The term “critical cleaning” refers to cleaning procedures that are critical in some way to the success of the end user. For example, aerospace solvents are formulated to perform cleaning operations on aerospace machinery. Solvents not designed for the needs of aerospace equipment could make a critical difference in how the machinery performs, causing problems that range from engine trouble to slippery surfaces that result from solvent residue.
When companies and organizations evaluate solvent options for critical cleaning, it’s important to choose precisely the right solvent for the job, even if it requires ordering a custom, toll blended solvent. If your outfit is in the process of evaluating solvent options for critical cleaning, below are six steps that can help you choose the right solvent(s).
- Soil Accumulation
The first step for evaluating solvent options is identifying the type of soil(s) you need to remove. Taking this step significantly narrows your search, but you could still have hundreds of options. Taking the next step produces a more manageable list of options.
- Cleaning Surface
Step two is defining the type of surface you need to clean. Here, it’s important to be as specific as possible. For example, let’s say you need to clean 300 Series stainless steel. As you examine options, narrow them down to cleaners formulated for this particular type of steel.
- Cleaning Method
Defining the cleaning method also narrows your search. Will you use an enclosed parts washer, or perform cleaning in open air? If you’ll clean in open air, do you need to apply cleaner using wipes, aerosol, pump action spray, etc.? After making the determination, it’s time for step four.
- Solvent Flashpoint
If you’ll perform open air cleaning in an area that has heat sources that could ignite liquids, choosing a high-flashpoint or a non-flammable solvent is the safest option. Remember that energized equipment can also serve as source of ignition. If you need to clean energized equipment, be sure to select a solvent that has a robust, dielectric formulation.
- Solvent Residue
Residue is another solvent characteristic to consider. Depending on its consistency, residue could pose several problems, such as enhancing or impeding current through electrical contacts, attracting dirt and grime to contacts, and creating slippery surfaces that could cause slip and fall injuries. In almost all cases, solvent residue is undesirable.
- HAP Content
A solvent that contains hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) may not damage the surface you clean, but it can damage the health of workers who do the cleaning. Avoiding HAP solvents is also a good idea because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is likely to regulate them.
Contact Us About Solvent Options
When you evaluate solvent options for critical cleaning, it’s a good idea to speak with a solvent manufacturer that understands your needs. At Ecolink, we specialize in providing solvents for industrial cleaning operations that range from routine cleaning to critical cleaning that must be performed with a certain type of solvent using a specific procedure. In addition to supplying stock solvents, we also create custom solutions for unique needs.
To inquire about our products and services, call us today at (800) 563-1305 or fill out the contact form on our website. We look forward to helping you choose solvent options for critical cleaning.
6 Characteristics of Safe Industrial Solvents
/in Ecolink News/by Industrial DegreasersThe safety of an industrial solvent is partly contextual. For example, while an solvent ingredient that burn skin would be considered dangerous in all cases, an ingredient that combusts at a certain temperature could be dangerous or safe, depending on how and where it’s used.
Nevertheless, there are certain qualities of industrial solvents that generally identify them as “safe” in all situations. Below, we list six of these characteristics to aid you in choosing safe industrial solvents for your cleaning operations.
Simply put, a solvent that has no flashpoint doesn’t burn. You could pour it into a smouldering volcanic crater, and it would vaporize but not ignite. Safe industrial solvents are often identified as having a “high” flashpoint, which is certainly better than a low flashpoint. But no flashpoint is the safest classification of all.
A dielectric is a buffer that prevents electricity from flowing from one point to another. When used in solvents, the goal is usually to prevent electricity from energized equipment from moving through the solvent stream and shocking the worker, and possibly exploding the container of solvent. A dielectric isn’t needed for all solvent operations, but it’s never considered dangerous.
The solvents on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) List of Lists aren’t the only ones that emit hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Trichloroethylene (TCE), for example, isn’t on the list, but it’s now known to have a cancer causing effect. Thanks to the internet, you can usually discover whether a solvent emits HAPs or has other dangerous ingredients just by performing a Google search.
Solvents themselves are seldom studied to see if they cause cancer, but animal studies of chemicals used in solvents often reveal whether carcinogenicity is a factor. Carcinogenic chemicals can be especially insidious, as their terrible effect often takes years to develop. By that time, the workers it effects may have shortened lives, and the company that exposed them to the danger could be on the hook for millions of dollars in settlements and legal fees.
Cancer may be the most fearsome health effect that toxic solvents cause, but it isn’t the only one. Even after workers take basic safety precautions, some solvents cause acute health effects such as blurry vision and dizziness, and chronic effects such as nerve damage and visual impairment. If basic safety precautions don’t eliminate the threat, the solvent really isn’t safe.
Who We Are
Ecolink is an industry-leading supplier of environmentally safe and environmentally preferred industrial solvents. Our solutions can be found at small businesses, midsize organizations, and large corporations throughout the U.S. and beyond. We take pride in supplying dynamic, safe industrial solvents that are friendlier to humans and the environments than toxic chemicals of the past.
To inquire about our products and services, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or fill out the contact form on our website. We look forward to learning about your needs and seeing how we can help you meet them by supplying safe industrial solvents.
Options for Aerospace Hydraulic System Cleaning Solvent
/in Aerospace Cleaners/by Industrial DegreasersBecause of the critical role that aerospace hydraulic systems play in flying and landing aircraft, you can never be too vigilant about maintaining the hydraulic systems for your aerospace equipment. To be vigilant about maintenance, though, you first need to select a hydraulic system cleaning solvent that matches the needs of your equipment and cleaning operations.
Choosing a Hydraulic System Cleaning Solvent
You have plenty of hydraulic system cleaning solvent options at your disposal, but not all of them are designed to meet the stringent specifications for cleaning aerospace equipment. At Ecolink, we offer solvents that are designed for cleaning aerospace hydraulic systems. To help you select a solvent in an informed, expeditious manner, we present two of our solvent options that work well for many clients in the aerospace industry: Aerokleen and Positron.
Aerokleen is a non-chlorinated solvent designed specifically for cleaning of aviation hydraulic fluid, among other tasks. Simply wipe or spray the solvent onto the cleaning surface, and watch dirt and residue flow away. Aerokleen offers the following important benefits that make it a highly prefered hydraulic system cleaning solvent.
Order Aerokleen online in 55 gallon drums, 5 gallon pails, 4 x 1 gallon case, 12 x 1 quart case, or 16 x 1 pint bottles. Save money by ordering in bulk or in small shipments on an as-needed basis.
Positron is an ultra high-purity dielectric solvent that you can use to clean aerospace hydraulic equipment while it remains energized. First, though, read the product literature to be sure the dielectric is strong enough to buffer the electricity load of the energized equipment you need to clean. Important benefits of Positron include:
Order Positron in 55 gallon drums, 5 gallon pails, 4 x 1 gallon case, 12 x 22 ounce pump spray, or 12 x 16 ounce net aerosol. Cut costs by placing bulk orders or by ordering smaller quantities on an as-needed basis.
Contact Us Today
Due to the extreme conditions under which it can operate, aerospace equipment must be well-maintained at all times. If it isn’t, lives could be lost due to equipment failure. Our aerospace hydraulic system cleaning solvents are perfect options for maintaining the hydraulic systems of the equipment through the rigors of high-speed take offs and swift landings.
To inquire about these and other aerospace grade cleaning solvents, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or send us an email through our contact form. We look forward to providing a stock solvent or custom solvent that meets your aerospace hydraulic system cleaning requirements.
Trichloroethylene Health Effects: A Case for Replacement
/in TCE/by Industrial DegreasersTrichloroethylene (TCE) has been used since the 1920s for a variety of purposes. Today, it’s primarily known as an industrial solvent used in degreasing applications. TCE works well as a general purpose degreaser for industrial jobs, but it poses health problems to those who apply it consistently, and it can even affect workers who apply it on a one-off basis for spot degreasing needs. If you receive acute exposure to TCE vapor, you could experience any of the following trichloroethylene health effects:
Citing a studies on the effects of TCE from the 1970s, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has this to say about the effects of acute exposure to TCE: “Exposure to TCE air levels of 27 ppm for one to four hours caused drowsiness and mucous membrane irritation, and at 81 ppm, headaches … An 8-hour exposure (two 4-hour exposures separated by 1.5 hours) to 110 ppm TCE for two 4-hr periods resulted in decreased performance on tests of perception, memory, reaction time, and dexterity.”
The trichloroethylene health effects of chronic exposure paint a darker picture. According to ATSDR, chronic exposure to the levels of TCE listed above can precipitate the following serious health problems that may not go away:
It reads like a laundry list of things that no company would want to befall its workers. This is why many companies have made the move to replace TCE with an application-compatible solvent that has a considerably better safety profile. More on that later.
Exposure Limits
The exposure limits above are rather high considering the hazardous effects of TCE, but these levels — and levels even higher — are what you might find in an industrial work setting, where TCE is used as a degreaser for business-critical solvent applications. The presence of TCE in such settings appears to be on its way out. A July 2015 news release from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states the EPA is “taking regulatory action to reduce exposure to this chemical.”
TCE Replacements
TCE is a solvent with a nearly 100-year history. It’s done a great job as a degreaser for many organizations. Yet, like many other solvents of TCE’s generation, using the solution at high exposure levels involves too many current and long-term risks for companies and their workforce.
If your company uses a TCE solvent and needs a replacement, Ecolink can supply a stock solution or custom cleaner that delivers the same efficacy, without all of the hazardous trichloroethylene health effects. To demonstrate the effectiveness of your new degreaser, we’ll even send you a free sample you can use for your TCE-based cleaning operations.
To get started on selecting a TCE replacement, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use the contact form on our website. We look forward to supplying you with a safer solvent that the EPA won’t regulate.
Is TCE a Carcinogen? The DHH Says Yes
/in Ecolink News/by Industrial DegreasersMost people associate carcinogens with tobacco products and air pollutants, not with industrial solvents. But some carcinogenic chemicals that cause air pollution come from these solvents, and long-term exposure to the carcinogenic substances can predispose you to develop cancer, just like smoking can. One of the latest industrial chemicals to be exposed to this harsh appraisal is trichloroethene (TCE) — a chemical compound halocarbon that’s commonly used for industrial degreasing jobs.
What the EPA has to Say
According to a report from ChemInfo, in 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that “About 250 million pounds of TCE are produced in or imported into the U.S. every year.” The same year, the organization also classified TCE as “cancerous by all routes of exposure.” That means, if TCE contacts you in any way, you’re worse off than before.
Consequently, the EPA “issued a final significant new use rule (SNUR) for TCE, stating that any company that manufactures, imports or processes TCE for use in a consumer product must notify the agency 90 days in advance.” Of additional note, “The SNUR exempts the use of TCE in several cases including cleaners and solvent degreasers because these ongoing uses cannot be subject to a SNUR.”
Even with the exemption from the SNUR, companies are strongly advised to phase out solvents that contain TCE, and replace them with cleaners that are as efficacious as TCE but less dangerous than TCE-based solvents.
What the HHS has to Say
Following the EPA’s lead, in recent weeks, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “has further condemned the chemical, upgrading it from a ‘reasonably anticipated to be’ to ‘known’ human carcinogen.”
So, why is a hazardous chemical that’s “known” to cause cancer still used in large quantities as an industrial degreaser and general cleaner? One reason is that suddenly banning or heavily regulating a popular solvent can have an unwanted economic impact, both for solvent users, solvent suppliers, and the industrial solvent industry as a whole.
Using history as a guide, TCE will eventually be placed on the EPA’s List of Lists, and it’s inclusion will be announced well in advance to give companies and organizations plenty of time to switch to safer, non-TCE-based solvents.
How Ecolink Can Help
If your company or organization uses a large volume of TCE solvent, you can get ahead of the game, and replace it before replacement becomes legally mandatory. At Ecolink, we specialize in providing stock and custom solvents that are environmentally safe and environmentally preferred. With our eco friendly solvents in place, you needn’t worry about EPA regulations undercutting your cleaning operations or your workers coming down with chronic illnesses.
To get started on selecting a TCE replacement that you can “drop in” your cleaning system to immediately replace your current solvent, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or complete the contact form on our website. We look forward to learning about your solvent needs and helping you choose safe, effective solutions for your company, its workforce, and the environment.
6 Steps for Choosing Solvent Options for Critical Cleaning
/in Industrial Degreasers/by Industrial DegreasersThe term “critical cleaning” refers to cleaning procedures that are critical in some way to the success of the end user. For example, aerospace solvents are formulated to perform cleaning operations on aerospace machinery. Solvents not designed for the needs of aerospace equipment could make a critical difference in how the machinery performs, causing problems that range from engine trouble to slippery surfaces that result from solvent residue.
When companies and organizations evaluate solvent options for critical cleaning, it’s important to choose precisely the right solvent for the job, even if it requires ordering a custom, toll blended solvent. If your outfit is in the process of evaluating solvent options for critical cleaning, below are six steps that can help you choose the right solvent(s).
The first step for evaluating solvent options is identifying the type of soil(s) you need to remove. Taking this step significantly narrows your search, but you could still have hundreds of options. Taking the next step produces a more manageable list of options.
Step two is defining the type of surface you need to clean. Here, it’s important to be as specific as possible. For example, let’s say you need to clean 300 Series stainless steel. As you examine options, narrow them down to cleaners formulated for this particular type of steel.
Defining the cleaning method also narrows your search. Will you use an enclosed parts washer, or perform cleaning in open air? If you’ll clean in open air, do you need to apply cleaner using wipes, aerosol, pump action spray, etc.? After making the determination, it’s time for step four.
If you’ll perform open air cleaning in an area that has heat sources that could ignite liquids, choosing a high-flashpoint or a non-flammable solvent is the safest option. Remember that energized equipment can also serve as source of ignition. If you need to clean energized equipment, be sure to select a solvent that has a robust, dielectric formulation.
Residue is another solvent characteristic to consider. Depending on its consistency, residue could pose several problems, such as enhancing or impeding current through electrical contacts, attracting dirt and grime to contacts, and creating slippery surfaces that could cause slip and fall injuries. In almost all cases, solvent residue is undesirable.
A solvent that contains hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) may not damage the surface you clean, but it can damage the health of workers who do the cleaning. Avoiding HAP solvents is also a good idea because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is likely to regulate them.
Contact Us About Solvent Options
When you evaluate solvent options for critical cleaning, it’s a good idea to speak with a solvent manufacturer that understands your needs. At Ecolink, we specialize in providing solvents for industrial cleaning operations that range from routine cleaning to critical cleaning that must be performed with a certain type of solvent using a specific procedure. In addition to supplying stock solvents, we also create custom solutions for unique needs.
To inquire about our products and services, call us today at (800) 563-1305 or fill out the contact form on our website. We look forward to helping you choose solvent options for critical cleaning.