Number

211-EN

Section

General Section

Use

Abstract

2-methoxy-ethanol is substituted in the production of membranes. The alternatives are aliphatic alcohols and other glycolic ethers with less hazardous properties.

Substituted substances

Alternative Substances

Reliability of information

Evidence of implementation: there is evidence that the solution was implemented and in use at time of publication

Reason substitution

CMR
skin/respiratory sensitizing

Hazard Assessment

Substance to be substituted: 2-methoxy-ethanol is a Substance of very high concern and is included on the REACH candidate list for authorization, according to Article 59 of Regulation (EG) No. 1907/2006. (REACH Regulation). Alternative substances: According to the report the alternative aliphatic alcohol and glycolic ethers have no harmonised classification according to Annex VI of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP Regulation) and they are not included in the database of hazardous substances according to SUBSPORTplus screening criteria (SDSC).

Description of Substitution

Membranes are most often produced by dissolving a polymer in a solvent,incorporating additives and hereafter evaporate the solvent again. 2-methoxy-ethanol is a very important organic solvent in the production of various membrane products. The company performing this project used 2-methoxy-ethanol forfive different membrane products, which represented the main part of their membrane production. 2-methoxy-ethanol is genotoxic and reprotoxic and the company performing the project wanted to find alternatives with less hazardous properties. At the beginning of the project different solvents were screened to identify potential alternatives to 2-methoxy-ethanol. This screening was based on physical and chemical properties and resulted in a selection ofseven different substances. Unfortunately, the report does not inform on specific substance name or CAS-numbers.An environmental and health assessment of the potential candidates was performed based on the safety data sheets, literature, and selected lists including the list of undesired substances from the Danish EPA and the candidate list from REACH. The data used for the assessment have not been published. The result of this screening is shown in the following table (NB: SUBSPORTplus´s translation from Danish to EN).

Substance	Substance group	Screening environment	Screening health
A	aliphatic alcohols		Xi local irritant H225/41/67
B	glycol ethers		Xn R10/21/36
C	aliphatic alcohols		Xn R10-22-37/38-41-67
D	glycol ethers		Xn R-20/21/22 Xi R-37
E	glycol ethers		R21/22 R36/38
F	glycol ethers	Persistent, Potential for bioaccumulation No information concerning mobility in soil Toxicity for fish: LC50/96 > 10,000 mg/l daphnies	R10 Xn R10 R20/21/22Rep2; R60Rep2; R61
G	glycol ethers	No information	R10 Xi ; R37/38 Xi; R41Rep2;R61

The substances A-E were assessed as more environmental friendly and less harmful to health than 2-methoxy-ethanol. Further laboratory experiments were performed with these five substances. The substances F and G were excluded because of their genotoxic and reprotoxic effects. In the laboratory experiment the substances A and B had performed well. This resulted in a full-scale engine test of the best polymer blends, and the produced membranes were tested internally and externally and performed equal to other products on the market based on 2-methoxy-ethanol. 2-methoxy-ethanol was successfully substituted with less harmful glycol ether (substance B) forthree membranes and with an aliphatic alcohol (substance A) fortwo membranes. These substances - which are assessed not to be CMR or PBTare nowused as substitutes in all products from the company. The company’s emission of 2-methoxy-ethanol to the air is now zero and the wastewater does not hold any 2-methoxy-ethanol anymore. The company that performed this project and tests was Alfa Laval Nakskov A/S.

Case/substitution evaluation

SUBSPORTplus has not been able to assess the substitution, because the specific alternative substanceare not mentioned.In the report the alternatives are assessed asless harmful for health and environmentthan 2-methoxy-ethanol. SUBSPORTplusconsiders thepublisher of the report - the Danish EPA - as areliable source and that the assessment of alternatives has been done on the basis of reliable substance data.

State of implementation

Full capacity

Date and place of implementation

2012,Denmark

Enterprise using the alternative

https://www.alfalaval.com/

Type of information supplier

Authority
User

Contact

https://www.alfalaval.com/

Type of publication and availability

freely available. Only summary in EN

Publication source: author, company, institute, year

The Danish EPA www.mst.dk

Publication source

Type of publication and availability

http://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publikationer/2012/05/978-87-92779-74-8.pdf

Date, reviewed

November 26, 2021