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Title:

Environmental Implications of Graffiti Removal Techniques

Accession Number:

01337567

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

Graffiti creates both aesthetic and environmental detriments to transportation infrastructure around the United States (US). Keeping transportation corridors safe, clean, and presentable should be a priority for all US departments of transportation. To facilitate green and effective cleaning procedures, the environmental implications and removal performance of several chemical graffiti removal products were examined. The primary objective was to use a simple strategy to evaluate the potential negative effects of common graffiti removal products on the environment and human health. Ten graffiti removal products as well as two spray paints were analyzed using the Indiana Relative Chemical Hazard Score or IRCHS. In this system, each hazardous component in a particular removal product received an IRCH score for worker exposure hazard, environmental hazard, and total hazard. These scores were then used to classify the products into 4 different categories of varying environmental impact severities. From the evaluation it was determined that regardless of the IRCH hazard score, wastes generated during cleaning procedures may still pose negative environmental impacts. These negative impacts stem from heavy metals in spray paints running off into aquatic environments and partitioning onto soils. It was concluded that graffiti prevention is the best alternative in minimizing environmental consequences of graffiti removal. This report provides a compilation of several effective graffiti prevention strategies as well as a strategy for selecting the most benign chemical removal products on the market.

Monograph Accession #:

01329018

Report/Paper Numbers:

11-0550

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Craver, Vinka O
Kohm, Steven
Singer, Ross

Pagination:

17p

Publication Date:

2011

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 90th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2011-1-23 to 2011-1-27
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

DVD

Features:

Figures; Maps; Photos; References (21) ; Tables (6)

Geographic Terms:

Indiana; United States

Subject Areas:

Environment; Maintenance and Preservation; I60: Maintenance

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2011 Paper #11-0550

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Feb 17 2011 5:29PM