Industrial degreasing solvents are different from domestic degreasing solvents in terms of cleaning power.
Whereas domestic solutions remove light accumulations of oil and grease, industrial solutions remove heavy accumulations of oil, grease, and organic resins.
Traditionally, industrial degreasers received their cleaning power from harsh chemicals, many of which are now tightly regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
As they search for an industrial grade degreaser that is environmentally preferable, many companies ask the following questions.
What is the difference between VOCs and HAPs? Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are carbon-based compounds that can negatively affect human health and the environment.
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) are chemicals and VOCs that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers dangerous to the environment and human health.
Not all VOCs are considered HAPs.
However, even those that are not HAPs may need to be ventilated from the work environment.
Where is a complete list of HAPs available? A complete list of HAPs can be found in the most recent edition of the Clean Air Act.
What does it mean when an industrial solvent is "canceled?" When the EPA regulates an industrial solvent, many companies "cancel" the solvent and replace it with an environmentally friendly solution.
If EPA regulated solutions are used in violation of emission standards, the violator can receive stiff fines from the EPA What is the difference between organic and environmentally preferable? Organic degreasers contain ingredients that are not harmful to the environment.
Environmentally preferred industrial degreasing solvents contain ingredients that may harm the environment, but contain them at low levels.
Why are solutions that contain HAPs still sold? Just because the EPA regulates solutions that contain HAPs does not mean it is illegal to use the solutions.
However, a company must use a regulated solution on a limited basis to avoid EPA fines.
What are the penalties for emission violations? Penalties for emissions violations depend on the type of violation, the severity of the violation, and how many times the party has been cited for violating EPA standards.
In extreme cases, the violator may be forced to shut down some or all operations until the cause of the violation is resolved.
Is it possible to find ecofriendly solvents that work like traditional ones? It is possible to find organic solvents and environmentally preferred solvents that perform as well as traditional ones.
For example, MIL-PRF-680A has the same cleaning power as PD-680, a solvent the EPA regulated in 1999.
What is the replacement solvent for PD-680? The ideal replacement for PD-680 is a PRF-680 product that contains no HAPs.
Conclusion Finding environmentally preferred industrial degreasing solvents that contain the same cleaning power as toxic degreasers was once nearly impossible, but the green movement has moved many solvent makers to produce lines of organic and environmentally preferred industrial cleaners.
Using an organic or environmentally preferred degreaser helps protect the environment.
It also helps protect human health, and can potentially reduce waste disposal costs.
To learn more about selecting an organic or environmentally preferred degreaser, contact a green solvent maker today.