A Comparative Study of The Use of Environmental

Friendly Household Cleaning Products

inSouthern California and

Southern Guangdong

Problems and Challenges

试比较南加州与南广东之家庭环保化学产品

并略论发展问题与挑戰

Prof. Kwan Ming ChanB.Sc. (HKU) ， Ph. D. (Liverpool, England)Prof. Emeritus, California State University

陈钧铭教授香港大学理学士

英国利物浦大学博士美国加州州立大学资优教授

Co-Authors: Prof. Sun Hui-Li and Liu Fengyang South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica

孙恢礼教授及刘凤艳女士南海海洋研究所

中国科学院

Objectives: Why comparing two regions?

Both are the major gateways in the Pacific

Lessons learned may serve as models

Southern California has abundant data for modeling

Both are in similar geographical location with high economic power

Geographic and Economic Settings for two regions

太平洋两岸环境与经贸比較

中 / 港 货運 $35 billion 美元Cargoes transport

US and China -Comparison

中 China 美 USA GDP （ per capita ） $4,400 $37,600

Purchasing power 購买力 (in trillion ）

$5.7 $10.4

Economic Structure 经济结耩 China USA

Agriculture 农业 15% 2% Industry 工业 51% 18% Service 服务 34% 80%

Budget and Expenditure

China USA Budget 收入 (trillion) 0.224 1.946 Expenditure 支出 (trillion ） 0.267 2.052

trillion =1012 ， 万亿

Quick Facts ： Calif. Vs USA

Calif. USA 人口 Population,106 34 284 屋价 House value, K 211 119 零售 Retail sales,109 263 2460 制造 Manufacture, 109 379 3842 California is about 1/10 of USAGuangdong economic power is a top-ranking

province in China. GDP is about US $10,000.

加州与美国相比 Calif Vs USA

多少数族裔 More minority 多外国出生 More foreign born 高房价 Higher median house value 高收入 Higher household income 高人口密度 High population density Similar situation for Southern

Guangdong vs China

California 加 vs Guangdong 粤

加 CA 粤 GD人口 Population ， 106 34 78面积 Area, 104 km2 41 18经度 Latitude 32 to 42 20 to 25纬度 Longitude 114 to 124W 109 to 117E

海岸线 Coastline, km 1935 3368Guangdong has longer coastline and larger

population.

Southern California Land Use南加州用地分配 农业 Uncommitted (Farming, Mining) 34% 住房 Housing 28% 休闲 Open Space/Recreation

20% 工商 Commerce/Industry 12% 其他 Others 6%Southern California has rapid expansion

in housing

Some problems related to the expansion of urban areas

More waste discharges Rapid change in coastal

environment More Red tides More accidental discharges Costly clean-upSimilar problems in both regions.

Waste discharge severely affected Lagoons in Calif.

<Batiquitos Lagoon

<San Elijo Lagoon

Lagoon Modification

Formed after ice age Open to tidal flushing Shellfish and artifacts

from Paleo-Indians (9000-3500 years ago)

Catholic Missions Took over from Mexico in 1848

Development, Deterioration

1881 Railroad line Crossing Bridges Coastal Highway

and Freeway Limited Flushing

• Aerial view showing narrow openings

• Shallow basin and building of silts

• Limited circulation and flushing

Input source to the ocean- Southern California

109 cu m/year Treated waste water 1.4 Industrial waste 0.25 Surface runoff 0.6 Cooling water 7.7

General Characteristics of effluents, Southern California

in mg/liter Suspended solids 335 BOD 120 COD 240 Oil and grease 19 Total Nitrogen 23 Phosphate 5 Detergent 4.8

General characteristics of storm water, Southern California

in mg/liter Oil and grease 1.5 Total Nitrogen 3.9 Phosphate 0.43 Detergent 0.1

Compare storm water and effluent water

Oil and grease 19/1.5 =12.6 Total Nitrogen 23/3.9=5.9 Phosphate 5/.43=11.6 Detergent 4.8/.1=48 Effluent has at least 10 times

more

General Characteristics of sludge discharged into coastal ocean of Southern California

in mg/liter Suspended solids 5 Oil and grease 760 Total Nitrogen 590 Phosphate 130 Detergent 4.8

General characteristics of siltin storm water of Southern California

in mg/liter Oil and grease 1.5 Total Nitrogen 3.9 Phosphate 2 Detergent .1

Compare sludge and silt in storm water

Oil and grease 760/1.5 =507 Total Nitrogen 590/3.9 =151 Phosphate 130/2= 65 Detergent 4.8/.1= 48 Sludge has at least 50 times more

Mass emission rate of wastewater discharged in Southern California

in metric tons/year Suspended solids 278,000 BOD 291,000 COD 675,000 Oil and grease 65,000 Total Nitrogen 85,400 Phosphate 13,300 Detergent 7,600

Sample of the best selling detergents – from EBay

Detergent Phosphates

Form: sodium tri-polyphosphate About 30-40% of Phosphorus in

waste water from cleaning products

To-day, there are non-P detergent, but most still have 6-8% P

Action of Phosphates

Peptize and help dirt suspension Aid in germ killing Buffer the pH in removal of fatty

soils Make surfactant more effective by

breaking up surfactant polymeric units.

Basic Components (about 90% by weight)

Surfactant - Bipolar organic to lift off grease by

lowering surface tension Builder – Phosphates Soften water by removing Ca and

Mg

Other components

Silicate – corrosion inhibitor

Carboxymethylcellulose – anti-redeposition agent to keep removed dirt from resettling onto clothes during the washing cycle

Other Common Chemicals in the detergents

2-butoxyethanol Malic Acid Diethylene Glycol Monbutyl Ether

(lysol) Isobutane NTA (nitrilotriactate) –subsituted

for P

Undesirable effect of highly alkaline chemicals

Higher alkaline – alter fabrics Skin or internal organ damage Higher cost Interaction with trace metals,

increase in transmission, may cause birth defects

Tea Tree - Melaleuca Alternifolia(natural product as cleanser)

Other Common Names: Manuka, Melaleuca alternifolia

Range: Australia - New South Wales, Queensland; East Indies.

Haitat: Swamps by the coast. Requires a fertile, well-drained moisture retentive lime-free soil in full sun.

An essential oil is obtained from the leaves. It is strongly germicidal and is also used in dentistry, deodorants, soaps, mouthwashes etc

Top 5 Brands/Companies of detergent in China Diao/Zhejang Nice Chemical Co. Omo/Unilever China Ltd. Liby/Guangzhou Liby Co., Ltd Qiqiang/Shangxi Nafine Chemicals Ltd Tide/Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou)

Ltd Most are in joint-venture with foreign

companies, similar in chemical composition

Outlook

China had the highest GDP growth, nearly 8%.

GDP per capita in China is nearly $1,000

Retail sales growth of 8.8% China is undergoing another phase

of more environmental conscientious

Development of friendly household chemicals markets Thirty-eight million urban families

currently can afford to spend the nearly US $12,000 

Over 70% of the World’s top retailers – Wall Mart, Carrefour, Metro, etc are now in China. 

The market for toiletries and cosmetics has passed US $3 billion and is expected to reach US $22 billion by 2013. 

The challenge of environmental friendly household chemicals

Advertising - Television is the dominant medium with over 1 billion daily viewers

Use of local natural products for improvement of antiseptic and fragrance

Improvement of tertiary sewage treatment to remove phosphate

Use of soap in general cleaning