HS-1260P
File No: PLC/143
November 1999
NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS NOTIFICATION
AND ASSESSMENT SCHEME
FULL PUBLIC REPORT
HS-1260P
This Assessment has been compiled in accordance with the provisions of the Industrial
Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989 (the Act) and Regulations. This legislation
is an Act of the Commonwealth of Australia. The National Industrial Chemicals Notification
and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) is administered by the National Occupational Health and
Safety Commission which also conducts the occupational health & safety assessment. The
assessment of environmental hazard is conducted by the Department of the Environment and
the assessment of public health is conducted by the Department of Health and Family
Services.
F o r the purposes of subsection 78(1) of the Act, copies of this full public report may be
inspected by the public at the Library, National Occupational Health and Safety Commission,
92-94 Parramatta Road, Camperdown NSW 2050, between the following hours:
Monday ?Wednesday 8.30 am - 5.00 pm
Thursday 8.30 am - 8.00 pm
Friday 8.30 am - 5.00 pm
Copies of the full public report may also be requested, free of charge, by contacting the
Administration Coordinator.
Please direct enquiries or requests for full public reports to the Administration Coordinator
at:
Street Address: 92 Parramatta Road, CAMPERDOWN NSW 2050, AUSTRALIA
Postal Address: GPO Box 58, SYDNEY NSW 2001, AUSTRALIA
Telephone: (61) (02) 9577 9514
Facsimile: (61) (02) 9577 9465
Director
Chemicals Notification and Assessment
PLC/143
FULL PUBLIC REPORT
HS-1260P
1. APPLICANT
Ricoh Office Automation Pty Ltd of 8 Rodborough Rd Frenchs Forest NSW 2088 has
submitted a Polymer of Low Concern notification statement in support of their application
for an assessment certificate for HS-1260P.
2. IDENTITY OF THE CHEMICAL
The notifier has not claimed any information to be exempted from publication in the Full
Public Report.
Chemical Name: 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid, polymer with 1,4-
benzenedicarboxylic acid, 1,2-ethanediol and 2,2'-[(1-
methylethylidene)bis(4,1-phenyleneoxy)]bis[ethanol]
Chemical Abstracts Service 41259-36-3
(CAS) Registry No.:
Other Names: isophthalic acid, polymer with terephthalic acid,
ethylene glycol and 4,4'-bis(hydroxyethyl)bisphenol A
Marketing Name: HS-1260P
Molecular Formula: (C19H24O4.C8H6O4.C8H6O4.C2H6O2)x
Structural Formula:
H
C
O
C
H 3 O
C
H
. . .
C
O
H
( C2H4)OH
C
H 3
C
O
H 2-
C
H 2-H
O
-
O
H C
H 2-H 2-
CO O
C
H
H
O
C
x
Number-Average 3450
Molecular Weight (NAMW):
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Weight-Average 7690
Molecular Weight:
Polydispersity: 2.23
Maximum Percentage of Low
Molecular Weight Species
Molecular Weight < 500: 1.39 %
Molecular Weight < 1 000: 4.85 %
Weight Percentage of
Ingredients:
Chemical Name CAS No. Weight %
ethanol, 2,2'-[(1-methylethylidene)bis(4,1-phenyleneoxy)] 901-44-0 65.0
bis-
1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid 121-91-5 17.5
1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid 100-21-0 15.5
1,2-ethanediol 107-21-1 2.0
Method of Detection infrared spectroscopy
and Determination:
Spectral Data: 3510, 3420, 3040, 2980, 2930, 2870, 1720, 1610, 1585,
1515, 1455, 1410, 1365, 1300, 1210, 1180, 1120, 1100,
1070, 1040, 1020, 935, 875, 830, 595, 575, 555 cm-1
The polymer meets the criteria for assessment as a synthetic polymer of low concern under
Regulation 4A of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989.
3. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Appearance at 20癈 odourless white or coloured solid
and 101.3 kPa:
Melting Point: approximately 80癈
Specific Gravity: 1.1
Water Solubility: 0.067 mg/L at 25癈
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Particle Size: the notifier has provided the following particle size
distribution data for the imported toner:
Particle diameter (祄) Weight %
1.587 ?2.000 0.00
2.000 ?2.520 0.09
2.520 ?3.175 0.20
3.175 ?4.000 0.81
4.000 ?5.040 6.35
5.040 ?6.350 16.91
6.350 ?8.000 29.41
8.000 ?10.079 32.01
10.079 ?12.699 12.23
12.699 ?16.000 1.83
16.000 ?20.159 0.16
above 20.159 0.00
Hydrolysis as a Function
of pH: not determined (see comments below)
Dissociation Constant: not determined (see comments below)
Flammability Limits: not flammable, combustible (see comments below)
Autoignition Temperature: not determined
Explosive Properties: not explosive
Reactivity/Stability: stable under normal environmental conditions
Comments on Physico-Chemical Properties
Tests do not appear to have been carried out under OECD Good Laboratory Practice
Guidelines.
To measure solubility, the test material was placed into an Erlenmeyer flask with distilled
water and agitated at room temperature for 24 hours. Water solubility of the test material was
then determined gravimetrically. The low solubility of the test material suggests that
hydrolysis is unlikely in the environmental pH range despite the presence of ester linkages in
the polymer. The Kow value was not determined but is likely to be high. This suggests that
the polymer will associate with soil and sediments. The notified polymer may have low
residual free carboxylic acid functionality, which is likely to have typical acidity, but the low
solubility is likely to preclude dissociation.
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The MSDS for the coloured toners indicates a lower flammability limit of 34.5 mg/m3 for the
dust, while stating that the toner is self-extinguishing. The MSDS for the black toner contains
no flammability limits but states that the explosion limits for dust in air are similar to those
for coal dust.
4. PURITY OF THE CHEMICAL
Degree of Purity: > 99 %
Maximum Content
of Residual Monomers:
Chemical Name CAS No. Weight %
ethanol, 2,2'-[(1-methylethylidene)bis(4,1-phenyleneoxy)] 901-44-0 0.01
bis-
1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid 121-91-5 0.01
1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid 100-21-0 0.01
1,2-ethanediol 107-21-1 0.01
Hazardous Impurities:
Chemical name: stannane, dibutyloxo-
CAS No.: 818-08-6
Weight percentage: 0.05
Regulatory controls: national exposure standard for tin, organic compounds,
0.1 mg/m3 TWA, 0.2 mg/m3 STEL with skin notation
(NOHSC, 1995)
Toxic properties: eye, skin and respiratory tract irritant; impairment of
central nervous system function possibly resulting in
death; liver impairment; suspected cause of birth
defects; effects may be delayed (International Chemical
Safety Cards, 1999)
Non-hazardous Impurities none
(> 1% by weight):
Additives/Adjuvants: the notified polymer will be imported as a component
of toner for photocopiers; the finished toner will
contain a number of other ingredients, particularly
pigments
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5. USE, VOLUME AND FORMULATION
The notified polymer will be used in electrophotography toner for colour photocopiers. It
will comprise 79 % of the toner in both black and colour cartridges. The notified polymer is a
binder resin which will fuse to the paper upon heating in the photocopier.
The notified polymer will be imported as finished toner, packed into cartridges. The black
toner cartridges will contain 160 g toner (126 g notified polymer) for starting cartridges and
310 g toner (245 g notified polymer) for normal cartridges. The colour toner cartridges will
contain 120 g toner (95 g notified polymer) for starting cartridges and 230 g toner (182 g
notified polymer) for normal cartridges. In Australia, the toner will be transported, stored and
handled only in the cartridge prior to end use. The cartridges will be packed in vacuum sealed
bags within cardboard cartons containing four cartridges.
The toner containing the notified polymer is expected to be used in more than 100 sites,
generally offices, in Australia; the anticipated import volume is 333 kg per annum in the first
five years of importation.
6. OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
The toner containing the notified polymer will be contained in sealed cartridges. No
reformulation or repackaging will take place. Hence, no exposure to the notified polymer, or
toner, is expected during transportation and storage. Four to six transport and storage
personnel are expected to be involved in handling the notified polymer, for 2 ?3 hours per
day, 50 days per year.
Occupational exposure to the notified polymer in Australia will primarily concern copier
service personnel.
Duties of the service personnel (approximately 100) will include changing the toner cartridges.
The used cartridge is removed from the machine and replaced with the new cartridge without
direct contact with the toner contained in the cartridge. The toner in the new cartridge remains
sealed until the sealing tape is removed just prior to installation. Toner cartridge replacement
is expected to take 5 ?20 minutes per day, 200 days per year. Inhalation and dermal exposure
t o the toner powder may occur during toner replacement, particularly in the event of a
container leak or spill. Other service operations such as cleaning the inside of the machine and
servicing the machine may also involve contact with toner particles remaining in the interior of
the machine or disturbance of toner dust leading to inhalation exposure. Service personnel are
stated to wear cotton gloves when direct contact with toner is possible.
Exposure may occur upon handling printed matter. However, very little toner is used per
sheet of paper and it would not be separately available for exposure or dermal uptake as it is
fused and fixed to the printed surface. These considerations indicate there would be no human
exposure to the notified polymer during the handling of printed materials.
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7. PUBLIC EXPOSURE
The use of photocopiers using the toner containing the notified polymer is likely to normally
be in the occupational environment, and there is not likely to be public exposure during
transport of sealed toner cartridges. Public contact will therefore only occur from touching the
fixed toner on paper. The notifier states that the toner is fused to the paper and, under normal
conditions, release from the surface is unlikely to occur. Consequently, the potential for
public exposure to the notified polymer during all phases of its life cycle is considered to be
negligible.
8. ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
Release
The toner cartridges are fully sealed prior to insertion into copier machines and therefore
minimal environmental release is expected prior to use. When the toner is exhausted, the used
cartridges are discarded to landfill. The notifier has estimated that up to 40 - 50 g of toner will
remain in the used cartridge, which is then disposed of to landfill. Calculation of the amount
disposed of to landfill depends on the size of cartridge which will chiefly be used. For the
smaller cartridges, 40 ?50 g is 33 ?42 % of the contents, equating to about 110 - 140 kg of
notified polymer annually going to landfill in used cartridges. However, for the large black
cartridge 40 - 50 g represents 13 ?16 % of the cartridge, which would mean 43 - 53 kg of
notified polymer annually going to landfill in used cartridges.
Release of the notified polymer is also expected to occur at landfill sites where spills and
waste paper are discarded. In addition, polymer removed from the paper during recycling is
likely be incorporated with the waste sludge, which will then be discarded to landfill, or
incinerated.
Although there is a risk of release of this polymer during transport, the risk of adverse effects
to the environment is considered to be low as the polymer is contained in individual, sealed
cartridges. Spilt material will be collected and disposed of to either landfill or incineration.
Fate
During recycling, waste paper is pulped and de-inked using a variety of dispersing and
wetting agents, organic solvents and bleaches. After pulping, the contaminants and ink are
separated from the fibres by pumping the stock through various heat washing, screening,
cleaning, flotation and dispersion stages. During these processes there is the potential for
hydrolysis of the polymer to occur. Polymer removed from the paper will most likely be
incorporated with the sludge remaining from recycling. Sludge is likely to be discarded to
landfill or incinerated. Combustion products will be water and oxides of carbon.
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Once in landfill, leaching of the notified polymer is unlikely to occur due to the low solubility
of the substance. Hydrolysis, although theoretically possible, is unlikely. Any polymer
accidentally entering waterways would be expected to settle out onto sediments. The
polymer is not expected to cross biological membranes, due to the low solubility and high
molecular weight. Therefore the notified polymer is not expected to bioaccumulate.
9. EVALUATION OF TOXICOLOGICAL DATA
No toxicology data were submitted.
10. ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
No ecotoxicological data were submitted.
11. ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD
The low environmental exposure of the polymer as a result of normal use indicates that the
overall environmental hazard should be low.
Accidental spillage of the polymer, either during replacement of cartridges or during transport
should result in powder wastes being sent to either landfill or incineration facilities. Polymer
remaining in spent cartridges may also be incinerated or sent to landfill. Movement of the
polymer by leaching from landfill sites is not expected.
Environmental exposure to the notified substance could occur when paper containing the
polymer is recycled or otherwise disposed of. The polymer would remain either bound to
waste paper, or to sludge that results from recycling processes, and may be sent to landfill or
incinerated.
12. ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
EFFECTS
No toxicological information has been provided for the notified polymer and therefore the
substance cannot be assessed against the NOHSC Approved Criteria for Classifying
Hazardous Substances (NOHSC, 1999). The overall toxicity of the notified polymer is
expected to be low as it is not highly reactive and, having a high molecular weight would not
readily cross biological membranes.
The toner containing the notified polymer will have a uniformly small particle size, with 85 %
of the particles being in the respirable size range. Work areas around the photocopiers should
be well ventilated to ensure that the concentration of airborne toner particles is as low as
possible.
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Occupational Health and Safety
Waterside, warehouse and transport workers will be only be exposed to the notified polymer
in the event of an accident or damage to packaging. The occupational health risk to these
workers is negligible, considering the small quantities in individual toner cartridges and the low
hazard presented by the polymer.
The main exposure will be to service personnel who will generally be responsible for changing
toner cartridges. The design of the toner cartridges is such that exposure to the notified
polymer should be minimal, even when changing toner cartridges. Minor dermal or inhalation
exposure may occur if a small quantity of toner is spilt while changing cartridges.
Office workers are not expected to come into contact with the notified polymer under normal
circumstances. Infrequent dermal exposure of end users to the toner containing the notified
polymer may occur during servicing or clearing paper jams, but the high molecular weight of
the notified polymer indicates that dermal absorption would be minimal. There may be a low
level of toner dust in the immediate vicinity of photocopiers when they are operating,
although inhalation exposure to the notified polymer is expected to pose a low toxicological
hazard. Exposure to the notified polymer is not expected to occur once the toner is bound to
paper.
Based on the low toxicological hazard presented by the polymer and the expected very low
exposures, the health risk posed to office workers by the notified polymer is very low.
Public Health
Public exposure to the notified polymer is possible in the event of an accident during
transport and storage, but the likelihood of a substantial spill occurring is low in view of the
packaging. The toner containing the notified polymer would normally only be used in
occupational settings, and therefore inhalation exposure to toner dust is not likely. Due to the
high molecular weight of the notified polymer, percutaneous absorption is unlikely in the case
of dermal contact with the toner.
Based on the information provided and the intended use, the notified polymer does not
appear to pose a significant risk to public health.
13. RECOMMENDATIONS
To minimise occupational exposure to HS-1260P the following guidelines and precautions
should be observed:
Work areas around photocopiers should be well ventilated. Workers using the product
?br>
should implement good work practices to avoid spills and the generation of dust;
Gloves should be worn if direct contact with toner is possible;
?br>
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Spillage of the notified polymer should be avoided. Spillages should be swept up
?br>
promptly and put into containers for disposal;
Good personal hygiene should be practised to minimise the potential for ingestion;
?br>
A copy of the MSDS should be easily accessible to employees.
?br>
14. MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
The MSDS for the notified polymer was provided in accordance with the National Code of
Practice for the Preparation of Material Safety Data Sheets (NOHSC, 1994).
This MSDS was provided by the applicant as part of the notification statement. It is
reproduced here as a matter of public record. The accuracy of this information remains the
responsibility of the applicant.
15. REQUIREMENTS FOR SECONDARY NOTIFICATION
Under subsection 64(1) of the Act, secondary notification may be required if the polymer
characteristics cease to satisfy the criteria under which it has been accepted as a Synthetic
Polymer of Low Concern. Secondary notification of the notified polymer may be required if
any of the circumstances stipulated under subsection 64(2) of the Act arise. No other specific
conditions are prescribed.
16. REFERENCES
International Chemical Safety Cards (1999) Di-n-butyltin Oxide. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh
/ipcs/ipcs0256.html
National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (1994) National Code of Practice for
the Preparation of Material Safety Data Sheets [NOHSC:2011(1994)]. Australian
Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (1995) Adopted National Exposure
Standards for Atmospheric Contaminants in the Occupational Environment,
[NOHSC:1003(1995)]. In: Exposure Standards for Atmospheric Contaminants in the
Occupational Environment: Guidance Note and National Exposure Standards. Australian
Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (1999b) Approved Criteria for
Classifying Hazardous Substances [NOHSC:1008(1999)]. Australian Government Publishing
Service, Canberra.
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