File No: NA/236 Date:10 May 1995

NATIONALINDUSTRIALCHEMICALSNOTIFICATIONANDASSESSMENTSCHEME

FULL PUBLIC REPORTGRILESTAV76-40

ThisAssessmenthasbeencompiledinaccordancewiththeprovisionsoftheIndustrialChemicals(NotificationandAssessment)Act1989,andRegulations.ThislegislationisanActoftheCommonwealthofAustralia.TheNationalIndustrialChemicalsNotificationandAssessmentScheme(NICNAS)isadministeredbyWorksafeAustraliawhichalsoconductstheoccupationalhealthsafetyassessment.TheassessmentofenvironmentalhazardisconductedbytheDepartmentoftheEnvironment,Sport,andTerritoriesandtheassessmentofpublic healthisconductedbytheDepartmentofHumanServicesandHealth.

Forthepurposesofsubsection78(1)oftheAct,copiesofthisfullpublicreportmaybeinspectedbythepublicattheLibrary,WorksafeAustralia,92-94ParramattaRoad,Camperdown NSW2050,betweenthehoursof10.00a.m.and12.00noonand2.00

p.m.and4.00p.m.eachweekdayexceptonpublicholidays.

ForEnquiriespleasecontacttheAdministrationCoordinatorat:

Street Address: 92ParramattaRdCamperdown,NSW2050,AUSTRALIA

Postal Address:GPOBox58,Sydney2001,AUSTRALIA

Telephone:(61)(02)565-9466FAX (61) (02) 565-9465

Director

ChemicalsNotificationandAssessment

NA/236

FULL PUBLIC REPORTGRILESTAV76-40

1.APPLICANT

HofmannandCo(AUST)PtyLtdof51ShearsonCrescent,MentoneVIC3194,have submittedalimitednotificationfortheassessmentofGrilestaV76-40.

2.IDENTITY OF THE CHEMICAL

GrilestaV76-40isnotconsideredtobehazardousbasedonthenatureofthechemicalandthedataprovided. Thereforethechemicalname,CASnumber,molecularandstructuralformulaehavebeenexemptedfrompublicationintheFullPublicReportandtheSummaryReport.

Trade name:GrilestaV76-40

Number-averagemolecularweight: / 2030
Maximum percentage of low molecular weight species (molecular weight < 1000): / 8.12%

Methodofdetectionanddetermination:

GrilestaV76-40maybedetectedbyinfraredspectrometry

3.PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIESAppearance at 20°C and 101.3 kPa:white,solidflakesOdour: odourless

MeltingPoint:80-85°C

Density:1210kg/m3

Vapour Pressure:notapplicable

WaterSolubility:lessthan1ppb

PartitionCo-efficient

(n-octanol/water)log Pow:notapplicable

HydrolysisasafunctionofpH:notmeasurableduetowaterinsolubility

Adsorption/Desorption:thesubstanceisnotexpectedtoadsorb

ordesorbfromsolids

DissociationConstant

pKa:notapplicable

FlashPoint:notapplicable

FlammabilityLimits:non-flammable

DecompositionTemperature:300°C

DecompositionProducts:water,carbondioxideandcarbon

monoxide

AutoignitionTemperature:400°C

ExplosiveProperties:not explosive

Reactivity/Stability:notchemicallyunstableorreactive

Particlesizedistribution:range:5-10mm

CommentsonPhysico-ChemicalProperties:

Thelackofdataonthepolymerisduetothefactthatitisofhighnumber-averagemolecularweightandisafine,inertpowderwhichmeansthatmanyofthetestsarenotapplicable.

Nodataweregivenforthemeltingpoint. Thepolymerwasfoundtosoftenandflowoveratemperaturerangeof80-85°C.

Novapourpressuretestswereconductedasthematerialisahighweightmolecularsolid.Thisisacceptable.

Watersolubilitytestswerenotconductedonthegroundsthatnormalanalyticaltestsarenotsuitablefordetectionofextremelylowconcentrationsofpolymerssuchaspolyesterresinsinwater. Inaddition,literaturereferenceswereprovidedwhichindicatethatthisclassofpolymerexhibitslowwatersolubility. Literaturesupportwasalsoprovidedfortheclaimthattheabsenceofhydrophilicsidegroupswillservetofurtherdecreasethesolubility.Thisisacceptable.

Nodataonhydrolysiswereprovidedonthegroundsthatthelowwatersolubilitywouldprecludeitsmeasurement.Althoughthepolymercontainsanumberofesterlinkageswhichmeanthathydrolysisistheoreticallypossible,thelowsolubilitymeansthatinpracticehydrolysisisunlikelyunderenvironmentallyrelevantconditions.

Determinationofpartitioncoefficient(n-octanol/water)wasnotconductedonthegroundsthatGrilestaV76-40hasalowwatersolubility.Thisisacceptable.Thehighmolecularweightofthesubstanceislikelytopreventitfromcrossingbiologicalmembranes,althoughsomeofthelowmolecularweightmaterialmaydoso.

Adsorption/desorptiondatawerenotprovidedonthegroundthatthelowwatersolubilityofthenotifiedsubstancemeansthatitwouldnotbeexpectedtoadsorbtosoilsortodesorbfromthem.Polyesterresinsofthistypemaybeexpectedtobeimmobilewithinthesoil.

Nodataonthedissociationconstantofthenotifiedsubstanceweresupplied,onthegroundsthatthelowwatersolubilitymeantthattestsusedtoevaluatethispropertyarenot able to be carried out. A very low percentage of free carboxylic acid groups with typical acidity may be expected.

4.PURITY OF THE CHEMICAL

Degreeofpurity:99.9%

Toxicorhazardousimpurities:none

Non-hazardousimpurities(> 1% by weight): none

Maximumcontentofresidualmonomers:0.01%foreachmonomer

Additives/Adjuvants:none

5.INDUSTRIAL USE

GrilestaV76-40ismixedwithstabilisers,pigmentsandcrosslinkingagentsafterwhichtheingredientsaremelted,cooled,chippedandgroundtoformapowdercoating. Thepowdercoatingiselectrostaticallyappliedtosteelproductstheheatingofwhichcausestheformationofapaintfilm.

6.OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE

Theestimatedquantityofthepolymertobeimportedduringthefirst5yearsofimportationisapproximately100tonnesperyear.

GrilestaV76-40willbeimportedin25kgpolyethylenebags. PowdercoatingformulationscontainingGrilestaV76-40willbesuppliedinplasticlinedcardboardboxes.Duringstorageandhandling,exposureisonlyexpectedtooccurintheeventofanaccidentalspill.

Workerswillbeexposedtothechemicalinthefollowingway:

Duringformulationofthepowdercoating,workersmaybeexposedtoGrilestaV76-40inflakeorpowderform. Theseworkersareinvolvedinweighingtherawmaterial,mixingthecompounds,chipping andgrindingthecompoundedmaterialandpackagingthepowder.

Qualitycontrolworkerswilltakesamplesofthepowdercoatingmixtureinflakeorpowderformandcarryouttestspraying. Mostqualitycontrolworkiscarriedoutinsprayboothswithexternalexhaustsandqualitycontrolworkersweardustmasksorotherrespiratoryprotection.

Researchanddevelopmentworkershandledry,rawmaterials,homogenousmeltmixorfinalproductforthepurposesoflaboratorytestsandinvestigations. Workiscarriedoutinlaboratorieswithairextraction.

MaintenanceworkersareinvolvedinrepairingmachineryorequipmentthatmayhaveresiduesofthecomponentsofthepowdercoatingproductorresiduesofGrilestaV76-40.

Applicatorsofthepowdercoatingsmaybeexposedduringthepreparationofsprayboothsforsprayingandcleaningofequipment.

Administrationworkersmaybeincidentallyexposediftheyspendsometimeintheproductionarea.

Atotalof45workerswillbeinvolvedinthepowdercoatingformulations,qualitycontrol,researchanddevelopment,maintenanceandproductionadministration. Ofthese45workers,22willbeinvolvedinpowdercoatingformulations. Therewillbe4workersinvolvedinqualitycontroland4workersinvolvedinresearchanddevelopment. Onefull-timeworkerwillbeinvolvedinmaintenanceand6-10workersasrequired. Productionadministrationwillinvolveanother4workers.

7.PUBLIC EXPOSURE

Thepotentialforpublicexposuretothenotifiedpolymerisexpectedtobenegligible. Thepowdercoatingsareintendedforindustrialapplicationonlyinclosedspraybooths. Onceappliedandcured,thepowdercoatingsbecomeaninertpolymerfilm. Inthisformthenotifiedpolymerisnotbioavailable.

Thenotifierhasindicatedthatdisposalofsolidwastegeneratedatpowdercoatingplantsareexpectedtobevialandfill. Watercontaminatedwiththepolymerfromtheseplantspassesthroughasettlingtankpriortoreleasetosewer. Estimatedtotalsolidcontentthatpassestoseweraftersettlementisapproximately1kgina24hourperiod. Theproportionofthenotifiedpolymerinthiswasteisestimatedtobeapproximatley3%initially,increasingtoashighas50%asproductionofproductscontainingthenotifiedpolymerincreases.

8.ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE

.Release

Releaseofthenotifiedsubstancemayoccuratseveralstagesoftheformulationprocess. Thepowdercoatingsaremanufacturedinaclosedmixer.GranularGrilestaV76-40andvariousotheradditivesaretransferredtothemixerusingscoopsorbypouring. Accidentalspillsatthisstagewouldbecontrolledbyon-sitebunding.

Negligiblereleaseisexpectedtotheatmosphereduetotheinvolatilenatureofthesubstance.

Themixeddryingredientsaretransferredtoacompoundingextruderformeltmixing,andextrusionatapproximately120°C. Chipping,grinding,packagingoftherawpowdercoatings,cleaningofvesselscontainingresidualGrilestaV76-40andqualitycontrolsamplingmayalsoleadtorelease. Thenotifierestimatesthatmaximumwastesgeneratedduringtheproductionofpowdercoatingswillbeintherangeof2-5%ofthetotalproduct(ie.amaximumof2-5tonnesperannum).

Dustremovedfromtheformulationareawillpassthroughfiltersbeforerelease. Initially,3%ofGrilestaV76-40isexpectedtooccurinthedust,buttheproportionisexpectedtorisetoasmuchas50%atfullproduction. Thisequatestoapproximately0.85kgperdayor 311 kg per year.

Solidsarecollectedfromspillsduringformulation,andwaterfromcleanupofspillsandrinsingofequipmentetc.areexpectedtopassthroughsettlementtankspriortodisposaltolandfillsites. Again,suchspillswillcontainbetween3to50%ofGrilestaV76-40,andare expected to total 1 kg per day (or 365 kg per year).

Thusatotalofapproximately700kgofGrilestaV76-40maybeexpectedtopasstolandfillsitesasaresultofoneyearsformulationatpeakproductionlevels.

GrilestaV76-40willbeusedasapolyesterresinforexteriorpowdercoatings. Thepowdercoatingsareexpectedtobeusedbyapproximately500customersfollowingformulationandwillbeappliedtosteelproductsusingelectrostaticpowdergunsinspray

booths.Coatedmaterialswillbeheatcuredincirculatingovens.Industrialuseonlyofthesecoatingsisenvisaged. Dustcreatedduringsprayingwillberemovedfromboothsusingairextractionsystemsequippedwithfilters. Althoughestimatesoftheamountsofwastestobecollectedbyairfiltrationwerenotsuppliedbythenotifier,ithasbeenestimated(1)that,withproperrecyclingofcapturedmaterialsonfilters,efficiencyofusemayreach99%.

Residualpowdercoatingsinboothsandonapplicationequipmentwillberemovedusingvacuum,wetmopping,scrubbingorotherprocedures. Wastessocollectedwillbesenttolandfillsites.Anywatercontainingwasteswillpassthroughsettlementtankspriortoreleasetosewers. Sludgesfromsettlementtankswillalsobeplacedinlandfillsites.

Althoughthenotifierhasnotprovidedanyestimatesofamountsofwastestobeproducedasaresultofapplicationofthepowdercoatings,asimilarsubmissionforacloselyrelatedsubstanceimportedinidenticalquantitiesstatedthatanestimated2000kgperyearofpowdercoatingwastesperyearwouldbesenttolandfillsites. Thisestimateofwasteasaresultofnormalusewillbeusedforthecurrentsubmission.

.Fate

Whilenospecificexaminationwasmadeofthedegradationproductsofthenotifiedsubstance,degradation,decompositionand/ordepolymerisationmaybeexpectedunderthefollowingconditions:ifthepolyestercopolymerwasheatedabove300°Candintheeventofafire. Followingheatingabove300Cwater,carbondioxideandcarbonmonoxideareexpectedtoform. Ifcombusted,thepolyestercopolymerisexpectedtoproducecarbonandhydrogenoxides,andincompletecombustionmayalsoyieldmonomers.

Solidwastesplacedinlandfillsitesshouldnotleachduetolowwatersolubilityofthepolymer. Thepolymerhasesterlinkagessothathydrolysisispossible,butthisshouldnotoccurunderenvironmentallyrelevantconditions.

Useofcoatedproductsisexpectedtoproducechipsanddustingofthecoatingsasaresultofnormalwearandtear,butsuchreleaseswouldbediffuseandareexpectedtobeinertintheenvironment. Recyclingofcoatedmetalproductswillinvolvetheinitialsmelting,withthepowdercoatingsexpectedtoproducepyrolysisproductsasoutlinedabove.

9.EVALUATION OF TOXICOLOGICAL DATA

GrilestaV76-40isapolymerofnumber-averagemolecularweight(NAMW)1000. UndertheIndustrialChemicals(NotificationandAssessment)Act1989 no toxicity tests arerequired.

10.ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Noecotoxicologicaldatawereprovided,whichisacceptableforpolymersofNAMW1000,accordingtotheAct. Thehighmolecularweight,andproposedmannerofuseofthenotifiedsubstanceshouldminimisetheexposureoforganismstothenotifiedsubstance.

11.ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD

Thepolymerisunlikelytopresentahazardtotheenvironmentwhenitisincorporatedintopowdercoatingsandappliedtoenduseproducts. Theheatcuringasapartofnormalapplicationproceduresshouldfurtherensurethatthepolymerwillremaininertintheenvironment.

Asaworstcaseexample,upto7.5kgofthepolymerwillbeexpectedtobereleasedintotheenvironmentperday. Allofthisshouldgotolandfill,eitherdirectlyasaresultofcleaningupformulationspillsandequipment,orfollowingclean-upofwastesafteruseandapplicationtoenduseproducts. Virtuallynoneofthiswastewouldbeexpectedtomovefromlandfillsitesduetotheinsolublenatureofthenotifiedsubstance. Inaddition,thehighmolecularweightofthepolymeranditsinertstateonreleasefollowingcuringshouldminimiseanyrisktoorganisms. Otherreleases,intheformsofchipsandflakesofthecuredpolymer,willbediffuseandareunlikelytoposeanenvironmentalhazard.

12.ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETYEFFECTS

Thenotifiedchemicalisahighmolecularweightpolymerwithanumber-averagemolecularweight1000andisthereforeunlikelytocrossbiologicalmembranesandbeoftoxicologicalconcern. Thepurityofthenotifiedpolymerhasbeengivenas99.9%,withnodetectablelevelsofresidualmonomers(detectionlimitof100ppm). Thelevelsoflowmolecularweightspecies(approximately8%)areunlikelytorenderthepolymerahealthhazardgiventhetoxicologicalprofileofthetwomonomerswhichcompriseabout90%ofthepolymer.

GrilestaV76-40isimportedintheformofsolidflakesof5-10mmwhichminimisesthelikelihoodofdustformation. ThepowdercoatingformulationscontainingGrilestaV76-40areintheformoffinedustand90%ofparticlesarelessthan100m. Ifadustcloudisgeneratedthedustmayigniteorexplode.

ThenotifierindicatesthatGrilestaV76-40hasbeeninuseinEuropesince1992andnoadverseeffectshavebeenobservedinworkersexposedtoit. Noepidemiologicalstudiesareavailable.

Exposuretodustmayresultduringweighing,transferring,chipping,grinding,testingandpackagingofchemical.However,aslocalexhaustventilationandenclosedsystemsareemployedthelevelofexposureisexpectedtobelow.

Applicationofthepowdercoatingscontainingthenotifiedpolymerbyendusersisnormallyexpectedtooccurinproperlyventilatedsprayboothstoensureagoodfinishonthepaintedarticles. However,significantexposuretodustispossibledependingontheexactnatureoftheboothsemployed.

Thepotentialforpublicexposuretothenotifiedpolymerisexpectedtobenegligible.

Significantexposuretothenotifiedpolymerfromaccidentalspillageduringtransportisnotanticipated,asitwillbesuppliedandtransportedinpolyethylenebagspackedonwoodenpalletsandenclosedbypolyethyleneshrinkwrapandthedrysolidflakesareeasytosweepupandcollectmanuallyormechanically. Itslackofwatersolubilitywouldpreventitbeingdispersedinwater. Ifheatedaboveabout300°C(asmayoccurinafire),itbreaksdowntowater,carbondioxideandcarbonmonoxidewhichonlypresentsignificanthealthhazardsinanenclosedspace.

Theriskofadverseoccupationalorpublichealtheffectsoccurringasaresultoftransport,storageoruseofthenotifiedchemicaloruseofproductscontainingthenotifiedchemicalisexpectedtobeminimalundernormalconditions.

13.RECOMMENDATIONS

TominimiseoccupationalexposuretoGrilestaV76-40thefollowingguidelinesandprecautionsshouldbeobserved:

.generationofadustcloudduringformulationofpowdercoatingsshouldbeavoided;

.localexhaustventilationshouldbeusedtocontroldustwhenformulatingpowdercoatings;

.precautionsfororganicdustandtheWorksafeAustraliaexposurestandardfornuisancedust(10mg/m3(2))shouldbeobserved;

.ifengineeringcontrolsandworkpracticesdonotsufficientlyreduceexposuretoasafelevelthenthefollowingpersonalprotectiveequipmentshouldbeused:

-workersexposedtodustshouldwearadustmaskconformingtoAustralianStandards AS1715-1991andAS1716(3,4);

-gogglesconformingtoAustralianStandardsAS1336andAS1337(5,6); and

-impermeableglovesconformingtoAustralianStandardAS2161(7).

.theMaterialSafetyDataSheet(MSDS)forGrilestaV76-40shouldbeavailable toallworkersusingthechemical.

14.MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET

TheMSDSforGrilestaV76-40wasprovidedinWorksafeAustraliaformat(8). ThisMSDSwasprovidedbyHofmannCo(Aust)PtyLtdaspartoftheirnotificationstatement. Itisreproducedhereasamatterofpublicrecord. TheaccuracyofthisinformationremainstheresponsibilityofHofmannCo(Aust)PtyLtd.

15.REQUIREMENTS FOR SECONDARY NOTIFICATION

Under theIndustrialChemicals(NotificationandAssessment)Act1989, secondarynotificationofGrilestaV76-40shallberequiredifanyofthecircumstancesstipulatedundersubsection64(2)oftheActarise. Nootherspecificconditionsareprescribed.

16.REFERENCES

1.Randall,P.M.,1992, ‘Pollutionpreventionmethodsinthesurfacecoatingindustry’,JournalofHazardousMaterials,29,275-295.

2.NationalOccupationalHealthandSafetyCommission,1991,‘ExposureStandardsforAtmosphericContaminantsintheOccupationalEnvironment’,2ndEdition,AustralianGovernmentPublishingServicePubl.,Canberra,Australia.

3.StandardsAustralia,1991, AustralianStandard1715-1991 ‘Selection,UseandMaintenanceofRespiratoryProtectiveDevices’,StandardsAssociationofAustraliaPubl., Sydney, Australia.

4.StandardsAustralia,1991, AustralianStandard1716-1991 ‘RespiratoryProtectiveDevices’,StandardsAssociationofAustraliaPubl.,Sydney,Australia.

5.StandardsAustralia,1982, AustralianStandard1336-1982 ‘RecommendedPracticesforEyeProtectionintheIndustrialEnvironment’,StandardsAssociationof Australia Publ., Sydney, Australia.

6.StandardsAustralia,1984, AustralianStandard1337-1984 ‘EyeProtectorsforIndustrialApplications’,StandardsAssociationofAustraliaPubl.,Sydney,Australia.

7.StandardsAustralia,1978, AustralianStandard2161-1978,‘Industrial SafetyGlovesandMittens(excludingElectricalandMedicalGloves)’,StandardsAssociationofAustraliaPubl.,Sydney,Australia.

8.NationalOccupationalHealthandSafetyCommission,1990.,‘GuidanceNotefortheCompletionofaMaterialSafetyDataSheet’,2nd.edition,AGPS,Canberra, Australia.1

1ThisGuidanceNote,towhichanMSDSmustconforminaccordancewiththeAct,hasbeensupersededbyWorksafeAustralia’s National Code of Practice for the Preparation of Material Safety Data Sheets (March 1994) published by the Australian Government Publishing Service.