Huai’an KAIYUE Technological Development Co., Ltd. is specialized in environmental protection leather industry. The company uses water instead of organic solvent as a new type of polyurethane dispersion medium, also known as water-dispersed polyurethane, water-based polyurethane or water-based polyurethane. Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) has the advantages of water as solvent, pollution-free, safe and reliable, excellent mechanical properties, good compatibility and easy modification.
1. Environmental pollution, safety and sanitation.
The annual demand of solvent-based PU resin for synthetic leather is about 2 million tons/year, of which 70% is resin solvent; 2 million tons is needed for diluents (organic solvents) according to 1:1, and 3.4 million tons of solvents are needed in the industry; the recovery of solvents in wet production line is about 90%; the recovery of solvents in dry production line is only about 50%;（ Solvent components in coating process are complex (except DMF, toluene, methylacetal, ethyl acetate, butanone, etc. account for 50%), volatility is strong, solvent recovery is more difficult; at least 800-1 million tons of solvent are discharged disorderly every year in the whole industry, resulting in serious environmental pollution; resource waste is serious: 1 million tons *0.8 million yuan/ton= 8 billion yuan; Fire hazards and working environment hygiene affect the physical and mental health of employees (recruitment is difficult!)
2: High Energy Consumption – High Cost, Low Competitiveness
10 tons of coal is consumed for every 10,000 meters, which is equivalent to 2 tons of coal for a ton of leather. The national cleaner production technology standard stipulates that 0.5 tons of coal is consumed for a ton of leather. (not meeting national standards)
Solvent recovery accounts for 40% of the total energy consumption, which requires high temperature drying, foaming and decentralized heating. Therefore, the total series of problems have seriously impressed the social development.
1. Environmental Pressure
(1) The latest environmental protection law was implemented in 2018, and environmental damage rose to the criminal level.
(2) Public opinion triggered by haze
2. Requirements for transformation and upgrading at the national level, gearshift and speed change, and sustainable development
3. Pressure from New Generation Employees on Work Environment Requirements
4. Pressure from EU REACH and other regulations
International background
(1) California 65 proposed to limit VOC to less than 0.5 mg/m3 of total volatile organic compounds in indoor air.
(2) EU Reach regulations are constantly updated. At present, 193 substances of great concern to SVHC have been identified, including dimethylformamide (DMF), toluene and other common organic solvents.
(3) ZDHC Zero Emissions of Hazardous Chemicals (VOC) international organization has jointly put forward the concept of “environmental protection of industrial chain” and formulated a “list of restricted substances” for production process, and promised “zero emissions of hazardous chemicals (VOC) by 2020″.
(4) On October 27, 2017, the WHO Cancer Research Institute identified DMF as a class 2A carcinogen.
(5) Recently, the European Union has identified DMFa and DMFu as special substances affecting fertility and banned them from use in children under 16 years of age.
(6) LV, GUCCI and other brands promised to abandon the use of dermal leather in 2018 and adopt eco-synthetic leather.
(7) HM, ZARA and many other well-known international brands have promised to purchase 40% of water-borne synthetic leather in 2018 and achieve zero toxic emissions by 2020.
Domestic background
(1) The Ministry of Environmental Protection and the General Administration of Quality Supervision and Inspection jointly issued the National Standard Guidelines for Air Quality Assessment in Passenger Vehicles, which was enforced on January 1, 2017. Pentaphenyltrialdehyde is more stringent than that of foreign countries.
(2) Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: Action Plan for Volatile Organic Compounds Reduction in Key Industries, and Synthetic Leather Industry is listed as one of the key industries;
(3) Through the technical specification of “Limitation of Hazardous Substances in Furniture Products and Raw and Auxiliary Materials” (No. SZJG 52-2016), Beijing formally implemented the “Air Pollutants Emission Standard for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Industry”. Solvent-based coatings and solvent-based adhesives will be gradually banned in the two places in order to control volatility. Organic emissions are also being followed up in other parts of the country.
(4) Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: The list of substitutes for toxic and harmful raw materials (products) encouraged by the State (2016 edition) is clearly included in the water-based polyurethane synthetic leather instead of solvent synthetic leather;
(5) Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: Investment Guidelines for Technological Renovation and Upgrading of Industrial Enterprises (2016 edition). Chapter III Industrial Strong Base and Chapter IV Green Manufacturing are included in the relevant content of waterborne polyurethane synthetic leather.
(6) Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: Guidelines for the Development of Key Common Technologies in Industry (2017). Article 1 Raw Material Industry, Article 5 Energy Conservation, Environmental Protection and Comprehensive Utilization of Resources are included in the preparation process of various modified waterborne polyurethane resins and waterborne polyurethane synthetic leather.
(7) Jiangsu Province: Provincial Guidelines for New Technologies and New Products (2017) Article 70 of Functionalized Plastics is clearly included in “Waterborne Polyurethane Synthetic Leather”.
ZDHC’s mission is to promote zero emissions of hazardous chemicals in the value chain of clothing and industry, thereby improving the environment and people’s livelihood.
ZDHC’s vision is to protect consumers, workers and the environment by widely implementing sustainable chemistry and optimum practices in the garment and industry.
The ZDHC program is a group of 23 contracted brands, 27 value chain associations and 13 associations.
We are working to support the industry in achieving safer chemicals management.
1. Solvent-free emissions – environmentally friendly
2. Solvent-Free Recovery-Reducing Energy Consumption
3. Solvent-free – safe, clean and hygienic
4. Eco-synthetic leather is safe to use and degraded later.
5. Feeling good
6. Good resilience
7. Easy to colour
