Possible approaches for estimating fluorinated compounds emissions from textile, carpet, leather and paper industries: basis for future methodological development

Abstract

Although several international and national reports refer to the possible off-gas emissions of fluorinated compounds into the atmosphere due to textile treatment, no emission factors appear to be available in the open literature to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from such processes (EPA 1997; Schönberger & Schäfer 2003; MoEU 2012; DEPA 2013; UNIDO et al. 2017). Only one reference about emissions of hydro-fluorocarbons related to the textile industry in the United Kingdom has be found in the literature (Ricardo-AEA 2015). As a consequence, the authors were not able – at the time of writing of this second order draft – to estimate the volume of fluorinated compounds that are used or emitted by the textile, carpet, leather, and paper industries. Nevertheless, FC emissions in this sector could represent a significant new source, due to the large volume of substrates (i.e., product classes) treated and the sheer size and global nature of the industry.