The report gives results of a review of the environmental concerns relating to the distribution, handling, and end use of synfuel products likely to enter the market place by the year 2000, and assigns priority rankings to products from the stand-point of environmental concerns. The report: reviews available data on the physical, chemical, and health effects characteristics of synfuel products and the environmental significance of such characteristics; analyzes the potential environmental impacts and regional implications associated with the production and end use; and ranks the products from the standpoint of environmental concerns and mitigation requirements. Review results indicate that: (a) wide-scale transportation, distribution, and end use of certain synfuel products can present significant threats to the environment and the public health; (b) based on gross characteristics, synfuel products appear to be similar to petroleum products, but detailed characterization data are not available to judge their relative safety; and (c) synfuel test and evaluation programs currently underway or planned provide excellent opportunities for the collection of some of the required environmental data.

EPA contract no. 68-02-3174, work assignment no. 018, EPA program element no. CCZN1A. Project officer: J. McSorley. March 1981. Includes bibliographical references.