Sustainable materials use and disposal (conservation of cultural heritage)

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In the field of conservation and restoration of cultural property, greening practices such as sustainable materials use and disposal aim to improve the sustainability of conservation practice by choosing materials and methods that have a lower environmental impact and disposing of materials responsibly. When carrying out conservation treatments or preventive conservation, conservators use resources such as consumable materials, energy and water. These resources have an impact on the environment both through their extraction and disposal. In order to reduce this impact, conservators can choose sustainable alternatives to existing materials and practices such as reusable or recycled materials or materials with reduced toxicity. [1]

Contents

Re-use of Materials

Where museums cannot completely reduce their use of materials or replace materials with sustainable alternatives, material re-use is an option for extending the useful lifetime of conservation materials. Durable materials used in conservation such as Tyvek or Mylar may be washed and re-used where appropriate. Polyethylene foam may be blended and used as a fill material for object cushioning. [2] [3] Materials may be exchanged with local community organisations such as schools or art centres to extend their life where they cannot be appropriately used in a conservation setting. Professional networks such as American Institute for Conservation and organisations such as KiCulture and Sustainability in Conservation offer tips for material re-use.

Green Solvents and Chemicals

Conservators regularly use chemicals for treatments such as cleaning. These chemicals may have adverse human or environmental impacts during their production, use or disposal. By applying two of the principles of green chemistry, namely, using safer chemicals and finding safer alternatives to chemicals, conservators can reduce the impact of conservation processes. [4]

Research continues into alternative chemicals to replace industrial solvents and biocides. Alternatives such as tea tree oil and zosteric acid have been tested as a method for reducing mould growth for outdoor stone heritage and indoor storage areas. [5] [6] Materials such as tea leaves have been trialled as alternatives to chemical adsorbents for reducing moisture and acetic acid vapours in the storage of cellulose films. [7]

Reducing reliance on chemicals by adopting alternatives to solvent cleaning can be beneficial for reducing energy use and reducing risk for both people and heritage objects. Replacing solvents with gel systems that utilise enzymes for surface cleaning is one means of reducing stains and residues. [8] [9] Laser cleaning offers a solution for cleaning of many hard surfaces. [10] [11]

Packing and Transport

The transportation of cultural materials nationally and internationally can involve significant resource use, from carbon footprints associated with air and road travel and the materials used to safely pack cultural objects for transport. Conservators have investigated sustainable packaging solutions, including re-using housing crates, reducing the quantities of materials used and opting for recycled or eco-certified products. A 2011 study at the National Museum of Wales found that the carbon footprint associated with international transport of materials can be reduced by re-using wrapping and packing materials, leasing and re-fitting packing cases, prioritising sea and rail freight, sharing couriers and strategically planning exhibition schedules, amongst other strategies. [12]

Waste management

At the end of their useful life, the environmental impact of conservation materials may be reduced by disposing of them responsibly. Engaging in a waste audit within a conservation lab or organisation can be a useful way to track what waste is generated and where. [13] In a waste audit, waste is kept on site for a pre-determined period of time and then laid out on a plastic sheet and sorted to assess material types and waste flows. This data can be used to assess the effectiveness of sustainable improvements by carrying out a subsequent audit once solutions have been implemented.

Some conservation materials may be recycled, depending on municipal guidelines. Materials that cannot commonly be recycled locally, such as nitrile gloves or soft plastic, can be recycled through commercial services such TerraCycle or REDCycle .

Life Cycle Assessment

Life Cycle Assessment has been somewhat applied for measuring the environmental impact of conservation materials to aid in sustainable decision-making. Life cycle assessment calculates the environmental impact of materials, for example energy, water use or greenhouse gas emissions across their lifetimes, from raw material extraction to disposal. As a holistic methodology, life cycle assessment considers a wider range of environmental impacts when compared with other similar methods such as carbon footprints and can be used to holistically identify 'hotspots' in environmental impacts.

The usefulness of LCA for assessing the impacts of conservation materials and chemicals. [13] [14] Members of the American Institute for Conservation have led a project investigating life cycle assessment in an American conservation context. [15] The results of LCA have been used to achieve sustainable improvements in lighting, packing and museums loans. A key outcome has been the development of a carbon calculator and library of case studies based on life cycle assessment results. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation and restoration of cultural property</span> Process of protecting cultural property

The conservation and restoration of cultural property focuses on protection and care of cultural property, including artworks, architecture, archaeology, and museum collections. Conservation activities include preventive conservation, examination, documentation, research, treatment, and education. This field is closely allied with conservation science, curators and registrars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycling</span> Converting waste materials into new products

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. The recovery of energy from waste materials is often included in this concept. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the properties it had in its original state. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. It can also prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reducing energy use, air pollution and water pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waste management</span> Activities and actions required to manage waste from its source to its final disposal

Waste management or waste disposal includes the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes the collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste, together with monitoring and regulation of the waste management process and waste-related laws, technologies, economic mechanisms.

Industrial ecology (IE) is the study of material and energy flows through industrial systems. The global industrial economy can be modelled as a network of industrial processes that extract resources from the Earth and transform those resources into products and services which can be bought and sold to meet the needs of humanity. Industrial ecology seeks to quantify the material flows and document the industrial processes that make modern society function. Industrial ecologists are often concerned with the impacts that industrial activities have on the environment, with use of the planet's supply of natural resources, and with problems of waste disposal. Industrial ecology is a young but growing multidisciplinary field of research which combines aspects of engineering, economics, sociology, toxicology and the natural sciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Life-cycle assessment</span> Methodology for assessing environmental impacts

Life cycle assessment or LCA is a methodology for assessing environmental impacts associated with all the stages of the life cycle of a commercial product, process, or service. For instance, in the case of a manufactured product, environmental impacts are assessed from raw material extraction and processing (cradle), through the product's manufacture, distribution and use, to the recycling or final disposal of the materials composing it (grave).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zero waste</span> Philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused

Zero waste is a set of principles focused on waste prevention that encourages redesigning resource life cycles so that all products are repurposed and/or reused. The goal of this movement is to avoid sending trash to landfills, incinerators, the ocean, or any other part of the environment. Currently, only 9% of global plastic is recycled. In a zero waste system, materials will be reused until the optimum level of consumption is reached. The definition adopted by the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA) is:

Zero Waste: The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse and, recovery of all products, packaging, and materials, without burning them and without discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green building</span> Architecture designed to minimize environmental and resource impact

Green building refers to both a structure and the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from planning to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This requires close cooperation of the contractor, the architects, the engineers, and the client at all project stages. The Green Building practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Green building also refers to saving resources to the maximum extent, including energy saving, land saving, water saving, material saving, etc., during the whole life cycle of the building, protecting the environment and reducing pollution, providing people with healthy, comfortable and efficient use of space, and being in harmony with nature Buildings that live in harmony. Green building technology focuses on low consumption, high efficiency, economy, environmental protection, integration and optimization.’

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Material efficiency</span>

Material efficiency is a description or metric (Mp) which refers to decreasing the amount of a particular material needed to produce a specific product. Making a usable item out of thinner stock than a prior version increases the material efficiency of the manufacturing process. Material efficiency goes hand in hand with Green building and Energy conservation, as well as other ways of incorporating Renewable resources in the building process from start to finish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reuse</span>

Reuse is the action or practice of using an item, whether for its original purpose or to fulfill a different function. It should be distinguished from recycling, which is the breaking down of used items to make raw materials for the manufacture of new products. Reuse – by taking, but not reprocessing, previously used items – helps save time, money, energy and resources. In broader economic terms, it can make quality products available to people and organizations with limited means, while generating jobs and business activity that contribute to the economy.

Design for the Environment (DfE) is a design approach to reduce the overall human health and environmental impact of a product, process or service, where impacts are considered across its life cycle. Different software tools have been developed to assist designers in finding optimized products or processes/services. DfE is also the original name of a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program, created in 1992, that works to prevent pollution, and the risk pollution presents to humans and the environment. The program provides information regarding safer chemical formulations for cleaning and other products. EPA renamed its program "Safer Choice" in 2015.

Ecological design or ecodesign is an approach to designing products and services that gives special consideration to the environmental impacts of a product over its entire lifecycle. Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan define it as "any form of design that minimizes environmentally destructive impacts by integrating itself with living processes." Ecological design can also be defined as the process of integrating environmental considerations into design and development with the aim of reducing environmental impacts of products through their life cycle.

This is a glossary of environmental science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable packaging</span>

Sustainable packaging is the development and use of packaging which results in improved sustainability. This involves increased use of life cycle inventory (LCI) and life cycle assessment (LCA) to help guide the use of packaging which reduces the environmental impact and ecological footprint. It includes a look at the whole of the supply chain: from basic function, to marketing, and then through to end of life (LCA) and rebirth. Additionally, an eco-cost to value ratio can be useful The goals are to improve the long term viability and quality of life for humans and the longevity of natural ecosystems. Sustainable packaging must meet the functional and economic needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability is not necessarily an end state but is a continuing process of improvement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green museum</span>

A green museum is a museum that incorporates concepts of sustainability into its operations, programming, and facility. Many green museums use their collections to produce exhibitions, events, classes, and other programming to educate the public about the natural environment. Many, but not all, green museums reside in a building featuring sustainable architecture and technology. Green museums interpret their own sustainable practices and green design to present a model of behavior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waste</span> Unwanted or unusable materials

Waste are unwanted or unusable materials. Waste is any substance discarded after primary use, or is worthless, defective and of no use. A by-product, by contrast is a joint product of relatively minor economic value. A waste product may become a by-product, joint product or resource through an invention that raises a waste product's value above zero.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of environmental articles</span>

The natural environment, commonly referred to simply as the environment, includes all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental effects of paper</span> Overview about the environmental effects of the paper production industry

The environmental effects of paper are significant, which has led to changes in industry and behaviour at both business and personal levels. With the use of modern technology such as the printing press and the highly mechanized harvesting of wood, disposable paper became a relatively cheap commodity, which led to a high level of consumption and waste. The rise in global environmental issues such as air and water pollution, climate change, overflowing landfills and clearcutting have all lead to increased government regulations. There is now a trend towards sustainability in the pulp and paper industry as it moves to reduce clear cutting, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel consumption and clean up its influence on local water supplies and air pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circular economy</span> Regenerative system in which resource input and waste, emission, and energy leakage, are minimised

A circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. CE aims to tackle global challenges as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution by emphasizing the design-based implementation of the three base principles of the model. The three principles required for the transformation to a circular economy are: eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials, and the regeneration of nature. CE is defined in contradistinction to the traditional linear economy. The idea and concepts of circular economy (CE) have been studied extensively in academia, business, and government over the past ten years. CE has been gaining popularity since it helps to minimize emissions and consumption of raw materials, open up new market prospects and principally, increase the sustainability of consumption and improve resource efficiency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cotton recycling</span>

Cotton recycling is the process of converting cotton fabric into fibers that can be reused into other textile products.

Sustainable Materials Management is a systemic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire lifecycles. It represents a change in how a society thinks about the use of natural resources and environmental protection. By looking at a product's entire lifecycle new opportunities can be found to reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources, and reduce costs.

References

  1. ↑ de Silva, Megan; Henderson, Jane (2011-03-01). "Sustainability in conservation practice". Journal of the Institute of Conservation. 34 (1): 5–15. doi: 10.1080/19455224.2011.566013 . ISSN   1945-5224. S2CID   191612605.
  2. ↑ admin. "Simple sustainability practices in Conservation – What can you do?". Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  3. ↑ O´Dwyer, Dervilla (2010). "The Contribution of Conservators to Sustainability at the National Maritime Museum, UK". Studies in Conservation. 55 (3 (2010)): 155–158. doi:10.1179/sic.2010.55.3.155. JSTOR   42751710. S2CID   194057860 . Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "12 Principles of Green Chemistry". American Chemical Society. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  5. ↑ "New Environmentally Friendly Approaches against Biodeterioration of Outdoor Cultural Heritage". air.unimi.it. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  6. ↑ Gatenby, Sue; Townley, Pat (2003-12-01). "Preliminary research into the use of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil) in museum conservation". AICCM Bulletin. 28 (1): 67–70. doi:10.1179/bac.2003.28.1.014. ISSN   1034-4233. S2CID   192053151.
  7. ↑ Bell, Julianne; Newnham, Mick; Nel, Petronella (2017-07-03). "Tea: An Alternative Adsorbent for the Preservation of Cellulose Triacetate Film". AICCM Bulletin. 38 (2): 103–113. doi:10.1080/10344233.2017.1402413. ISSN   1034-4233. S2CID   139556081.
  8. ↑ Edmonds, Penny; Horton-james, David (1991-12-01). "Enzymatic Breakdown and Decolourisation of Black Fungus Embedded in Acrylic Paint: A Progress Report". AICCM Bulletin. 17 (3–4): 53–61. doi:10.1179/bac.1991.17.3-4.006. ISSN   1034-4233.
  9. ↑ Cremonesi, Paola (2013). "Rigid Gels and Enzyme Cleaning", in Mecklenburg, MF, Charola, AE, and Koestler, RJ (eds), New insights into the cleaning of paintings: Proceedings from the Cleaning 2010 International Conference, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia and Museum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, pp. 179–183, accessed 3 November 2021, https://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/20507
  10. ↑ Rode, Andrei V.; Baldwin, Ken GH; Wain, Alison; Delaporte, Philippe H (2006-12-01). "Ultrafast lasers for conservation of heritage artefacts". AICCM Bulletin. 30 (1): 17–26. doi:10.1179/bac.2006.30.1.003. ISSN   1034-4233. S2CID   137342868.
  11. ↑ Sawicki, Malgorzata; Bramwell–Davis, Victoria; Dabrowa, Barbara (2011-12-01). "Laser cleaning from a practical perspective: Cleaning tests of varied gilded-wood surfaces using Nd:YAG Compact Phoenix laser system". AICCM Bulletin. 32 (1): 44–53. doi:10.1179/bac.2011.32.1.007. ISSN   1034-4233. S2CID   136713052.
  12. ↑ Lambert, Simon; Henderson, Jane (August 2011). "The carbon footprint of museum loans: a pilot study at Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales". Museum Management and Curatorship. 26 (3): 209–235. doi:10.1080/09647775.2011.568169. ISSN   0964-7775. S2CID   145008084.
  13. 1 2 Brophy, Sarah S.; Wylie, Elizabeth (2013-03-21). The Green Museum: A Primer on Environmental Practice. AltaMira Press. ISBN   978-0-7591-2322-9.
  14. ↑ Balliana, Eleonora; Ricci, Giulia; Pesce, Cecilia; Zendri, Elisabetta (January 2016). "Assessing the value of green conservation for cultural heritage: Positive and critical aspects of already available methodologies". International Journal of Conservation Science. 7: 185–202. ISSN   2067-533X . Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Life Cycle Assessment Project - Wiki". www.conservation-wiki.com. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  16. ↑ "STiCH". stich.culturalheritage.org. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
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