ANALYSIS of ALTERNATIVES Non-Confidential Report
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ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES non-confidential report Legal name of applicant(s): Sasol-Huntsman GmbH & Co. KG Submitted by: Sasol-Huntsman GmbH & Co. KG Substance: Dibutyl phthalate Use title: Use as an absorption solvent in a closed system in the manufacture of maleic anhydride (MA) Use number: 1 i ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES ii ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES CONTENTS 1 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background to this Analysis of Alternatives .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Identification of suitable alternatives .............................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Suitability of commercially proven alternatives ............................................................................................. 3 1.3.1 Reduction of overall risks .................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.2 Technical feasibility of alternatives ..................................................................................................... 3 1.3.3 Economic feasibility of alternatives .................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Availability of commercially proven alternatives ........................................................................................... 5 1.5 Actions required for making the alternatives suitable and available .............................................................. 6 2 ANALYSIS OF SUBSTANCE FUNCTION.......................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Background to the use of DBP in the manufacture of MA ............................................................................. 7 2.1.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 7 2.1.2 Description of the use of DBP ............................................................................................................. 8 2.2 Conditions of DBP use ................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 9 2.2.2 Technical criteria for alternative substances........................................................................................ 10 2.2.3 Technical criteria for alternative MA recovery technologies .............................................................. 12 3 IDENTIFICATION OF POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES ......................................................................................... 15 3.1 Introduction and list of potential alternatives ................................................................................................. 15 3.2 Description of efforts made to identify possible alternatives .......................................................................... 15 3.2.1 Research and development .................................................................................................................. 15 3.2.1.1 Past research .......................................................................................................................... 15 3.2.1.2 Current research by Huntsman .............................................................................................. 17 3.2.1.3 Long list of theoretical alternative solvents based on past and current research ................... 17 3.2.1.4 Suitability of potential alternatives still being researched ..................................................... 19 Overview .............................................................................................................................. 19 Technical feasibility .............................................................................................................. 19 Economic feasibility .............................................................................................................. 20 Availability ............................................................................................................................ 23 3.2.1.5 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 23 3.2.2 Data searches ....................................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.3 Consultations ....................................................................................................................................... 25 3.2.3.1 Identities of key consultees ................................................................................................... 25 3.2.3.2 Consultation tools utilised ..................................................................................................... 26 Consultation with DEZA ....................................................................................................... 26 Consultation with Sasol-Huntsman and Huntsman ............................................................... 26 3.2.4 Identified commercially proven alternatives ....................................................................................... 26 3.2.4.1 Commercially proven alternative absorption solvents .......................................................... 26 3.2.4.2 Commercially proven alternative recovery technologies ...................................................... 27 3.3 Relevance of alternatives to MA .................................................................................................................... 31 iii ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 4 SUITABILITY AND AVAILABILITY OF POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES ......................................................... 33 4.1 Alternative 1: Use of the alternative substance DIBE ................................................................................... 33 4.1.1 Substance ID and properties of DIBE ................................................................................................. 33 4.1.1.1 Name and other identifiers for the substance ........................................................................ 33 4.1.1.2 Composition of the substance ................................................................................................ 33 4.1.1.3 Physicochemical properties ................................................................................................... 33 4.1.1.4 Classification and labelling ................................................................................................... 34 4.1.2 Technical feasibility of DIBE .............................................................................................................. 35 4.1.2.1 Scope of the analysis ............................................................................................................. 35 4.1.2.2 Description of the use of the substance ................................................................................. 35 Comparison of DIBE to DBP against technical comparison criteria ..................................... 36 Required changes to MA manufacture equipment ................................................................ 37 Market success as a measure of technical suitability............................................................. 38 4.1.3 Reduction of overall risk due to transition to DIBE ............................................................................ 39 4.1.3.1 Introduction and important note ............................................................................................ 39 4.1.3.2 Human health hazard profile of DIBE ................................................................................... 39 Safety concerns ..................................................................................................................... 44 Environmental fate and behaviour and ecotoxicology of DIBE ............................................ 44 REACH Registration and classification and labelling of DIBE ............................................ 44 4.1.3.3 Conclusion on the risks from the potential use of DIBE ....................................................... 45 4.1.3.4 Other environmental impacts ................................................................................................ 46 Additional release of greenhouse gases ................................................................................. 46 Monetisation of externalities ................................................................................................. 46 4.1.4 Economic feasibility of DIBE ............................................................................................................. 47 4.1.4.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................... 47 4.1.4.2 Cost element 1: Price of DIBE ............................................................................................. 48 4.1.4.3 Cost element 2: Increased solvent consumption ..................................................................