National Pollutant Inventory

Substances

2-Ethoxyethanol: Environmental effects

Description

2-Ethoxyethanol has slight short-term and slight long-term toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to predict the effects of 2-Ethoxyethanol on plants, birds or land animals.

Entering the environment

Industrial emissions of 2-Ethoxyethanol can produce elevated, but still low level concentrations in the atmosphere around the source. 2-Ethoxyethanol is readily washed out of the air, this in turn means that about 95% of the 2-Ethoxyethanol emitted to the environment will eventually end up in water. Once in the water it will take between a few weeks to half a year for it to be completely degraded out of the water. Because 2-Ethoxyethanol is used in many consumer products, short-term indoor concentrations may be elevated above the levels considered safe for workers.

Where it ends up

2-Ethoxyethanol is rapidly degraded by chemical and biological processes. 2-Ethoxyethanol is not expected to bio-accumulate.

Environmental guidelines

There are no specific Australian environmental guidelines for 2-Ethoxyethanol.

Key

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Factory. Credit: Michael Lindquist