Number
197-EN
Section
General Section
Use
Sector
Manufacture of textiles, leather, fur
Manufacture of rubber products
Manufacture of plastics products, including compounding and conversion
Function
Filler
Process
Other
Product category
other
Application
Sport shoe production
Abstract
A popular sportswear company used sulphur hexafluoride to fill air cushions in the shoe soles. After realizing the substance has a high potential to contribute to the climate change, they tried alternatives and end-up using nitrogen.
Substituted substances
Sulfur hexafluoride
CAS No. 2551-62-4 EC No. 219-854-2 Index No.
Chemical group
Sulfur compounds; fluorine compounds
Alternative Substances
Nitrogen
CAS No. 7727-37-9 EC No. 231-783-9 Index No.
Chemical group
Inorganic gases
Reliability of information
Evidence of implementation: there is evidence that the solution was implemented and in use at time of publication
Reason substitution
vPvB
Hazard Assessment
Substance to be substituted: Sulphur hexafluoride is not listed in the SUBSPORTplus Database and has no harmonised classification according to Annex VI of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP Regulation). Alternative substances: Nitrogen is not included in the EU harmonized classification and is generally considered a non-toxic gas.
Description of Substitution
Nike sneakers fabricated with the so-called Nike Air technology have a cushion of gas in the sole to make them more comfortable and to attenuate shocks. Initially sulphur hexafluoride was used to fill the cushion, because it is a dense gas, practically non-toxic. Today it is well known that sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) is a greenhouse gas, about 22,000 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Nike decided to substitute the fluoride and turned to the Energy and Environmental Resources Trust (ERT) for counselling. First choice was perfluoro propane but though this is less potent than SF6 it is still hazardous for Earth’s climate. The final choice was nitrogen a gas that is not toxic and does not contribute to the global warming. The company invested several millions in technological changes but reports say it saved the equivalent of millions of tons of carbon dioxide.
Case/substitution evaluation
Here, thorough research has successfully replaced a very environmentally harmful substance with a non-harmful one.
State of implementation
Full capacity
Enterprise using the alternative
Availability ofAlternative
Available
Type of information supplier
Research
Contact
https://www.americancarbonregistry.org
Further information
Nitrogen MSDS from Sigma Aldrich can be found here
Danish EPA: Environmental Project No. 771 2003 Evaluation of the possibilities of substituting potent greenhouse gases (HFCs, PFCs and SF6)
Type of publication and availability
Case study presentation on internet
Date, reviewed
November 26, 2021