Livable Cities - London AMPS | City, University of London Page 177 generations, designers must implement sustainable solutions and repurpose hazardous materials. The variation of life-cycles of these materials leads to long-term damage to the environment that cannot be reversed. SCOPE OF STUDY: THE LIFE-CYCLE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS The current life-cycle of hazardous materials starts with production of said material and typically results in the disposal in specified landfills based on regulations set by the EPA. Due to the exposure to the natural elements generates waste runoff and pollution of the surrounding air, soil, and water. Focusing on the decades of waste increase through production and demand by the construction industry, we are left with depleting natural resources, an abundance of waste, and diminished ecosystems. In order to properly reduce these material goods, we must understand the connection of mass production and the impact of these goods throughout history. These factors fall into line with the social, economic, and environmental factors of where it was created. The life-cycle of construction materials typically ends in the landfills that fit certain specifications, but the end of use does not mean that the material has completed its impact on the environment. This reduction of pollution as a by-product of hazardous materials is possible through “re-design of processes to eliminate the production of harmful by- products, or; the re-design of products to eliminate the need for those processes that generate harmful by-products.”7 According to the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, human beings spend about 90% of our time spent indoors.8 This has a direct impact on the health and well-being of the occupant. The exposure of the materials through pollution and particles of hazardous materials directly impacts the air we breathe. Based on research of negative effects on the human well-being from VOCs, hazardous material run-off, and inadequate air-quality, restrictions have been made to prevent the use of these materials in spaces of possible exposure. For example, the EPA created a partial ban on the use of asbestos as insulation within home in 1989. This minimized the “manufacturing, importing, processing, and distribution of some asbestos-containing products.” 9 Nonetheless, buildings built before this ban have a higher chance of containing a form of asbestos. The demolition of these buildings releases the airborne particles that are easily transmitted to the surrounding area. Not only does the demolition cause a negative impact to the surrounding area, but also the long-term effects it has on the ecosystem. By examining the production and demand of materials that create hazardous by-products, there is an opportunity to use this by-product useful. For example, Atticus Durnell, an artist located in England, creates sustainable and biodegradable products from leftover coffee grounds. Fly ash, a by-product of coal combustion can be used in place of concrete. This extends the life-cycle of what would typically be disposed of. While materials such as coffee grounds and fly ash may seem more likely to be reused, asbestos can transform from a hazardous material to a non-hazardous material. The life-cycle of these materials are viewed as disposable and non-reusable after its purpose has been served. Once it is no longer needed, it can be disposed of. With the innovative techniques and technological improvements extending these materials' life-cycle, there is an extension of the life-cycle from the original path that ends in landfills. William McDonough expands upon this idea of the end of material life-cycles through the materiality of his book Cradle to Cradle. Something as simple as a physical book, made from paper could hold more detail and depth through the materials of the pages you turn as you read. He starts by stating that ‘This Book Is Not a Tree.’10 He evaluates all aspects of our surroundings through materiality. The dyes, chemicals, metals, and more create a chair we sit in, but the process in which these materials could be considered toxic and hazardous to human well-being. Movement can displace particles into the air we breathe, but we may not have been aware of this during our purchase. He expands upon this idea by using his book as an example of synthetic ‘paper’ that has
