| Abstract [eng] |
The Lithuanian wood industry covers three main sectors - wood processing, paper industry and furniture production. The wood processing sector also includes the production of particle board. Technological developments have led to more intensive use of various additives - chemicals. At present, the furniture industry is fully constrained by external factors such as tightening environmental laws, environmental pollution, market demands, increasing consumer awareness, and therefore materials used in production processes need to meet different requirements in order to survive on the market. The use of chemical substances / chemical mixtures is regulated by the main legal acts in Lithuania - the European Union REACH and CLP Regulations and the Republic of Lithuania Law on Chemicals and Preparations. To avoid risks related to the impact of chemicals on human health and the environment, companies must comply with legal requirements and seek to replace hazardous chemicals used in their processes. Substances must be replaced with less hazardous or harmless alternatives. In order to find out whether the options chosen are better, an assessment of the alternatives must be carried out. This assessment includes assessment of sustainability, targeted risk assessment for exposure of workers to chemicals, consumers and the environment, work risk, technological and economic assessments. The company wants to replace five chemical mixtures used in the production process. The analysis of mixtures has shown that the products contain chemicals that have toxic, carcinogenic and other hazardous properties to human health and the environment and should therefore be replaced. After analyzing the market for chemicals used in the furniture industry, it was chosen to analyze four alternative products for single-mix replacement. The alternatives are assessed in terms of human health and environmental hazard, technological process compliance and economic acceptability. |
