|
General comment The main data source was a data collection from European producers of POM. Primary data on gate-to-gate POM production is derived from site-specific information for processes under operational control supplied by the participating companies of this study. Two different POM producers with plants in two European countries were participating in the primary data collection. They represent 21% of the POM production in Europe (EU27) in 2010–2011. In order to enhance representativeness and to protect confidentiality of producer data, a third dataset was put together by PwC from literature sources and specialist expertise and used in the vertical average. Background data for the upstream supply chain up to the precursors were obtained from the DEAM, PlasticsEurope, and Ecoinvent databases.
Polyoxymethylene (POM), a crystalline thermoplastic, belongs to the polyacetals family of polymers. POM exists in two different forms: homopolymer (POM-h) and copolymer (POM-c). POM has mechanical properties which are suitable for highperformance applications, such as injectionmoulded parts for household appliances. This EPD is for both POM-h and POM-c, as the difference in terms of LCA is small.
POM combines high stiffness and strength with outstanding resilience: low friction coefficient, high abrasion and heat resistance, and excellent dimensional stability, even under the effect of mechanical forces, in contact with numerous chemicals, fuels
and other media as well as at elevated temperatures. It also has good electrical insulating properties.
Please keep in mind that comparisons cannot be made on the level of the polymer material alone: it is necessary to consider the full life cycle of an application in order to compare the performance of different materials and the effects of relevant life cycle parameters. This EPD is intended to be used by member companies, to support product-orientated environmental management; by users of plastics, as a building block of life cycle assessment (LCA) studies of individual products; and by other interested parties, as a source of life cycle information. |
