlikelytobeexposedtothenotifiedpolymerduringnormalworkingconditions.

Duringformulationoftheend-useproduct,threetofourmaterialhandlers,operatorsandmaintenanceworkers,willbeexposedtothenotifiedpolymerforapproximately3hoursperday,20daysperyear. Initiallythesteeldrumscontainingthenotifiedpolymerwillbeconnectedtoblendingtanksbytubingandpumpedmanually. Othercomponentsareaddedandthenmechanicallymixed.Theblendingtanksareopenbutfullyguarded.Thereforethereisthepotentialforworkerstobeexposedtothenotifiedpolymerduringtransferofthenotifiedpolymerwhenfittinganddisconnectinglines. Ifexposureoccurreditwouldmostlikelybeviathedermalroute.

Qualitycontrolworkerswillsampletheblendedend-useproductsandthereisthepotentialtobeexposedtothenotifiedpolymerduringthisprocess. Theseworkersareexpectedtobeinvolvedintheprocessforapproximatelyonehourperday,20daysperyear. Onceagainthedermalrouteisthemostlikelyforexposure.

Blendedproductwhichcontains20%ofthenotifiedpolymerismechanicallydrummedoffinto20Lpailsbeforetransporttocustomers. Thereisthepotentialforoccupationalexposureduringthetransferprocessorwhendisconnectinglines.

Maintenanceofpumpsandtankswillbecarriedoutforintermittent,shortperiodsoftime. Duringthisphasethereisthepotentialfordermalexposuretothenotifiedchemical.

Atcustomersitesthereformulatedproductwillmostlikelybehandledbyflooringcontractorsandtimberandfurniturefinishingworkers,forapproximately8hoursperday,250daysperyear. Onceagain,dermalcontactislikelytobethemain

routeofexposure,andanycontactwiththeend-useproductislikelytobeprolonged.

7.PUBLICEXPOSURE

Thepublicwillbeexposed(viadermalcontact)tothenotifiedpolymereitherbyuseof theproductorbycontactwithflooringtowhichtheproduct,containing the notifiedpolymer,hasbeenapplied. Insuchinstancesthepolymer,whichhasaNAMWof

8600,willbeimmobilisedinthehardenedemulsionandshouldnotcrossbiologicalmembranes. Thereforethenotifiedpolymershouldposenegligiblehazardtothepublic.

Minorpublicexposuremayresultfromdisposalofunusedemulsion,oraccidentalspillageoftheemulsionduringtransportandstorage. However,adequatemeasuresaredescribedbythenotifierintheMaterialSafetyDataSheet(MSDS) tominimisetheriskofpublicexposureduringdisposal,orintheeventofaccidentalspillage.

8.ENVIRONMENTALEXPOSURERelease

Itisestimatedthatatthesinglecustomersiteformulatingtheproduct,upto2%(toamaximumof1tonneperyear)wouldbelostasresiduesindrums,pipelinesandwashingdownfluids,spillsandleaks. However,thenotifierstatesthatenvironmentalproceduresareinplaceattheformulationsitetotrapsuchwastedisposalbyanapprovedwastecontractorsuchthatminimalamountofthechemicalwillbereleasedtothesewer.

Duringtheuseoftheformulatedpaintproduct,wastewouldresultfromemptycontainers,residuesonbrushersandrollers,rinsingfromwashingcontainersandequipment,andspillandleaks. Theisestimatedtoamountto5%oftheimportvolume(toamaximumof2.5tonnesperyear).

AlthoughtheinstructionstoendusersintheMSDSaretocoagulatethewastepolymerusingferricchlorideandlimeandprevententryofthepolymerintothesewer,itisunlikelythattheuserswillbeabletoadheretothisstrictly. As suchsomeproportionofthepolymerfromthewastesgeneratedduringpaintapplicationislikelytoenterthesewer,throughwashingofbrushers,rollers,containers,equipment,etc.

Fate

Thepolymerinthepaintappliedtowoodenstructureswillremainencapsulatedinadurablematrixforlongperiods.

Uptoonetonneofthepolymerlostasawasteattheformulationsitewilllargelybetrappedusinginertmaterialand/orbythetreatmentplantonsite. Thesolidmaterialwillbedisposedofbyapprovedmethods,mostlikelyincinerationorlandfilling. UptofivetonnesofwastegeneratedduringapplicationofthepaintisexpectedtobetrappedusinginertmaterialorcoagulatedusingferricchlorideandlimeasperMSDSinstructions. Againthesolidmatterwithtrappedpolymermaydisposedeithertolandfillorincinerated.

Smallamountofthepolymerenteringthesewerwillbindstronglytothesedimentandsludgewhichinturnwillbelandfilledorincinerated.

Inlandfillthepolymerwillremainassociatedwiththesoilandundergoslowdegradation. Incinerationwilldestroythepolymerconvertingittowatervapourandoxidesofcarbon,nitrogenandsilicon.

9.EVALUATIONOFTOXICOLOGICALDATA

Notoxicologicaldatawereprovided,whichisacceptableforpolymersofNAMWgreaterthan1000.

10.ASSESSMENTOFENVIRONMENTALEFFECTS

Noecotoxicologydatawasprovided,whichisacceptableforpolymersofNAMWgreater than1 000accordingtotheAct.

11.ASSESSMENTOFENVIRONMENTALHAZARD

Upto3.5tonnesofthepolymercanbelostperannumaswastegeneratedduringformulationandapplicationtowoodensurfaces. Althoughapartofthismayberecycled,therestmayfinditswaytolandfillsitesorbeincinerated. Asanacrylic,thepolymerisexpectedtopresentalowhazardtotheenvironmentwhendisposedoftothelandfillbecauseofitslackofmobilityandtheinabilitytocrossbiologicalmembranes. Incinerationwilldestroythepolymer. PolymerswithNAMWgreaterthan 1 000 but with surface activityhavethe potentialto show aquatictoxicitythroughreactionwithbiologicalmembranes,butnotwhentheyarehighly

insoluble(2).

Theuseofthenotifiedpolymerinwoodpaintwillresultinitsencapsulationinadurableandcrosslinkedacrylicresinoflowhazard.

Theenvironmentalhazardfromthenotifiedpolymercanthereforeberatedaslow.

12.ASSESSMENTOFPUBLICANDOCCUPATIONALHEALTHANDSAFETYEFFECTS

Thenotifiedpolymerhasahighmolecularweightgreaterthan1000andwillexistasacrosslinkednetwork. Therefore,transmissionacrossbiologicalmembranesisunlikelyifexposureoccurs. Thepolymerhasalowpercentageoflowmolecularweight species (MW1 000, <1.1%; MW 500,< 1.0%). Although some ofthemonomersmayhavethepotentialforskinandeyeirritationaswellassensitisationeffectstheyarepresentatverylowconcentrations(<0.1)andthereforethenotifiedpolymerisconsideredunlikelytobeofsignificanttoxicological concern.

Undernormalworkingconditionstransport,storageandhandlingworkersareunlikelytobeexposedtothenotifiedchemicalandtheoccupationalriskfortheseworkersisconsiderednegligible.

Duringreformulation,qualitycontrol,drumfillingandmaintenanceprocedures,dermalexposuremayoccur. However,giventhelowhazardsassociatedwiththenotifiedpolymerandshortprocessingperiodsforeachcategoryofworkerthenotifiedpolymerisconsideredtobeoflowrisktoworkersperformingthesetasks.

Forflooringcontractors,timberandfurnisherfinishingworkersusingtheend-useproductasaself-crosslinkingagent,exposuretothenotifiedchemicalalsopresentslowoccupationalrisk.

Thepublicwillbeexposedtothepolymerbyuseoftheemulsionproduct,orbycontactwiththeflooringtowhichtheemulsionhasbeenapplied. Thenotifiedpolymer,willbeimmobilisedinthehardenedemulsion,andwillnotcrossbiologicalmembranes,andassuchwouldposeanegligiblepublichealthrisk.Thepotentialforminorpublicexposureexistsduringtransport,anddisposaloftheemulsionifaccidentallyspilt. IfrecommendedpracticesonMSDSarefollowedthiswillminimisethepotentialforpublicexposure.

13.RECOMMENDATIONS

TominimiseoccupationalexposuretoPolymerinEmulsionE-3467thefollowingguidelinesandprecautionsshouldbeobserved:

  • Spillageofthenotifiedchemicalshouldbeavoided,spillagesshouldbecleaneduppromptlywithabsorbentsandputintocontainersfordisposal;
  • Goodpersonalhygieneshouldbepractisedtominimisethepotentialforingestion;and
  • AcopyoftheMSDSshouldbeeasilyaccessibletoemployees.

14.MATERIALSAFETYDATASHEET

TheMSDSfortheproductcontainingthenotifiedchemicalwasprovidedinaccordancewiththeNationalCode of Practice for thePreparationof MaterialSafetyData Sheets(3)

ThisMSDSwasprovidedbytheapplicantaspartofthenotificationstatement. It isreproducedhereasamatterofpublicrecord. Theaccuracyofthis informationremainstheresponsibilityoftheapplicant.

15.REQUIREMENTSFORSECONDARYNOTIFICATION

UndertheAct,secondarynotificationofthenotifiedchemicalshallberequired ifanyofthecircumstancesstipulatedundersubsection64(2)oftheActarise.Nootherspecificconditionsareprescribed.

16.REFERENCES

1.NationalOccupationalHealthandSafetyCommission1994,'ListofDesignatedHazardousSubstances,[NOHSC:1005(1994)]',AustralianGovernmentPublishingService,Canberra.

2.Nabholz,J.V.,Miller,P.,andZeeman,M.(1993)EnvironmetalRiskAssessmentofNewSubstancesundertheToxicSubstanceControlActSectionFive. InW.G.Landis,HughesJ.S.andLewisM.A.,(Eds)EnvironmentalToxicologyandRiskAssessment,AmericanSocietyforTestingandMaterials,ASTM STP 1179, Philadelphia,pp40-55.

3.NationalOccupationalHealthandSafetyCommission1994,NationalCodeofPracticeforthePreparationofMaterialSafetyDataSheets[NOHSC:2011(1994)],AustralianGovernmentPublishingService,Canberra.