Also known as 1-Bromopropane and n-propyl bromide, nPB is a powerful chemical compound that excels at removing heavy accumulations of grease from various materials with noted efficacy. However, in recent years, the safety of the solvent has come under fire from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and sister organizations due to the solvent’s toxic formulation that demonstrates carcinogenicity in experiments involving lab mice.
The information from mice studies has been extrapolated to propose that nPB is also a carcinogenic solvent to humans. If you’re considering implementing nPB as a general degreasing solvent, and you have some basic questions about the compound, the answers below can provide the information you need to guide you to nBP degreasing alternatives.
- If nPB solvent is carcinogenic to humans, why it is still used?
Currently, nPB is still used because the EPA hasn’t officially added the solvent to its list of banned chemicals. However, many regulatory agencies at the state and federal levels have instituted regulatory measures that pertain to how the solvent can be used. This essentially means that nPB users must use the solvent in a limited capacity in order to reduce health threats to workers, who use the solvent in a high volume on consistent basis.
- What health problems can large-scale nPB use pose to workers?
The health problems nPB causes workers range from relatively minor to profoundly severe. Minor health ailments that nPB causes include: dizziness, upset stomach, and respiratory distress. Severe health problems that NPB causes include: the potential to cause cancer, permanent damage to the central nervous system (CNS), and blurred vision that makes it dangerous for workers to use nPB and other business-critical cleaning solvents.
- How can continuing to use nPB degreasers impact my company?
Aside of regulatory requirements, the primary impact of using nPB degreasers pertains to how it affects workers. Employees consistently deploy nBP can lead to lack of productivity on the workfloor due to the minor effects of nPB exposure, which can in turn lead to an increased number sick days taken. Employees that experience chronic, irreversible health effects can lead to an increase of workers compensation claims, chemical injury lawsuits, lucrative court settlements for the lawsuits, and fines from regulatory agencies for overusing the solvent.
- Will the EPA add nPB to its list of banned and regulated chemicals?
Considering the deleterious effects nPB can have on the health outcome of workers, there’s a good chance that that nPB will eventually be added to the EPA’s list of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). However, the EPA doesn’t suddenly add chemicals to the list. Rather, a chemical’s inclusion on the list is typically announced months in advance in order to give nPB users enough time to replace nPB with NPB degreasing alternatives that have a safer profile.
- What if nPB makes the EPA’s list, and I still have a large quantity of it?
This situation usually happens to companies and organizations that remain in the dark about the need to replace nPB with safer nPB degreasing alternatives. If for some reason you still have a stock supply of nPB after its use has been curtailed by official, governmental decrees, you may still be able to use the solvent — albeit in limited quantities — until the supply is depleted. For this to happen, the use of nPB must be regulated instead of being banned outright.
- What are examples of nPB degreasing alternatives for replacing nPB?
Thanks to the recent advancement of environmentally safe and environmentally prefered solvents, there’s a wide range of nPB degreasing alternatives that deliver the same efficacy as nPB, but lack toxic chemicals that can have a major, negative impact on the health of workers who apply the solvent. For reference, one of the easiest ways to identify nPB degreasing alternatives is to use Ecolink’s product list that offers several, safer degreasing agents.
Need nPB Degreasing Alternatives?
The future of nPB use is bleak, as there is a good chance that the EPA will eventually add the solvent to is list of HAPs. This means now is the time to start identifying safer industrial degreasers that exhibit same or better efficacy as NPB degreasers. Ecolink can assist you with identifying and supplying eco friendly degreasers, providing stock degreasers or custom blends that are tailored to address your unique set of degreasing requirements.
To place an order, or to receive help choosing the right nPB replacement for your degreasing needs, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use the contact form on our website. We look forward to helping you choose the right product regarding worker safety and regulatory requirements.
Solvent Recovery is the Answer to Cutting Costs
/in Chemical waste, Zero Waste/by Industrial DegreasersIn today’s world, many laboratories and industrial settings utilize costly solvents in daily operations and dispose of them shortly after. This practice of not recycling used solvents is not cost effective. To combat this practice, CBG Technologies developed a wide array of solvent distillers that heat liquid waste and then separate, purify and cool the resulting vapors into a highly pure solvent for reuse. Solvent distillation is an essential part of many of today’s industries since it allows them to decrease spending by reducing solvent consumption, reducing waste disposal, and reducing storage space needed for new and used solvents. Without solvent distillation equipment, there would be no process to recycle solvents, and as a result, customers would have increased levels of waste generation that create higher costs.
Utilization of distillation equipment enables labs to:
• Obtain higher quality solvents
• Reduce solvent consumption
• Reduce liability concerning storage and waste disposal
• Maintain lower levels of waste generation
• Comply with government regulations and guidelines concerning waste disposal
Types of Solvent Recycling Equipment
In order to meet the demand of various laboratory sizes and conditions, CBG Technologies has developed various sizes of distilling apparatuses over the past twenty years, which can meet the desired spatial needs of each customer. The models for laboratories include benchtop and portable floor models, which can be further customized with the use of CBG Tech accessories. Moreover, CBG Tech provides simple and fractional distillers, which can be customized, for various industrial applications.
Laboratory applications of distillation equipment:
• Achieving a high purity of recycled solvent – usually in excess of 99%
• Recycling diluted alcohols to a high concentration approaching 95%
• Attaining a high recovery of the contaminated solvent – typically around 95%
Industrial applications of solvent recovery:
• Electroplating
• Parts washing
• Vapor degreasing
• Paints/coating
• General cleaning
Standard options of industrial distillers:
• Manually-Operated Fill Pump
• Auto-fill and Continuous Operation
• Construction to Class 1 Division 1 Standards
• Solvent/Water Separator
• Vacuum Assist
• Rapid Tank Cool-Down Module
Safety and Compliance
Each model is compliant with the most current government and regulatory standards and specifications to ensure that work environments stay safe. Furthermore, CGB Tech delivers excellent customer service and technical guidance that ensures customers are able to integrate distillers into their processes. In addition to supplying distillers, CBG Tech provides service options designed to help customers after the purchase of an apparatus.
Service options include:
• Total Replacement Policies
• Onsite Preventative Maintenance
• GC Testing
• Retraining of staff
With the benefits of using solvent distillation equipment, many laboratories, such as chemistry and pathology labs, are able to be environmentally friendly while being mindful of operating costs.
Contact CBG Technologies today to reclaim used solvents and reduce costs!
The Health Dangers of Using nPB Vapor Degreaser
/in Ecolink News/by Industrial DegreasersOver the past 20 years, nPB (a.k.a. n-propyl bromide and 1-bromopropane) has become a go-to solvent in numerous industries, from dry cleaning, to furniture construction, to asphalt production. During roughly the same time period, OSHA and the EPA have steadily studied the health dangers of the solvent based on scientific investigation.
What emerges is a portrait of an nPB vapor degreaser that can produce both acute and long-term negative health effects in those who use it. These effects are the primary reason why many organizations move to replace an nPB vapor degreaser with one that has a safer profile.
Acute Health Effects of nPB Exposure
The most talked health effects of nPB exposure are chronic effects, as these represent the greatest threat to the health of the user. But short-term use of nPB can also produce negative health effects, which are acute in nature, particularly:
The effects often cease when exposure to nPB ceases, although studies have shown it can take some workers over one year to fully recover. In such cases, exposure has typically occurred over the course of weeks or months and not during a one-time use of the solvent. However, even a single exposure to nPB can be enough to take a worker off of the work floor for a day. By harming workers’ health, nPB can hurt their company’s productivity.
Long-Term Health Effects of nPB Exposure
Workers who are exposed to nPB vapor degreaser over the course of many months or years can develop long-term, negative health effects that result in permanent disability. Four of the most noted chronic health conditions that are caused by consistent nPB exposure are:
Over the years, chronic conditions such as these have formed the backbone of numerous chemical injury lawsuits that workers pursue against their employers on the basis on nPB exposure. As with acute health effects of nPB vapor degreaser exposure, long-term effects don’t just harm workers. They can have a profound, negative impact on a company’s bottom line.
Replacement is the Optimal Solution
There are several ways to reduce exposure to nPB vapor degreaser, such as using a special air filtration system in the environment where nPB is used, outfitting workers with a high level of personal protective equipment (PPE), and using a vapor degreasing system that produces to no emissions in the work environment. However, the most cost effective, hassle-free option for eliminating health threats of nPB is to replace the solvent with a safer one.
This is what Ecolink can help you do. We offer a broad selection degreasing solvents that are safer than many of their predecessors, yet still deliver the same efficacy. To get started on receiving an nPB vapor degreaser drop-in solution, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or contact us here on our website. We look forward to helping you protect your workers’ health.
Buying Commercial Degreasers: Tips For Refining Product Selection
/in Degreasing Agents/by Industrial DegreasersDegreaser is one of the most widely used categories of commercial solvents. That’s why there are literally thousands of degreaser solutions you could buy. While having a wide range of options is never a bad thing when it comes to solvent selection, all of the choices eventually have to be narrowed down to one. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some helpful criteria that your company or organization can use to narrow the search for commercial degreasers.
Solvent Grade
Degreasers tend be formulated with three types of end users in mind: industrial users, commercial users, and residential users. Because commercial degreasers tend to deliver more cleaning power by volume than residential grade degreasers that are used in the home, make sure that your search only focuses on commercial grade degreasing solutions.
Degreasing Application
If you need a degreaser for a specific type of degreasing operation, such as degreasing energized motors, this can also help you refine your choice. For example, for cleaning an energized motor, you would ideally want a degreaser that is non-flammable (i.e., no flashpoint), has a dielectric formulation, evaporates quickly, and leaves behind no residue.
VOC Content
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be “organic”, but this doesn’t mean that they’re safe to use in large quantities. Commercial degreasers that have high VOC content can cause short-term and chronic health problems due to incidental and prolonged exposure, respectively. Avoiding high VOC content helps workers stay healthy, and thus supports business productivity.
EPA Measures
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to regulate the large-scale use of hazardous chemicals, announcing upcoming regulations well in advance, so companies and organizations have time to phase out dangerous chemicals. If a degreaser contains a chemical that’s slated to be regulated by the EPA, be sure to remove it from your list of solvent options.
Container Options
In what types of containers do you need a commercial degreasers: aerosol, hand wipes, spray bottles, etc.? In addition, what size of container do you need (aerosol bottles or large, aerosol cylinders, for example)? If a supplier doesn’t offer commercial degreasers in the types of containers you need, it provides another way to narrow your options and choose the best.
Custom Formulation
If after days of searching online for readymade commercial degreasers, you simply can’t find a solution that meets all of your requirements, you may be in the market for custom formulated degreasers. Unlike readymade solvents that are formulated to meet a wide variety of solvent needs, custom blended solvents are designed to meet the specific needs of a single customer.
Shopping For Commercial Degreasers?
Whether you need an eco friendly commercial degreaser for general cleaning applications, specific degreasing operations, or both, Ecolink can supply the solution you need, and provide it in a formulation that minimizes negative impact to your workers and the environment. For assistance selecting the right commercial degreaser for your cleaning requirements and safety needs, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or fill out the contact form on our website.
AK225 Flushing Fluid Replacement: Two Options From Ecolink
/in AK225/by Industrial DegreasersAK225 flushing fluid (a.k.a. Asahiklin) enjoyed a long run as a go-to solvent for companies that perform routine degreasing and general cleaning of parts, surfaces, and materials. However, the solution’s ozone depleting properties rightly placed it on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) list of solvents that are banned or regulated. AK225 was primarily produced in Japan and has been banned from importation or production in the U.S. since the beginning of 2015.
AK225 Replacement Process: Two Options
As it would normally do, the EPA made AK225 flushing fluid users aware of the solvent’s impending ban before the ban was active. Some companies completed the phase out process in 2014, well before the date of the solution’s ban. The question is whether they implemented a seamless replacement for AK225 flushing fluid or have made do with a similar solution whose efficacy at removing soils doesn’t conform to the strength of the AK225 solvent it replaced.
If your company or organization is in this position, we recommend considering the following two options for finding a final, suitable replacement for AK225 flushing fluid: Implement Fluosolv CX solvent, which can be purchased directly from our online store, or have our team of experienced chemists create a custom solvent that perfectly conforms to your cleaning processes. Let’s take a look at each option.
FluoSolv CX Solvent
Fluosolv CX has the same efficacy as AK225 and possesses several additional advantages, as well, including: an acceptable exposure limit that is nearly double the limit for AK225, no required equipment modifications (e.g. changes to parts washing systems) are necessary for using FluoSolv CX as an AK225 replacement, and FluoSolv CX dries faster than AK225, making the latter a better option for vapor degreasing and aerosol cold cleaning applications.
Moreover, FluoSolv CX is widely viewed as the number one replacement solvent for AK225.
Customized Solvent
Most users should be able to implement FluoSolv CX as a drop-in solution for any ineffective AK225 replacement solution they currently use. However, there are inevitably outfits that need the formulation of FluoSolv CX tweaked to meet unique chemical cleaning requirements. In this situation, we recommend letting our team of chemists create the needed solution.
Once your custom solution is complete, we’ll even send you a free test sample, so you can be certain that the solution works as expected. From there, we can supply your custom solvent on a scheduled basis, or as the need for the cleaner arises. Choose the supply scenario best meets your requirements.
Contact Us Today
As new, green, industrial cleaning solutions continue to become available, industrial cleaning solvents that damage the ozone and pose other critical problems should eventually be eliminated. In the meantime, Ecolink is here to provide environmentally preferred stock solvents and custom solvents that deliver the same cleaning power of the solvents they replace.
To get started on implementing the best replacement for AK225 flushing fluid or one of its replacements simply that isn’t the best, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use the contact form on our website. We look forward to providing you with a safer, powerful solvent.
nPB Degreasing Alternatives 101: Frequently Asked Questions
/in N-Propyl Bromide/by Industrial DegreasersAlso known as 1-Bromopropane and n-propyl bromide, nPB is a powerful chemical compound that excels at removing heavy accumulations of grease from various materials with noted efficacy. However, in recent years, the safety of the solvent has come under fire from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and sister organizations due to the solvent’s toxic formulation that demonstrates carcinogenicity in experiments involving lab mice.
The information from mice studies has been extrapolated to propose that nPB is also a carcinogenic solvent to humans. If you’re considering implementing nPB as a general degreasing solvent, and you have some basic questions about the compound, the answers below can provide the information you need to guide you to nBP degreasing alternatives.
Currently, nPB is still used because the EPA hasn’t officially added the solvent to its list of banned chemicals. However, many regulatory agencies at the state and federal levels have instituted regulatory measures that pertain to how the solvent can be used. This essentially means that nPB users must use the solvent in a limited capacity in order to reduce health threats to workers, who use the solvent in a high volume on consistent basis.
The health problems nPB causes workers range from relatively minor to profoundly severe. Minor health ailments that nPB causes include: dizziness, upset stomach, and respiratory distress. Severe health problems that NPB causes include: the potential to cause cancer, permanent damage to the central nervous system (CNS), and blurred vision that makes it dangerous for workers to use nPB and other business-critical cleaning solvents.
Aside of regulatory requirements, the primary impact of using nPB degreasers pertains to how it affects workers. Employees consistently deploy nBP can lead to lack of productivity on the workfloor due to the minor effects of nPB exposure, which can in turn lead to an increased number sick days taken. Employees that experience chronic, irreversible health effects can lead to an increase of workers compensation claims, chemical injury lawsuits, lucrative court settlements for the lawsuits, and fines from regulatory agencies for overusing the solvent.
Considering the deleterious effects nPB can have on the health outcome of workers, there’s a good chance that that nPB will eventually be added to the EPA’s list of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). However, the EPA doesn’t suddenly add chemicals to the list. Rather, a chemical’s inclusion on the list is typically announced months in advance in order to give nPB users enough time to replace nPB with NPB degreasing alternatives that have a safer profile.
This situation usually happens to companies and organizations that remain in the dark about the need to replace nPB with safer nPB degreasing alternatives. If for some reason you still have a stock supply of nPB after its use has been curtailed by official, governmental decrees, you may still be able to use the solvent — albeit in limited quantities — until the supply is depleted. For this to happen, the use of nPB must be regulated instead of being banned outright.
Thanks to the recent advancement of environmentally safe and environmentally prefered solvents, there’s a wide range of nPB degreasing alternatives that deliver the same efficacy as nPB, but lack toxic chemicals that can have a major, negative impact on the health of workers who apply the solvent. For reference, one of the easiest ways to identify nPB degreasing alternatives is to use Ecolink’s product list that offers several, safer degreasing agents.
Need nPB Degreasing Alternatives?
The future of nPB use is bleak, as there is a good chance that the EPA will eventually add the solvent to is list of HAPs. This means now is the time to start identifying safer industrial degreasers that exhibit same or better efficacy as NPB degreasers. Ecolink can assist you with identifying and supplying eco friendly degreasers, providing stock degreasers or custom blends that are tailored to address your unique set of degreasing requirements.
To place an order, or to receive help choosing the right nPB replacement for your degreasing needs, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use the contact form on our website. We look forward to helping you choose the right product regarding worker safety and regulatory requirements.