Eco-profiles of the

European Plastics Industry

SODIUM HYDROXIDE

A report by

I Boustead

for

PlasticsEurope

Data last calculated

March 2005

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 IMPORTANT NOTE
Before using the data contained in this report, you are strongly
recommended to look at the following documents:

1. Methodology

This provides information about the analysis technique used

and gives advice on the meaning of the results.

2. Data sources

This gives information about the number of plants examined,

the date when the data were collected and information about
up-stream operations.

In addition, you can also download data sets for most of the
upstream operations used in this report. All of these documents
can be found at: www.plasticseurope.org.

PlasticsEurope may be contacted at

Ave E van Nieuwenhuyse 4

Box 3
B-1160 Brussels

Telephone: 32-2-672-8259
Fax: 32-2-675-3935

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CONTENTS

ELECTROLYSIS OF BRINE......................................................................................................4

PRODUCT TREATMENT...........................................................................................................8

PARTITIONING ...........................................................................................................................8
SODIUM CHLORIDE .......................................................................................................................8
WATER EMISSIONS .......................................................................................................................8
STEAM INPUT TO THE CHLORINE CELL .........................................................................................9
HCL INPUT TO THE CHLORINE CELL .............................................................................................9
NAOH INPUT TO THE CHLORINE CELL ..........................................................................................9
SULPHURIC ACID INPUT ................................................................................................................9
HYDROGEN EMISSIONS FROM THE CHLORINE CELL ......................................................................9
CHLORINE EMISSIONS FROM THE CHLORINE CELL........................................................................9
ELECTRICITY USE IN THE CHLORINE CELL ..................................................................................10
ECO-PROFILE OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE.........................................................................10

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ELECTROLYSIS OF BRINE
Over 90% of all industrial chlorine is produced by electrolysis, a process in
which an electric current is passed through a brine solution. An important by-
product of this process is sodium hydroxide. In its simplest form an electrolytic
cell is as shown in Figure 1. Two plates, or electrodes, are inserted into a brine
solution and connected to a DC power supply. The electrode connected to the
negative terminal is called the cathode and the electrode connected to the
positive terminal is called the anode. When the current passes, chlorine gas is
liberated at the anode, hydrogen gas is liberated at the cathode and the
electrolyte is gradually converted from sodium chloride to sodium hydroxide.

The net result of the reaction can be written as:

NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) = NaOH(aq) + H2(g) + Cl2(g)

All of the products of this reaction are marketable and so should be as pure as
possible - hence one reason for the initial purification of the brine.

Quite apart from the poor energy efficiency of the simple cell, it possesses a
number of other disadvantages which call for a more sophisticated design.
Principal amongst these are:

(a) It is difficult to collect the hydrogen and chlorine gases,

(b) It is difficult to keep the hydrogen and chlorine gases apart. This could
cause serious problems because they could react explosively with each other to
form hydrogen chloride.

(c) The electrolyte is a mixture of sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide which
would need further treatment to separate the marketable sodium hydroxide.

(d) Cells operate at elevated temperatures and hot sodium hydroxide solution
will dissolve chlorine.

(e) The simple cell is not a continuous process.

(f) Once a significant proportion of the sodium chloride has been converted to
the hydroxide, the cell is operating with dilute solutions of NaCl, which makes
it inefficient.

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 - +
chlorine
cathode anode

hydrogen

brine

NaOH

Figure 1. Simple electrolytic cell.

One of the first methods employed to overcome some of these problems was
the diaphragm cell shown schematically in Figure 2. It differs from the simple
cell of Figure 1 in that the anode and cathode are separated by a permeable
membrane (originally made from porous pot). The level of electrolyte in the
anode chamber is maintained at a slightly higher level than that in the cathode
chamber by allowing fresh brine to trickle in at the same rate as it runs out
through the diaphragm. The net result is a continuous flow of electrolyte from
anode to cathode chamber but the electrolytic reaction is identical to that in the
simple cell.

The diaphragm cell overcomes most of the problems of the simple cell.
Hydrogen and chlorine are produced in separate chambers, sodium hydroxide
cannot diffuse into the anode chamber to react with the chlorine because of the
continuous flow of brine through the diaphragm, the anode is presented with a
constant concentration of sodium chloride so producing chlorine at a constant
rate and, finally, the process is continuous.

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 hydrogen chlorine

- +

brine

NaCl+NaOH

Figure 2. Schematic diagram of a diaphragm cell.

From an operational viewpoint, the brine used in diaphragm cells must be

carefully purified. It is especially important that the concentrations of Mg++ and
Ca++ ions are minimised because the presence of sodium hydroxide will cause
these two impurities to precipitate. This often occurs in the diaphragm itself and
blocks the pores.

In modern diaphragm cells the diaphragm is usually made of asbestos, the

cathode is usually a steel wire mesh and the anodes are usually titanium. The
diaphragm will usually last 3 to 4 months before it needs replacement. The
membrane cell is based on the same principle as the diaphragm cell but the
membrane is usually based on cellulosic fibres.

One of the main commercial disadvantages of the diaphragm cell is the

production of a mixture of sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide rather than
pure sodium hydroxide. This problem is overcome in the mercury cell
(sometimes called the amalgam cell) illustrated schematically in Figure 3.

This cell relies on the property of mercury, a liquid at room temperatures, to

dissolve sodium metal to form an amalgam which remains liquid until the
sodium concentration reaches 2.5wt%. In the mercury cell, mercury flows
slowly across the steel base of the cell and electrical contact is made through
the base. A stream of clean mercury is fed in at one end of the cell and liquid
amalgam is extracted at the other. Similarly, saturated brine is fed into one end
of the cell and depleted brine is extracted at the other; this maintains a constant
concentration of brine within the cell.

This type of cell requires to additional external facilities; some means of

decomposing the amalgam and some means of regenerating the brine.

The amalgam can be readily decomposed with hot water and since the process
is separate from the electrolytic cell, the sodium hydroxide is pure and can be

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obtain at commercial concentrations at this stage. Furthermore, since the
hydrogen liberated during the decomposition is outside of the electrolytic cell,
there is no possibility of any reaction between hydrogen and chlorine.

saturated brine depleted brine

anode

amalgam outlet
mercury inlet

cathode

Figure 3. Schematic diagram of a mercury cell. See text for explanation.

During passage through the cell, the brine concentration is reduced by 10%-
15% of its initial value. The brine is regenerated by passing it through a
suspension of solid sodium chloride. However, because of the continuous
recycling, it is important that the resaturation plant also incorporates a further
purification operation to prevent the build-up of impurities.

In the sample of producers examined in this report, 68% were operating

mercury cells, 12% were operating diaphragm cells and the remaining 20%
operated membrane cells. The mix of products also varied from one operator to
another. Most producers manufactured chlorine, sodium hydroxide and
hydrogen. One producer however made no chlorine; all of it was converted to
sodium hypochlorite. The quantities of hydrogen recovered for further use was
variable, ranging from one producers who vented the whole of the hydrogen
output to the atmosphere to one producer who recovered almost the whole
stoichiometric amount. All operators of mercury cells also produced sodium
hypochlorite. Smaller quantities of hypochlorite were produced by the operators
of membrane cells but very little hypochlorite was manufactured by the
operators of diaphragm cells. The production of the different products by the
various routes are summarised in Table 1.

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Table 1.
Production of chlorine, sodium hydroxide, hydrogen and sodium hypochlorite
in thousands of tonnes by the different production routes in the sample of plants
examined. NaOH and NaOCl are expressed as 100% chemical and not as
solution mass.
Production from Chlorine Sodium Hydrogen Sodium
plants operating: hydroxide hypochlorite
Mercury cells 5007 6386 189 374
Membrane cells 1836 2045 51 125
Diaphragm cells 949 1063 27 3
Totals 7792 9494 267 502

PRODUCT TREATMENT
Most chlorine is dried using concentrated sulphuric acid and then compressed.
A small proportion ( 5% of the sample examined) was liquefied.

Sodium hydroxide from mercury cells is usually produced as a 50% solution.

That produced in both membrane and diaphragm cells is treated to remove
residual sodium chloride and is concentrated. A small proportion ( 4% of the
sample examined) produced solid sodium hydroxide.

None of the plants examined reported any treatment for the hydrogen produced.
In many instances this hydrogen was burned in the steam plant to generate
process steam and, occasionally, electricity for use in the electrolysis plant.

PARTITIONING
Sodium chloride
In the present work, sodium chloride has been partitioned between chlorine,
sodium hydroxide and, where appropriate, sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen
chloride on the basis of the stoichiometric demand. Any excess inputs of
sodium chloride have been attributed to the relevant products in proportion to
their stoichiometric demands.

Water emissions
Those water emissions associated with NaCl and its purification have been
attributed to chlorine, sodium hydroxide and, where appropriate, sodium
hypochlorite and hydrogen chloride on the basis of the quantities of sodium
chloride attributed to each of these products. Water emissions, which could not

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be directly attributed to sodium chloride, e.g. mercury emissions, were
partitioned between the products on a simple mass basis.

Steam input to the chlorine cell

In an earlier report,1 the steam input to chlorine cells was all attributed to
sodium hydroxide on the assumption that this was the primary reason for this
input. From the present data, however, it is clear that this is not so. Many plants
which reported separately the NaOH concentration stage also reported steam
inputs to the cell itself. The steam input to the chlorine cell has therefore been
partitioned across all products on a simple mass basis.

HCl input to the chlorine cell

Any HCl input to the cell electrolyte will be completely dissociated and will
therefore provide an additional source of chloride ions in the electrolyte. It has
therefore has been attributed to the production of chlorine.

NaOH input to the chlorine cell

Any NaOH input to the cell has been attributed solely to the production of
NaOH on the assumption that it will be recovered along with the NaOH
generated within the electrolytic process.

Sulphuric acid input

An input of 98% sulphuric acid is used for chlorine drying and so has all been
attributed to the chlorine output.

Hydrogen emissions from the chlorine cell

Hydrogen emissions from the cell refer to the losses of hydrogen to the
atmosphere. These emissions have therefore all been attributed to the
production of hydrogen.

Chlorine emissions from the chlorine cell

Chlorine gas emissions from the cell refer to the loss of chlorine to the
atmosphere. These emissions have therefore all been attributed to the
production of chlorine.

1
I Boustead. Ecoprofiles of the European polymer industry: Report 6: Polyvinyl chloride. A
report for APMEs technical and Environmental Centre, Brussels. April 1994.

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Electricity use in the chlorine cell
The allocation of electricity to the different products from the chlorine cell has
been the subject of much discussion over the years. Almost all methods that
have been proposed have their proponents and opponents and no single method
meets with universal approval. In the present work electricity input is
partitioned over all marketable or usable products on a simple mass basis. This
is the method that has traditionally been used in almost all work to date.

ECO-PROFILE OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE

The data given here refer to a concentrated solution of sodium hydroxide and
refer to the mass of hydroxide, not the mass of solution. Table 2 shows the
gross or cumulative energy to produce 1 kg of electrolytic hydrogen and Table
3 gives this same data expressed in terms of primary fuels. Table 4 shows the
energy data expressed as masses of fuels. Table 5 shows the raw materials
requirements and Table 6 shows the demand for water. Table 7 shows the gross
air emissions and Table 8 shows the corresponding carbon dioxide equivalents
of these air emissions. Table 9 shows the emissions to water. Table 10 shows
the solid waste generated and Table 11 gives the solid waste in EU format.

Table 2
Gross energy required to produce 1 kg of sodium hydroxide. (Totals may not
agree because of rounding)
Fuel type Fuel prod'n Energy content Energy use Feedstock Total
& delivery of delivered in energy energy
energy fuel transport
(MJ) (MJ) (MJ) (MJ) (MJ)
Electricity 7.81 4.05 0.07 - 11.93
Oil fuels 0.15 1.11 0.03 <0.01 1.29
Other fuels 0.39 8.11 0.03 0.29 8.82
Totals 8.35 13.27 0.13 0.29 22.04

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Table 3
Gross primary fuels required to produce 1 kg of sodium hydroxide. (Totals may
not agree because of rounding)
Fuel type Fuel prod'n Energy content Fuel use Feedstock Total
& delivery of delivered in energy energy
energy fuel transport
(MJ) (MJ) (MJ) (MJ) (MJ)
Coal 1.63 2.02 <0.01 0.23 3.88
Oil 0.72 1.44 0.12 <0.01 2.27
Gas 1.53 7.44 <0.01 <0.01 8.98
Hydro 0.57 0.43 <0.01 - 1.00
Nuclear 3.67 1.81 <0.01 - 5.48
Lignite <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 - <0.01
Wood <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.06 0.06
Sulphur <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.01 0.01
Biomass (solid) 0.04 0.03 <0.01 <0.01 0.07
Hydrogen <0.01 0.48 <0.01 - 0.48
Recovered energy <0.01 -0.45 <0.01 - -0.45
Unspecified <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 - <0.01
Peat 0.01 0.01 <0.01 - 0.01
Geothermal 0.06 0.03 <0.01 - 0.08
Solar <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 - <0.01
Wave/tidal <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 - <0.01
Biomass (liquid/gas) 0.02 0.01 <0.01 - 0.03
Industrial waste 0.02 0.01 <0.01 - 0.03
Municipal Waste 0.05 0.02 <0.01 - 0.07
Wind 0.02 0.01 <0.01 - 0.03
Totals 8.35 13.27 0.13 0.29 22.04

Table 4
Gross primary fuels used to
produce 1 kg of sodium
hydroxide expressed as mass.
Fuel type Input in mg
Crude oil 50000
Gas/condensate 170000
Coal 140000
Metallurgical coal 32
Lignite 12
Peat 1600
Wood 6300

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Table 5
Gross raw materials required to produce 1
kg of sodium hydroxide.
Raw material Input in mg
Air 22000
Animal matter <1
Barytes 31
Bauxite <1
Bentonite <1
Biomass (including water) 11000
Calcium sulphate (CaSO4) <1
Chalk (CaCO3) <1
Clay <1
Cr <1
Cu <1
Dolomite 1
Fe 80
Feldspar <1
Ferromanganese <1
Fluorspar <1
Granite <1
Gravel <1
Hg 2
Limestone (CaCO3) 11000
Mg <1
N2 710
Ni <1
O2 2
Olivine 1
Pb 1
Phosphate as P2O5 <1
Potassium chloride (KCl) 2
Quartz (SiO2) <1
Rutile <1
S (bonded) <1
S (elemental) 1400
Sand (SiO2) 81
Shale <1
Sodium chloride (NaCl) 990000
Sodium nitrate (NaNO3) <1
Talc <1
Unspecified <1
Zn <1

Table 6
Gross water consumption required for the production of 1 kg
of sodium hydroxide. (Totals may not agree because of
rounding)
Source Use for Use for Totals
processing cooling
(mg) (mg) (mg)
Public supply 430000 - 430000
River canal 6 640 640
Sea 34 550 580
Well <1 <1 <1
Unspecified 3000000 6600000 9600000
Totals 3400000 6600000 10000000

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Table 7
Gross air emissions associated with the production of 1 kg of sodium
hydroxide. (Totals may not agree because of rounding)
Emission From From From From From From Totals
fuel prod'n fuel use transport process biomass fugitive
(mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg)
dust (PM10) 350 83 2 110 - - 540
CO 740 150 23 1 - - 910
CO2 440000 680000 3800 570 -5800 - 1100000
SOX as SO2 2900 1900 34 <1 - - 4800
H2S <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
mercaptan <1 <1 <1 <1 - - <1
NOX as NO2 1300 1700 34 10 - - 3000
NH3 <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
Cl2 <1 <1 <1 <1 - - <1
HCl 46 13 <1 <1 - - 59
F2 <1 <1 <1 <1 - - <1
HF 2 <1 <1 <1 - - 2
hydrocarbons not specified 510 110 10 <1 - <1 640
aldehyde (-CHO) <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
organics <1 <1 <1 <1 - - <1
Pb+compounds as Pb <1 <1 <1 <1 - - <1
Hg+compounds as Hg <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
metals not specified elsewhere 1 1 <1 <1 - - 2
H2SO4 <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
N2O <1 <1 <1 <1 - - <1
H2 28 <1 <1 260 - - 290
dichloroethane (DCE) C2H4Cl2 <1 - <1 <1 - <1 <1
vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) <1 - <1 <1 - <1 <1
CFC/HCFC/HFC not specified <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
organo-chlorine not specified <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
HCN <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
CH4 11000 230 <1 65 - <1 12000
aromatic HC not specified elsewhere <1 - <1 <1 - <1 <1
polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAH) <1 <1 <1 <1 - - <1
NMVOC <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
CS2 <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
methylene chloride CH2Cl2 <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
Cu+compounds as Cu <1 <1 <1 <1 - - <1
As+compounds as As - - - <1 - - <1
Cd+compounds as Cd <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
Ag+compounds as Ag - - - <1 - - <1
Zn+compounds as Zn <1 - <1 <1 - - <1
Cr+compounds as Cr <1 <1 <1 <1 - - <1
Se+compounds as Se - - - <1 - - <1
Ni+compounds as Ni <1 <1 <1 <1 - - <1
Sb+compounds as Sb - - <1 <1 - - <1
ethylene C2H4 - - <1 <1 - - <1
oxygen - - - <1 - - <1
asbestos - - - <1 - - <1
dioxin/furan as Teq - - - <1 - - <1
benzene C6H6 - - - <1 - <1 <1
toluene C7H8 - - - <1 - <1 <1
xylenes C8H10 - - - <1 - <1 <1
ethylbenzene C8H10 - - - <1 - <1 <1
styrene - - - <1 - <1 <1
propylene - - - <1 - - <1

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Table 8
Carbon dioxide equivalents corresponding to the gross air emissions for the
production of 1 kg of sodium hydroxide. (Totals may not agree because of
rounding)
Type From From From From From From Totals
fuel prod'n fuel use transport process biomass fugitive
(mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg)
20 year equiv 1200000 700000 3900 4600 -5800 <1 1900000
100 year equiv 710000 690000 3900 2100 -5800 <1 1400000
500 year equiv 530000 680000 3900 1000 -5800 <1 1200000

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Table 9
Gross emissions to water arising from the production of 1 kg of sodium
hydroxide. (Totals may not agree because of rounding).
Emission From From From From Totals
fuel prod'n fuel use transport process
(mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg)
COD 1 - <1 3 5
BOD <1 - <1 <1 <1
Pb+compounds as Pb <1 - <1 <1 <1
Fe+compounds as Fe <1 - <1 <1 <1
Na+compounds as Na <1 - <1 23000 23000
acid as H+ 1 - <1 1 3
NO3- <1 - <1 <1 <1
Hg+compounds as Hg <1 - <1 <1 <1
metals not specified elsewhere <1 - <1 6 7
ammonium compounds as NH4+ 1 - <1 1 2
Cl- <1 - <1 32000 32000
CN- <1 - <1 <1 <1
F- <1 - <1 <1 <1
S+sulphides as S <1 - <1 <1 <1
dissolved organics (non- <1 - <1 <1 <1
suspended solids 34 - 4 3400 3400
detergent/oil <1 - <1 <1 <1
hydrocarbons not specified <1 <1 <1 <1 <1
organo-chlorine not specified <1 - <1 17 17
dissolved chlorine <1 - <1 <1 <1
phenols <1 - <1 <1 <1
dissolved solids not specified <1 - <1 16000 16000
P+compounds as P <1 - <1 3 3
other nitrogen as N <1 - <1 3 4
other organics not specified <1 - <1 <1 <1
SO4-- <1 - <1 4700 4700
dichloroethane (DCE) <1 - <1 <1 <1
vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) <1 - <1 <1 <1
K+compounds as K <1 - <1 <1 <1
Ca+compounds as Ca <1 - <1 100 100
Mg+compounds as Mg <1 - <1 <1 <1
Cr+compounds as Cr <1 - <1 <1 <1
ClO3-- <1 - <1 280 280
BrO3-- <1 - <1 <1 <1
TOC <1 - <1 1 1
AOX <1 - <1 <1 <1
Al+compounds as Al <1 - <1 <1 <1
Zn+compounds as Zn <1 - <1 <1 <1
Cu+compounds as Cu <1 - <1 1 1
Ni+compounds as Ni <1 - <1 1 1
CO3-- - - <1 150 150
As+compounds as As - - <1 <1 <1
Cd+compounds as Cd - - <1 <1 <1
Mn+compounds as Mn - - <1 <1 <1
organo-tin as Sn - - <1 <1 <1
Sr+compounds as Sr - - <1 <1 <1
organo-silicon - - - <1 <1
benzene - - - <1 <1
dioxin/furan as Teq - - <1 <1 <1

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Table 10
Gross solid waste associated with the production of 1 kg of sodium hydroxide.
(Totals may not agree because of rounding)
Emission From From From From Totals
fuel prod'n fuel use transport process
(mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg)
Plastic containers <1 - <1 <1 <1
Paper <1 - <1 <1 <1
Plastics <1 - <1 1100 1100
Metals <1 - <1 <1 <1
Putrescibles <1 - <1 <1 <1
Unspecified refuse 600 - <1 <1 600
Mineral waste 25 - 38 6800 6900
Slags & ash 8600 1300 15 2800 13000
Mixed industrial -990 - 1 380 -610
Regulated chemicals 730 - <1 200 930
Unregulated chemicals 560 - <1 2200 2700
Construction waste <1 - <1 <1 <1
Waste to incinerator <1 - <1 <1 <1
Inert chemical <1 - <1 780 780
Wood waste <1 - <1 130 130
Wooden pallets <1 - <1 <1 <1
Waste to recycling <1 - <1 <1 <1
Waste returned to mine 26000 - 1 6 26000
Tailings 1 - 1 7 9
Municipal solid waste -6600 - - <1 -6600
Note: Negative values correspond to consumption of waste e.g. recycling or use in electricity
generation.

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Table 11
Gross solid waste in EU format associated with the
production of 1 kg of sodium hydroxide. Entries marked
with an asterisk (*) are considered hazardous as defined
by EU Directive 91/689/EEC
Emission Totals
(mg)
010101 metallic min'l excav'n waste 350
010102 non-metal min'l excav'n waste 27000
010306 non 010304/010305 tailings 2
010308 non-010307 powdery wastes 2
010399 unspecified met. min'l wastes 98
010408 non-010407 gravel/crushed rock 76
010410 non-010407 powdery wastes <1
010411 non-010407 potash/rock salt 3400
010499 unsp'd non-met. waste 1
010505*oil-bearing drilling mud/waste 710
010508 non-010504/010505 chloride mud 560
010599 unspecified drilling mud/waste 600
020107 wastes from forestry 130
050106*oil ind. oily maint'e sludges <1
050107*oil industry acid tars <1
050199 unspecified oil industry waste 22
050699 coal pyrolysis unsp'd waste 29
060101*H2SO4/H2SO3 MFSU waste <1
060102*HCl MFSU waste <1
060106*other acidic MFSU waste <1
060199 unsp'd acid MFSU waste <1
060204*NaOH/KOH MFSU waste <1
060299 unsp'd base MFSU waste 2
060313*h. metal salt/sol'n MFSU waste 3100
060314 other salt/sol'n MFSU waste <1
060399 unsp'd salt/sol'n MFSU waste 1100
060404*Hg MSFU waste 7
060405*other h. metal MFSU waste 1
060499 unsp'd metallic MFSU waste 720
060602*dangerous sulphide MFSU waste <1
060603 non-060602 sulphide MFSU waste 3
060701*halogen electrol. asbestos waste 220
060702*Cl pr. activated C waste <1
060703*BaSO4 sludge with Hg 6
060704*halogen pr. acids and sol'ns 1300
060799 unsp'd halogen pr. waste 700
061002*N ind. dangerous sub. waste <1
061099 unsp'd N industry waste <1
070101*organic chem. aqueous washes <1
070103*org. halogenated solv'ts/washes <1
070107*hal'd still bottoms/residues <1
070108*other still bottoms/residues <1
070111*org. chem. dan. eff. sludge <1
070112 non-070111 effluent sludge <1
070199 unsp'd organic chem. waste <1
070204*polymer ind. other washes <1
070207*polymer ind. hal'd still waste <1

continued over ..

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Table 11 - continued
Gross solid waste in EU format associated with the
production of 1 kg of sodium hydroxide. Entries marked
with an asterisk (*) are considered hazardous as defined
by EU Directive 91/689/EEC
070208*polymer ind. other still waste <1
070209*polymer ind. hal'd fil. cakes <1
070213 polymer ind. waste plastic <1
070214*polymer ind. dan. additives <1
070216 polymer ind. silicone wastes <1
070299 unsp'd polymer ind. waste <1
080199 unspecified paint/varnish waste <1
100101 non-100104 ash, slag & dust 9900
100102 coal fly ash <1
100104*oil fly ash and boiler dust <1
100105 FGD Ca-based reac. solid waste <1
100113*emulsified hyrdocarbon fly ash <1
100114*dangerous co-incin'n ash/slag <1
100115 non-100115 co-incin'n ash/slag 170
100116*dangerous co-incin'n fly ash <1
100199 unsp'd themal process waste 200
100202 unprocessed iron/steel slag 24
100210 iron/steel mill scales 2
100399 unspecified aluminium waste <1
100501 primary/secondary zinc slags <1
100504 zinc pr. other dust <1
100511 non-100511 Zn pr. skimmings <1
101304 lime calcin'n/hydration waste <1
130208*other engine/gear/lub. oil <1
150101 paper and cardboard packaging <1
150102 plastic packaging <1
150103 wooden packaging <1
150106 mixed packaging <1
170107 non-170106 con'e/brick/tile mix <1
170904 non-170901/2/3 con./dem'n waste <1
190199 unspecified incin'n/pyro waste <1
190905 sat./spent ion exchange resins 780
200101 paper and cardboard <1
200108 biodeg. kitchen/canteen waste <1
200138 non-200137 wood <1
200139 plastics 1100
200140 metals <1
200199 other separately coll. frac'ns -1600
200301 mixed municipal waste <1
200399 unspecified municipal wastes -6000
Note: Negative values correspond to consumption of waste e.g. recycling or use in
electricity generation.

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