Why Low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are Important

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Even though the word is getting out concerning the harmful effects of industrial cleaners, groups such as the Air Quality Management District feel it is not spreading fast enough. In a time where everyone to some degree, should be doing their part to make changes to their daily habits that could benefit the environment and the health of our planet, it comes as a shock to many at the AQMD that people are still so freely willing to expose themselves to harmful chemicals when there are cleaning materials with safe heavy duty solutions.

The harmful chemicals that emanate from these products are known as Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs. VOCs harm the planet, the environment, and anyone who comes into contact with the noxious gases. Exposure can lead to long lasting effects, even death from too much exposure. What the AQMD wants to do is make sure companies and people know that there are green alternatives that produce Low VOCs. Low VOC Cleaners are now on the market, and if you have not already made the switch, you should right away and promote ecofriendly alternative cleaners.

The difference in the VOC emission is so significant that the AQMD estimates that the clean air index can be significantly reduced, and smog in many of the metropolitan cities that deal with this thick grotesque air could see elimination of the noxious cloud. The AQMD, along with several other concerned organizations are trying to make it mandatory for companies to switch to Low VOC Cleaners, since it does not require significant increase in expense. As a matter of fact, almost all of the green alternative degreasers and cleaning solutions are cheaper than their harmful predecessors.

These environmentally conscious organizations believe that fining companies for the continued use of harmful chemical emissions should be instituted. Considering the need to preserve our environment as best we can, coupled with an actual savings in overhead by switching to a green alternative cleaning solvent, and it is hard to argue against the mandatory change and fines for not being compliant.

Looking for a low VOC cleaner? Call us today or shop our products conveniently online!

Breakthrough Solvent, Breakthrough Cleaner Buyers – Switch & Save!

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Replace Breakthrough® solvent, Breakthrough® cleaner with New II for MIL-PRF-680-Type-II

In 2000, Ecolink Inc (Cage Code 0WU71) introduced New II as an incredibly cost-effective equivalent product for MIL-PRF-680-Type-II to replace Breakthrough®solvent, Breakthrough®cleaner. As a result, the U.S. Department of Defense (and taxpayers) saved “hundreds of thousand of dollars” while buying thousands of 55-gal and 5-gal containers of MIL-PRF-680-Type II solvent, cleaner.

New II, MIL PRF 680 Compliant with Edge Tek™ Filtration Partswashing Systems

Ecolink Inc. guarantees our product, New II, will clean as well (or better) and offer you a FREE sample to see/smell the difference in pricing but not in cleaning performance. Over the years, we have fielded dozens of calls from concerned end users threatened to have the warranty voided from Inland Technology’s Edge Tek™ Filtration, Partswashing System. Ecolink Inc was not and is not intimidated by Inland’s threat and stand by our products. We 100% guarantee New II will not affect Inland’s Edge Tek™ Filtration, Partswashing System and have not had a ‘single’ incident reported in over 10 years.

Inland Technology Inc. enjoyed uncontested business for a long time before Ecolink showed up and moved their cheese. Their response? Set up another company, Diffusion Technology, and lower their price to ‘fair’ market value for a few minor spot buys. Diffusion Technology Cage Code is 1VBR9. Inland Technology Cage Code is 0K209.  EXACT same address, city, state just a different phone number. Busted!

Search http://progate.daps.dla.mil/home/ to see for yourself. Simply search award history by cage code or NSN:

6850-01-474-2316 for 55 Gal. Drum

6850-01-474-2317 for 5 Gal. Pail

6850-01-378-0698 for 15 Gal. Drum

New II and BREAKTHROUGH®  both qualify for MIL-PRF-680B. New II qualification number is DS-0004, BREAKTHROUGH® qualification number is DS-0005. It’s all available on-line. Anyone east of the Mississippi River will save 2 days (minimum) + a bunch of $ shipping AND enjoy live, in-person technical support to review cleaning process to maximize chemical life cycle in order to reduce expensive disposal fees.

Breakthrough®solvent, Breakthrough®cleaner Summary

As cited on http://www.inlandtech.com/catalog/products/breakthrough-z:

“BREAKTHROUGH®is a benzene free, HAP free, state of the art solvent designed to help users break out of the tangle of regulations regarding emissions, disposal, and industrial health hazards. BREAKTHROUGH®is a virtually odorless, low toxicity, high-purity hydrocarbon that exhibits a very low degree of irritancy to the eyes and is non-irritating to the skin. It has low vapor pressure to control volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, is non-carcinogenic, and is not regulated under SARA, Title III, Sections 302 or 313, CERCLA, and RCRA requirements. BREAKTHROUGH®has no listed components and no characteristics of hazardous waste per the EPA; and worker exposure is not regulated by the OSHA Z-list.”

BOEING AIRCRAFT COMPANY

·            BAC 5750 – General Solvent Cleaning on Boeing Aircraft.

CFM AIRCRAFT ENGINES

· CP 2011 – approved for all aircraft engine cleaning applications calling for PD-680 Type I and Type II.

GE AIRCRAFT ENGINES

· C04-002 – approved for all engine cleaning applications calling for PD-680 Type I and Type II.

PRATT & WHITNEY

·            PMC 9001 – approved to Engine Cleaning Specification.

ROLLS ROYCE AIRCRAFT ENGINES

· approved for all engine cleaning applications calling for PD-680 Type I and Type II.

BELL HELICOPTER

· Part Number 2110-07015 – General solvent cleaning on Bell Helicopter Aircraft.

SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION

· Part Number 08UTC-40588 – General cleaning on Sikorsky Aircraft.

U.S. AIR FORCE

· PRO-ACT SS Talk Edition 31, Dec 96 authorizes as MIL PRF-680, Type II.

U.S. ARMY

· “Based upon favorable toxicity, regulatory and use data; a toxicity clearance is granted for BREAKTHROUGH®use as a degreasing solvent.” U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine, 28 January, 1997.

· APC Tech Message #92 authorizes BREAKTHROUGH® Type I and Type II for cleaning U.S. Army Weapons, Ground Vehicles, Equipment, and Aviation materials.as an Environmentally Compliant Replacement for PD-680

· TACOM – Meets Military Specification for MIL PRF-680, Type II.

· TACOM – ACALA Maintenance Advisory Message No. 97-17, authorizes BREAKTHROUGH®for use on all small arms and aircraft armament systems.

· TB 43-0135 – Recommended substitute for ozone depleting substances used on communications-electronics equipment.

 

Safety Kleen Parts Washer + PD 680 = Disaster for US Military

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Team Robins Logo

Ecolink Inc. honored at Warner Robins AFB 2010 Environmental, Health and Safety Fair

With more than 100 exhibitors, Ecolink Inc. was recognized for their commitment to our troops and reducing taxpayer’s burden by promoting local, safer, and healthier industrial cleaning solvents and degreasers. With thousands of attendees, Ecolink Inc. confirmed PD 680 is still in use despite its phase-out on December 13, 1999 and replacement with MIL PRF 680. The common denominator is pairing this material in use with Safety Kleen Parts Washers. This is a giant sized NO NO on multiple levels:

  1. It has not been part of “any” technical order (TO) in more than 10 years!
  2. It has not been re-tested, approved and re-certified for compatibility with “any” new programs or military equipment introduced post-1999.
  3. It is supplied by Chemical Specialists & Development Inc. (CSD Inc.), cage code 4N760 – frequently cited for poorly performing materials and no MSDS available on their website for PD 680, NSN 6850-00-274-5421.
  4. How can you verify you are getting what you paid for? Safety Kleen delivers & picks up and the product smells the same way coming and going. Hmmmmm. ** During a recent Air National Guard visit, the MSDS for CSD Inc.’s PD 680A, Type II was last revised in 1992. This is not a typo, almost 20 years ago and 7 years prior to cancellation.

Four reasons why PD 680 is still in use after cancellation on December 13, 1999

Here is our theory why this trend continues despite a user survey for P-D-680 solvents and commercial alternative solvent evaluations completed during 1994-1995 where twenty-three (23) commercial solvents were identified as candidate alternative P-D-680 solvents.

A)   PD 680 is a LOT less expensive (30-40%) than PRF 680

B)   PD 680 works and has for more than 50 years. The ‘smell’ is familiar.

C)   PD 680, also known as Mineral Spirit Solvents, is readily available from a long list of suppliers

D)   PD 680 vs. PRF 680 has ‘minimal’ cost difference for disposal

Stop and do the right thing. It costs more to buy but cost less when factoring the risk exposure to the soldier or civilian and the very expensive parts and materials being routinely cleaned.

 

Special Offer for Warner Robins AFB attendees of 2010 EH&S Fair

Ecolink Inc. is offering a 15% discount and FREE shipping for any new cleaner degreasers, degreaser chemicals or industrial solvent manufactured or distributed by Ecolink Inc. — including MIL PRF 680B.
Mention “Museum of Aviation” when placing order.

We offer numerous alternatives to:

  • Chemtronics

  • Petroferm Inc.

  • CRC Industries

  • Safety Kleen
  • Inland Technologies
  • ZEP
  • LPS Laboratories
 

Call 800 886-8240 or email info@ecolink.com to discuss your current use of any of these or other manufacturer’s brand to switch and start saving. With over 200 products to choose from, including several new formulations not yet listed on the website, we feel certain we can expand upon the savings and safety improvements enjoyed for nearly 20 years. Chemist owned and operated, we offer guaranteed FREE samples, including FREE freight, to evaluate for a RISK-FREE evaluation.

MIL PRF 680 related articles

Industrial Degreasers are Available as Ecofriendly Cleaning Solutions

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There is a lack of public knowledge regarding industrial degreasers, as well as a general misconception regarding availability types for those who do know a little bit of information regarding these solvents. The first issue ­– the lack of public knowledge – has to do with people who use these degreasers or are around them frequently not realizing how dangerous the chemicals are to people and to the environment. Industrial degreasers, because their contents are so strong and concentrated, emit hazardous chemicals that are dangerous to anyone who inhales them, as well as to the environment, as it can create smog. People need to start understanding the negative ramifications to using hazardous solvent components and begin using green alternatives and ecofriendly cleaning solutions – which brings this article to its second point.

Because industrial degreasers need to be heavy duty and fully concentrated in order to clean and dissolve oil, grease, dirt, and other particles that can harm materials, people assume that the hazardous ingredients are just a a condition to using a product that works. At some point that might have been true, but no longer. There are, available now, ecofriendly cleaning solutions that are every bit as strong, even stronger, than the best traditional industrial degreaser on the market. Therefore, you receive the same type of outcome – cleaned materials – along with a safer product for you, others around you, and for the environment. In addition, ecofriendly cleaning solutions are lower in price compared to regular solvents.

It is the hope that this article has educated you on the negative effects of older industrial degreasers, as well as the positives to switching to ecofriendly cleaning solutions. Coupled with the fact that you will save money going with a green alternative solvent, you put people around you in less danger and no harmful exposure, and you are no longer emitting hazardous gases into the air that harm the ozone layer and the environment. Act today and begin using more efficient degreasing solvents, at less price when compared to traditional cleaners, and to take a green initiative.

Cleaning Electronics: What is a Dielectric Solvent?

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What is a dielectric solvent? You already know what a solvent is, so what you need is the definition of “dielectric”. Wikipedia gives a nice summation of the term:

“A dielectric (or dielectric material) is an electrical insulator that can be polarized by an applied electric field. When a dielectric is placed in an electric field, electric charges do not flow through the material, as they do in an electrical conductor, but only slightly shift from their average equilibrium positions, causing dielectric polarization.

Furthermore, “Because of dielectric polarization, positive charges are displaced toward the field and negative charges shift in the opposite direction. This creates an internal electric field that reduces the overall field within the dielectric itself.”

In other words, a dielectric or dielectric material impedes the flow of electricity through the solvent stream, preventing you from receiving an electrical shock while cleaning electrical equipment, unless the solvent’s dielectric isn’t strong enough to impede the equipment’s active voltage.

Establishing Dielectric Strength

Suppliers of dielectric solvents offer them in different dielectric strengths for a reason. Different cleaning operations involve different voltages. Some equipment is cleaned while energized, meaning the operating voltage could travel through the solvent stream and shock a worker, if the solvent’s dielectric isn’t sufficiently strong.

When ordering industrial dielectric solvent from a professional supplier, dielectric strength will be identified in the “product description” or “product safety” resources available online and in print. If in doubt about the dielectric strength you need for an application, don’t resort to trial and error; it’s too dangerous. Instead, contact the product’s manufacturer to clarify dielectric resistance.

Dielectric Versus Flash Point     

One mistake new solvent users make is thinking that a strong dielectric is the equivalent of a non-flammable or high flashpoint formulation, which isn’t true. A solvent with dielectric strength can be flammable. And flammable solvent with dielectric strength may resist ignition from an arc flash, for example.

Before you order a dielectric solvent, determine whether you need a non-flammable formulation, as well. For safety reasons, address this issue with the manufacturer upfront, before you order.

Shopping with Ecolink

If you need a dielectric solvent for cleaning electrical equipment, Ecolink can provide a solution that works flawlessly. If you need to clean energized equipment with your dielectric solvent, it’s essential to establish the dielectric strength you need upfront. This is what our dedicated team of chemists is here to help you do.

When selecting your solution, you have two options: order a stock solution that’s preformulated and ready to ship, or request a custom solvent that’s designed for your unique requirements. Because custom solvents are a bit more expensive, we recommend evaluating stock options first, and then pursuing a custom solution is no stock solvents offer a perfect fit.

Regardless of the solution you order, feel free to request a free test sample, so you can see how the solvent works for your application. If you get excellent results, you can place you official order with confidence, knowing that you’re receive the best solution for the job.

Contact Us Today 

For assistance identifying the right solvent for your application, call us today at 800-563-1305, or use our contact form. We look forward to providing environmentally preferred solvent options!