Introduction
Sharpie marker (commonly known as Marker pens in the United States) was the first permanent marker introduced in the year 1964 by Sanford Ink Company, formerly known as Sanford Manufacturing Company (Goodman, 2016).As the first pen-style marker, the Sharpie marker was unique because it designed in such a way that it would be used in writing on different surfaces like stone, plastic, paper, metal, glass and wood. In the year 1979, the company introduced the Sharpie Extra Fine Point marker, a new style tip with four colors. A more advanced marker pen (Sharpie Ultra Fine Point) as introduced in the year 1989. The new marker design had a slim barrel, pocket clip mad of metal and a precise tip that could produce accurate lines. This was the first sharpie marker to write like a pen. In the 1990s, Sharpie eventually became popular especially among the celebrities who used it to sign autographs for their fans. The Newell Companies, a manufacturer of writing materials, acquired Sharpie in the year 1992 (Goodman, 2016). Since then, different types of sharpies with different colors and writing tips have been introduced. Major components of the sharpie markers include dyes, diacetone alcohol, propanol, and butanol. Apart from signing autographs, other sharpies typical uses include drawing graffiti, coloring glasses, addressing envelopes, applying tattoos, labeling freezer bags and marking outdoor signs among others.
Environmental impacts
A sharpie marker is a plastic like any other, and therefore, its manufacture had adverse effects on the environment human beings and animals. Most a plastics are produced from non-renewable resources, natural gas or petroleum and are processed through energy-intensive technologies that pose threats to different ecosystems (Mooney, Knox & Schacht, 2014).For example, the incineration method used to manufacture plastics produces toxic substances like carcinogens that cause water pollution, air pollution, and land pollution. The exposure of workers to these toxic substances threatens their health. The accumulation of non-biodegradable plastics in landfills is a serious problem that pollutes underground and surface water sources (Mooney, Knox & Schacht, 2014). The pollution of underground and surface water, in turn, threatens human health and the lives of aquatic organisms like fish found in surface water sources like rivers and lakes. Research shows that plastic pollution has affected the aquatic, airborne and terrestrial environments (Mooney, Knox & Schacht, 2014). Due to the widespread nature of plastic pollution especially in the developing nations, environmental protection agencies have sensitized the need for implementing pollution-control policies concerning the manufacture, fabricating and transportation of plastics.
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The manufacture of permanent markers (Sharpie markers) is an environmental concern due to the environmental impacts associated with the components that make up the markers. The sharpie marker is perceived as a threat to the environment mainly because it cannot be recycled, hence ends up in the landfills or the incinerators. It is considered a threat to the environment also because its ink is toxic and its casings are made from plastic or aluminum. The production of aluminum from raw bauxite requires a lot of energy (approximately, 211 Gj per ton). The smelting process of aluminum produces perfluorocarbons that cause global warming and climate change. It is important to note that perfluorocarbons are more harmful greenhouse gas compared to carbon (IV) oxide (Calkins, 2009). Apart from perfluorocarbons, other greenhouse gasses produced during the smelting process include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, sodium fluoride, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. During the mining process, bauxite used to make aluminum for making marker pens is extracted from the ground. This practice destroys the habitat of some wildlife and causes through the removal of the vegetation cover around the mining region. The toxic mine tailings produced after the extraction process is disposed in excavated mine pits and can easily seep into underground water sources thus contaminating the water. The processing of the aluminum in the making of marker pens in the industry releases particulate matter that causes air pollution. Such particulate matter includes caustic aerosols, limestone, alumina, sodium salt, and dust among others (Calkins, 2009).
The chemicals contained in the marker pen ink are harmful to the environment. Such inks include xylene or toluene (BTEX). These chemical compounds are part of volatile organic compounds and are mainly used in solvents, paints and manufacturing rubber as well as plastics. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, xylene, and toluene have adverse effects on the environment and in particular, human health. As a volatile organic compound, the xylene can easily mix with other gasses in the atmosphere to form photochemical smog which is a form of air pollution. They also contribute to the formation of the ground-level ozone layer which damages crops. Evidence shows that the long-term exposure to xylene as a VOC affects human health significantly. More specifically, the chemical has damaging effects on the liver, kidney and the central nervous system.
Apart from making marker pen ink, toluene is used in the making, amongst others, dyes, explosives, rubber, detergents, wall paints and fingernail polish. As a chemical found in marker pen ink, toluene is harmful to human health when inhaled or swallowed. Long-term exposure of toluene through sniffing causes depression, brain damage or death. It can also affect other body organs like heart, kidney, and liver. Pregnant women exposed to toluene are at a higher risk of fetus damage. For example, they can give birth to children with mental disabilities. Prolonged exposure to toluene vapor causes poor brain coordination, headache dizziness, confusion, and nausea. Liquid toluene (as the one contained in marker pen ink) causes skins rashes and irritation on the eyes. Swallowing the marker open ink can cause diarrhea or vomiting due to the effects of toluene.
Sharpie markers are neither biodegradable nor recyclable and can, therefore, pollute the environment if disposed of inappropriately. When deposited in landfills, the marker pens release toxic substances which leach into the soil. These toxic chemicals may damage soil micro-organisms and alter the soil PH of the soil. The toxic chemicals released by marker pens may seep into the ground water sources hence polluting the water. Animals are likely to die if they swallow marker pens disposed of in the landfills.
Conclusion
It would not be worthy to ignore the usefulness of Sharpie marker pens despite their negative impacts on the environment. Sharpie marker pens are useful in designing homes, customizing utensils, customizing clothes and artistic works that could be sold to earn money (Tinkham, 2013). However, comparing the worth or benefits of the sharpie marker to its costs regarding negative impacts on the environment and health of animals and human beings, it would be reasonable to recommend the production or manufacture of eco-friendly marker pens that have less negative impacts on the environment. To ensure sustainability and avoid negative environmental impacts associated with the manufacture of marker pens, I would recommend the Sharpie marker manufacturing industry to design markers that are refillable and use non-toxic ink. The industry may also produce marker pens made of components or materials that are easily recycled. Using materials that can be recycled means that the pens can be recycled, rather than been incinerated or disposed of in landfills. This is helpful in preventing air pollution as a result of incineration and water pollution as a result of leaching of toxic chemicals into underground and surface water sources. Some of the eco-friendly sharpie marker pens that are currently in the market include Copic Ciao , Pilot Jumbo Twin Marker , AusPen , and V Board Master Whiteboard Marker.
References
Calkins, M. (2009). Materials for sustainable sites: A complete guide to the evaluation, selection, and use of sustainable construction materials . Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.
Goodman, T. (2016). Sharpie art pack: A book and guided sketch pad for creative mark making . Place of publication not identified: Rockport Publishers.
Mooney, A. L., Knox, D., & Schacht, C. (2014). Understanding Social Problems (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Tinkham, N. (2013, October 14). 5 Creative Things You Can Do With a Sharpie. Retrieved from https://keetonsonline.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/5-creative-things-you-can-do-with-a- sharpie/
Winter, R. (2007). A Consumerýs Dictionary of Household, Yard and Office Chemicals: Complete Information About Harmful and Desirable Chemicals Found in Everyday Home Products, Yard Poisons, and Office Polluters .
