1、BRITISH STANDARD BS 7982:2001 Guidance on the environmental impact of large-scale fires involving plastics materials ICS 13.020.30 NO COPYING WITHOUT BSI PERMISSION EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY COPYRIGHT LAWBS 7982:2001 This British Standard, having been prepared under the direction of the Materials and C
2、hemicals Sector Policy and Strategy Committee, was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 31 August 2001 BSI 31 August 2001 The following BSI references relate to the work on this British Standard: Committee reference PRI/26 Draft for comment 00/124251 DC ISB
3、N 0 580 38302 4 Committees responsible for this British Standard The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted to Technical Committee PRI/26, Burning behaviour of plastics and rubbers, upon which the following bodies were represented: Association of Building Component Manufacturers British
4、Cables Association British Electrical Systems Association British Plastics Federation British Railways Board Building Research Establishment Electrical and Electronic Insulation Association (BEAMA Ltd.) Electricity Association ERA Technology Ltd. GAMBICA Home Office Lighting Industry Federation Ltd.
5、 MOD UK Defence Standardization National Supervising Inspectorate RAPRA Technology Ltd. University of Ulster Warrington Fire Research Centre Amendments issued since publication Amd. No. Date CommentsBS 7982:2001 BSI 31 August 2001 i Contents Page Committees responsible Inside front cover Foreword ii
6、 Introduction 1 1S c o p e 1 2 Normative references 1 3 Terms, definitions, symbols and abbreviations 2 4P l a s t i c s a n d f i r e 4 5 Overview of relevant legislation and guidance documents 5 6 Introduction to fires 5 7 Decomposition products from burning plastics 10 8 Potential environmental i
7、mpact of fires 13 9 Experience of large-scale fires involving plastics 24 10 Mitigation measures 28 Annex A (informative) Overview of relevant regulations and guidance documents 32 Bibliography 35 Figure 1 Fires in the open 6 Figure 2 Fires in enclosures 8 Figure 3 The various phases of a fire 9 Tab
8、le 1 Time-scales of events during the various phases of a fire 9 Table 2 Types of plastics and their decomposition products 11 Table 3 Additives in plastics compounds 13 Table 4 Possible short-term exposure effects 17 Table 5 Acute toxic potency values for asphyxiant gases 17 Table 6 Acute toxic pot
9、ency values and short-term exposure limits for some irritant gases 18 Table 7 Summary of toxic and irritant impacts on freshwater/marine species 19 Table 8 Possible long-term exposure effects of plastics fire emissions 20 Table 9 Summary impacts of general pollutants on crops 21 Table 10 Summary of
10、the key toxins, carcinogens and “exotic” organic compounds monitored during the Ontario fire 23 Table 11 Summary of the impacts of toxins, carcinogens and “exotic” organics on freshwater/marine habitats and species and on human populations through the food-chain as a result of the Ontario fire 24 Ta
11、ble 12 Summary of key impacts and mitigation measures 31BS 7982:2001 ii BSI 31 August 2001 Foreword This British Standard has been prepared by Technical Committee PRI/26. This British Standard provides information, guidance and recommendations. It should not be quoted as though it were a specificati
12、on and particular care should be taken to ensure that all claims of compliance are not misleading. A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application. Compliance with a British Standard d
13、oes not of itself confer immunity from legal obligations. Summary of pages This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii, pages 1 to 37 and a back cover. The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the document was last issued.BS 7982:2001 BSI 31
14、 August 2001 1 Introduction A number of incidents at plastics storage sites involving hundreds of tonnes of plastics have focused the attention of the public on the consequences and the safety issues resulting from storing plastics materials and products. This British Standard aims to complement the
15、 Home Office document on the fire safety of tyre storage sites 1; much of this guidance may also be applicable to certain plastics storage sites. In addition to providing information and guidance on the burning of plastics and the environmental impact zones following a major fire, this standard list
16、s and briefly reviews the relevant legislation, regulations and guidelines that apply to such situations. An important and far-reaching example of such legislation is the EU Directive 96/82/EC 2, commonly referred to as the “Seveso II” Directive. Directive 96/82/EC 2 was implemented in the United Ki
17、ngdom as The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH) 3. It aims to minimize the consequences to people and the environment where accidents have occurred. COMAH applies to a wide range of activities including the storage, use and manufacture of large quantities of dangerous substan
18、ces. It should be noted that these regulations do not apply directly to plastics since plastics are not considered to be dangerous substances per se. It is possible, however, that burning plastics might release potentially dangerous substances and the application of COMAH represents a cautious appro
19、ach in such cases. Most importantly, COMAH emphasizes the need for site operators to assess the risks of incidents and also their consequences for people and the environment. The competent Government authority for COMAH lies jointly with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
20、and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). 1 Scope This British Standard gives guidance to site operators, emergency planners and local authorities on the likely environmental impact of large-scale fires involving significant quantities of stored plastics. This includes: a) stocks of plastics raw ma
21、terials stored prior to or during manufacture; b) stocks of fabricated articles stored after manufacture; c) stocks of articles for sale, e.g. in warehouses; d) stocks of articles awaiting recycling. The environmental impact of effluents from incinerators and power stations is not included. Rubber t
22、yres are not within the scope of this standard as they are the subject of separate guidance issued by the Home Office 1. NOTE 1 Stocks of finished plastics and rubber articles at point of sale (e.g. garden centres) that contain very large quantities of plastics form a further category. This category
23、 is different from the four cited in 1a) to 1d) because large numbers of people can often be involved. A major plastics fire in a confined area, such as on a ship, forms yet another category. NOTE 2 Whilst rubbers and rubber products are not covered in this standard, much of the guidance may be appl
24、ied to them as well as to plastics. There are many similarities in chemical composition between thermoplastic elastomers and more rigid thermoplastics and the fire effluents from the two families of products are similar. Much of the guidance issued by the Home Office 1 for the storage of rubber tyre
25、s may be used as a example of how to manage large stocks of plastic products. 2 Normative references The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this British Standard. For dated references, subsequent amendments to, or revision
26、s of, any of these publications do not apply. For undated references, the latest edition of the publication referred to applies. BS EN 2:1992, Classification of fires. BS ISO 472, Plastics Vocabulary. BS EN ISO 13943, Fire safety Vocabulary. BS 5839-1:1988, Fire detection and alarm systems for build
27、ings Part 1: Code of Practice for system design, installation and servicing.BS 7982:2001 2 BSI 31 August 2001 BS 5306-2:1990, Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises Part 2: Specification for sprinkler systems. BS EN ISO 1043-1, Plastics Symbols and abbreviated terms Basic polymer
28、s and their special characteristics. 3 Terms, definitions, symbols and abbreviations For the purposes of this British Standard, the terms and definitions given in BS EN ISO 1043-1 and the following apply. 3.1 additive substance added to polymers to improve or modify one or more properties BS ISO 472
29、 3.2 asphyxiant gas gas that incapacitates victims by starving the body of oxygen, resulting in impairment of the nervous and cardiovascular systems causing loss of consciousness and ultimately death 3.3 environment surroundings in which an organization operates, including air, water, land, natural
30、resources, flora, fauna, humans, and their interrelation 3.4 environmental impact any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from an organizations activities, products or services 3.5 establishment building or premises under the control of an operator
31、 where plastic or rubber materials are present in one or more installations, including common or related infrastructure or activities NOTE This definition has been adapted from that of “establishment” in EU Council Directive 96/82/EC 2. 3.6 “exotic” organic compounds organic compounds that may be to
32、xic at very low concentrations, such as certain polychloro- and polybromo-dibenzodioxins/furans and organophosphates 3.7 filler relatively inert solid material added to a plastic to modify its strength, permanence, working properties or other qualities, or to lower costs BS ISO 472 3.8 fire effluent
33、 totality of gases and/or aerosols (including suspended particles) created by combustion or pyrolysis BS EN ISO 13943 3.9 foamed plastic cellular plastic plastic in which the density is reduced by the presence of numerous small cavities (cells), interconnecting or not, dispersed throughout the mass
34、NOTE A foamed plastic often is called simply a foam. Rigid foams normally have a closed-cell structure whilst flexible foams have an open-cell (interconnecting) structure.BS 7982:2001 BSI 31 August 2001 3 3.10 hazard intrinsic property of a plastic or rubber material or physical situation, with a po
35、tential for creating damage to human health and/or the environment NOTE This definition has been adapted from that of “hazard” in EU Council Directive 96/82/EC. 3.11 installation technical unit within an establishment, in which plastic or rubber materials are produced, used, handled or stored NOTE 1
36、 This includes all the equipment, structures, pipe work, machinery, tools, private railway sidings, docks, unloading quays serving the installation, jetties, warehouses or similar structures, floating or otherwise, necessary for the operation of the installation. NOTE 2 This definition has been adap
37、ted from that of “installation” in EU Council Directive 96/82/EC. 3.12 irritant effluent that causes immediate painful sensory stimulation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, resulting in behavioural incapacitation and impairment of breathing NOTE Irritants can cause inflammatory lung reactions and
38、 oedema which also result in impairment of respiration and may ultimately prove fatal several hours, or even days, after removal from a fire atmosphere. 3.13 major accident major emission, fire, or explosion resulting from uncontrolled developments in the course of the operation of any establishment
39、, and leading to serious danger to human health and/or the environment, immediate or delayed, inside or outside the establishment, and involving dangerous material NOTE This definition is taken from that of “major accident” in EU Council Directive 96/82/EC. 3.14 MEL maximum exposure limit 3.15 opera
40、tor individual or corporate body who owns or operates an establishment or installation or, if provided for by national legislation, has been given decisive economic power in the technical operation thereof NOTE This definition is taken from that of “operator” in EU Council Directive 96/82/EC. 3.16 O
41、ES occupational exposure standard 3.17 plastic material which contains as an essential ingredient a polymer of high molecular weight and which at some stage in its processing into finished products can be shaped by flow NOTE Thermoplastic elastomeric materials, flexible polyurethane foams and coated
42、 fabrics are included for the purposes of this document. 3.18 PM 10 a mass median aerodynamic diameter of 10 micrometres or less 3.19 pyrolysis that part of the irreversible chemical decomposition caused solely by a rise in temperature BS EN ISO 13943BS 7982:2001 4 BSI 31 August 2001 3.20 risk likel
43、ihood of a specific effect occurring within a specified period or in specified circumstances NOTE This definition is taken from that of “risk” in EU Council Directive 96/82/EC. 3.21 storage presence of a quantity of plastic or rubber materials for the purposes of warehousing, depositing in safe cust
44、ody or keeping in stock NOTE This definition has been adapted from that of “storage” in EU Council Directive 96/82/EC. 3.22 thermoplastic, noun plastics material capable of being softened repeatedly by heating and hardened by cooling through a temperature range characteristic of the plastic and, in
45、the softened state, of being shaped by flow repeatedly into articles by moulding, extrusion or forming BS ISO 472 3.23 thermoset plastic plastics material that has been cured by heat or by other means such as radiation, catalysts, into a substantially infusible and insoluble state BS ISO 472 3.24 LC
46、 50 term used to denote the concentration of material or fire effluent that causes death in 50 % of an exposed animal population in a given time 3.25 dioxins/furans abbreviated terms for certain polychloro- and polybromo-dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans 4 Plastics and fire The use of plastics in our
47、 modern society increased over thirty-fold between 1970 and 2000. Plastics, or synthetic polymers, are chemically similar to natural polymers such as wood, paper, cotton and wool. These are all composed largely of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and so can burn. Although their combustibility characteri
48、stics are similar, special precautions are required where large concentrations of plastics products become involved in a fire. The thirteen types of plastics covered in this British Standard are the materials most likely to be encountered. All plastics can be divided into two categories: melting, or
49、 thermoplastic, and non-melting, or thermoset. As heat is applied to thermoplastic products there is deformation followed by shrinkage, melting and finally combustion of vaporized material. The melting point for most thermoplastics is in the range 75 C to 250 C. Cooling of the molten masses can result in the formation of a bridge or shell covering a hot pool of molten, smouldering and/or flaming plastic. Thorough and prolonged cooling with a water fog is recommended. In the case of cellular plastics (e.g. th
