RE: pollution prevention concerns in clean energy technologies

["Reibstein, Rick (EEA)" <Rick.Reibstein@state.ma.us>]

I think this is a great focus, and one particularly necessary for the manufacturing floor.  A lot of these things are pretty well sealed when used - such as batteries or solar panels.  But then there's the issue of post use disposition.  I think that's a very important thing to focus on.  Of course, for those uses that are dispersive during use, such as maybe "solar paints"? I'm concerned.  But many of these things seem fine sitting up there on your roof or in your car, until they break, get old and cracked, and turn from green to fiercely brown. Why wait to deal with that?  On the other hand, if we impose take-back on these industries now, which we don't for very many other products, is that fair?  Will we hurt their development?  I worry less about that, although I worry about it.  I think it should not be a reason to ignore the problem.  It is a reason to attack it intelligently.  There are ways to address this without the chilling effect.  I'm thinking of industry consortia and public-private collaboration, government-led efforts to design whole systems, shared responsibility, publicly assisted closed-loop reverse distribution.  Why wait? 

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From: owner-p2tech@great-lakes.net [mailto:owner-p2tech@great-lakes.net] On Behalf Of Janet Clark
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2008 2:41 PM
To: p2tech@great-lakes.net
Subject: pollution prevention concerns in clean energy technologies

Hi All,

With all due respect for the need to encourage greener 
energy development,  it would be helpful to list the problematic chemicals 
and materials involved.  We know about electronics manufacturing challenges 
(solvents, solders, coatings, adhesives, flame retardants, certain plastics), 
and we know about manufacture of turbines and windmills.  

What 
about the new high performance semiconductors?  Do you know of any 
materials you are concerned about?
We know nanomaterials are just now being 
catalogued for their possible hazard values.  
What about the mysterious 
'black box" batteries that are so wonderfully efficient?
What about the whole 
array of photovoltaic designs ?

What else?

Thanks!

Janet Clark
Senior Associate Director
Toxics Use Reduction Institute,  University of Massachusetts
One University Ave,     Lowell, MA 0`854-2866
Tel 978-934-3346,                                      Fax 978-934-3050
http://www.turi.org

Adjusted for production, TURA filers have decreased their toxic chemical use by 45% and
are generating 69% less byproduct. During this same eleven years,  core TURA filers reported
an overall 45% increase in production!