Ecolink News & Updates

Is Chemical Usage a Safety Issue in the U.S.?

July 17, 2014/in Chemical Safety/by Industrial Degreasers

Unfortunately, the answer to the question posed as the title of this blog is not only a resounding yes, but chemical usage is a huge safety concern in the United States. Why is this so? Because companies are still having chemical spill leaks and spillage accidents that lead to health issues and safety concerns for people within a defined proximity of the spill, as well as an unforeseen negative environmental impact in a massive scale. To help better define why chemical usage is such a huge safety concern in the United States, you need just look at the recent massive chemical spill in West Virginia as an example. In January, there was a large chemical spill in West Virginia that contaminated the water supply of over three hundred thousand West Virginians. If you read or watch the news, then you most likely heard about the chemical spill, and its dire affects on multiple West Virginia towns, which started in the state’s capital, Charleston. People went weeks without being able to use their home’s running water, or the water from the local municipalities. They had to buy bottled water from stores, but because of the large scale of the chemical spill, these lines were several hours long since so many people needed water. This subsequently led to all the local stores running out of bottled water, which forced people to drive many hours to other cities, even states, for water. The alternative? Press on with no water for nourishment or for cleaning.

This disaster also brought to light another serious problem – because the substances in the chemical used is extremely toxic in large quantities, it wreaked havoc on a grand scale. The problem here – and it has been a heated issue with several environmental protection agencies for quite some time – is that federal regulatory committees do not conduct enough testing on chemicals (it is estimated that close to one hundred thousand types of chemicals exist, of which only 200 have been tested in the last three decades), safety protocols, and disease prevention mandates set forth by federal regulatory agencies are far too lax, and enforcement of set policies is near non existent due to so many industrial organization using so many different types of chemicals. Also compounding the issues is that people, along with these federal watchdog agencies are only alerted to safety issues pertaining to chemical usage literally by accident, when a chemical spill of massive proportions happens.

Environmental protection agencies need help, and part of that help can come from industrial businesses holding themselves more accountable for the types of chemical used at their facilities. Instead of taking the chances that a spill or leak will likely not occur, implement procedures that reduces your company’s chemical usage. Another option is to begin using eco friendly, green alternative chemicals, so when an accident like this occurs, it does not have nearly the same environmental impact as would a toxic-laced chemical. If your industrial business decides to remain ignorant or ambivalent to your pending chemical hazard, you will have no one to blame should a leak or spill occur.

Contact Ecolink today to find out how their Chemical Management can help your business reduce their chemical use, while saving money and improving safety for workers and the environment.

Custom Chemical Blending for Industrial Cleaning

July 16, 2014/in Custom Blended Industrial Cleaners/by Industrial Degreasers

If you work for an industrial business that either supplies or uses industrial products, then your business likely needs industrial cleaning solutions for your parts, metals, components, or materials. A lot of industrial products require general, straightforward, or even simple custom cleaning services, but for some industrial products, the use of custom chemical blending may suffice, or perhaps be required. Finding an industrial cleaning company whose operations offer custom chemical blending for products could prove to be difficult. However, with the help of Ecolink – an eco friendly, green alternative chemical and industrial cleaning solutions agency – receiving custom chemical blending services might just be easier than you think.

What is custom chemical blending?
Custom chemical blending involves the amalgamation of a number of cleaning agents into one effective formula. Because custom chemical blending involves several different chemical solutions, it can be quite complicated to formulate, which is why not many industrial cleaning companies offer the solution. If your industrial organization requires custom chemical blending solutions for its products, it is imperative that a company is selected that can blend different kinds of cleaning solvents, or else the blended solvents could have an adverse effect on your industrial components, rendering them unusable.

Ecolink offers brilliant solutions in the form of custom chemical blending for industrial cleaning. When in the need of a custom blended solvent for your company’s industrial products, components, parts, and materials, Ecolink is a trusted and accomplished authority on this specialized service. As a company’s manufacturing changes, often they fail to recognize that their cleaning needs may have changed as well, or they may believe that finding a new cleaner that can be more effective will be costly, or difficult to locate. Here is where Ecolink’s expertise makes such a task as simple as buying paper clips. When researching companies that can offer custom chemical blending services, you will quickly find out that Ecolink professionals have the knowledge and experience that will help your company with any form of chemical cleaning application. Ecolink holds unrivaled chemical industry sector expertise, in part to its consistent and sustained success involving nearly thirty years of excellence in custom chemical cleaning implementation services.

Another wonderful benefit to having Ecolink assist with your company’s custom chemical blending needs is the chemical and technical consulting you will receive from the experts at Ecolink, which is offered to all Ecolink clients free of charge. Ecolink consultation includes help, assistance, and/or expert guidance regarding how to incorporate custom chemical blending agents into your industrial company’s chemical cleaning solutions fold. With the assistance of Ecolink, your industrial business will have in its possession the most optimum method of custom chemical blending available, effectively maximizing your industrial company’s efforts concerning the industrial cleaning of its products.

Where Does Chemical Waste Go?

July 14, 2014/in Chemical waste/by Industrial Degreasers

For as much as most human beings waste chemicals and products, you would think there would be more of a general concern regarding where exactly all the waste that human beings produce goes. The sad part is, if you asked people where chemical waste goes after it has been used, dumped, or discarded, most people probably would not be able to answer the question. The following information will provide a bit of insight as to where exactly our chemical waste goes after it has been disposed of, which should create quite an alarm for anyone who reads this blog post.

The truth is, if companies and people do not use a direct chemical waste disposal business that properly handles the disposing of chemical waste, much of the chemical waste that gets discarded ends up in the environment – polluting the soil, our water systems, and even the air you breathe. If you go through a legitimate chemical waste disposing company, then it will be taken to a safe location, or perhaps even back to the company’s central facility for safe storage and handling until it can be shipped off site, reused, and/or recycled, depending on the type of chemical waste being moved. The final disposition of the chemical waste can vary. The good news is that many of the waste streams can be recycled, and even some of those streams can be used for fuel.

What should cause concern and incite alarm is some of the other methods of chemical waste disposal, such as offsite incineration, which merely turns the chemical waste into a gaseous state and still releases toxins into the atmosphere. Another frightening concept is that some chemical waste is placed in hazardous waste landfills. Why are chemical waste landfills such a terrible idea? Even though the idea is that the chemical waste seeps into the ground, it is in a controlled environment. Unfortunately, this could not be any further from the truth. Evidence shows that, even in a controlled landfill, chemical waste will continue to seep deep into the soil, which can spread, and even find its way into water systems and in areas where plants and vegetation have been planted in that soil.

The mere fact that the last two methods of chemical waste disposal use unsafe measures should be reason alone that all of us, and every single company that uses chemical products, makes sure that we take every step that concentrates on reducing chemical waste throughout our entire country. Ecolink can help you, and businesses that use chemical products, identify, and strategize ways to recycle, reuse, and reduce chemical waste. The unsafe disposal of chemical waste is a serious matter, and is it fortunate that we have a company like Ecolink that can help us find eco friendly, green alternative measures that will prevent or reduce chemical waste.

What are the Types of Industrial Pollution?

July 10, 2014/in Industrial Pollution/by Industrial Degreasers

Unfortunately, there are so many different types of industrial pollutants, and so many ways that these pollutants are released into the air, it makes it very hard for a lot of businesses to completely regulate themselves to ensure it is one hundred percent low emissions. The consequence though, is industrial pollutions are released in some manner, and the fact that a majority of businesses have the described problem, and that it has been going on for a while, industrial pollutions have caused a considerable alarm and has become a serious threat. Another problem that exists, believe it or not, is that some industrial companies do not even realize that they are emitting pollutants in the air, and that mostly has to do with how many different ways industrial parts, components, products, and materials are used, and as they are used they emit toxins. The following information will provide the several different types of industrial pollutions that exist, and the factors that induce them to become emitted into the air.

Carbon Monoxide: This is a colorless and odorless toxic gas that becomes produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon fuels.
The burning of fossil fuels: This produces roughly three quarters of all man made carbon dioxide emissions. Because Carbon Dioxide cannot be absorbed by our surrounding environment, the addition of carbon based fuel emissions is compounding the problem of too much CO2 being released in the atmosphere.
Sulfur Oxides: These poisonous gases are a result of fuel combustion, and negatively affect human health, along with that of the environment. SO2 is the main cause of acid rain.
Nitrous Oxides: These are reactive greenhouse gases that stem from carbon based fuel combustion, and are one of the primary contributors to the formation of acid rain. NO2 creates highly acidic areas, which kills off plant and animal life.
Particulate Matter: this is one of the more significant human health hazards, because it penetrates lung tissue and can consequently lead to cancerous agents in the lungs, or possibly even Tuberculosis.
Volatile Organic Compounds: If you have been following the Ecolink blogs, then you have probably seen VOCs mentioned more than once. This is a term that refers to the volatility of organic compounds from manufacturing operations and processes that escape into the air in a gaseous state. VOCs create both hazardous indoor and outdoor toxins.

Several other types of industrial pollutants exist, but the ones listed above are the most abundant. Fortunately, industrial businesses have companies like Ecolink at their disposal, which researches, defines, and makes available the names of harmful industrial pollutions, and the reasons why these pollutants need to be eliminated. Ecolink also provides ideas and methods for transitioning to eco friendly, green alternative chemical solutions – from which all industrial companies can benefit, saving time, energy, money and the environment.

Understanding the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry

July 7, 2014/in Green Chemistry/by Industrial Degreasers

Green chemistry is a method of chemistry devoted to the principles of securing eco-friendly, green alternative chemical concoctions that can be used in place of the hazardous, toxic chemicals still used by industrial businesses. There are twelve principles involved in green chemistry. Read on to learn about their importance, and what they are.

Why Is Green Chemistry Important?

Green chemistry speaks to the improvement of industrial chemical use by replacing toxic chemicals with safer, more eco-friendly alternatives to decrease the harm to the environment and human health. The principles of green chemistry are an effort to educate industrial companies on the importance of implementing greener practices and products into their company, encouraging them to transition to green alternative chemical solutions.

12 Principles of Green Chemistry

The following list details the 12 principles of green chemistry and provides insight into what each principle means.

Prevention: Always try to prevent waste instead of relying on methods of waste cleanup. Prevention is the best choice, every time.
Atom Economy: This involves the idea that synthetic methods can be designed to help optimize the incorporation of all components in use so that there is no waste when the final industrial product is being formed.
Less Hazardous Chemical Synthesis: Synthetic methods for waste prevention should always generate substances that produce little to no toxins that could potentially harm people and/or the environment.
Designing Safer Chemicals: Chemicals should be developed with maximum efficiency and for optimal safety, ensuring minimization and elimination of toxins.
Safer Solvents and Auxiliaries: All auxiliary and supplemental substances should be reduced as close to zero as possible, and if used, should be close to one hundred percent innocuous as possible.
Design for Energy Efficiency: Chemicals with energy requirements are considered dangerous, and therefore should not be relied on, and should be eradicated by any means possible.
Use of Renewable Feed stocks: Raw materials, also called ‘feed stocks,’ should not be designed to deplete, and should be labeled renewable whenever possible.
Reduce Derivatives: The use of derivative substances and components should be minimized, or altogether avoided because it requires additional steps, consequently leading to more waste.
Catalysis: Catalytic reagents are superior to stoichiometric reagents.
Design for Degradation: All chemical products should be developed with materials that can easily break down and dissolve, or safely erode, once its lifecycle ends, with no negative environmental effect.
Real Time Analysis for Pollution Prevention: Analytics and methodologies need to be maximized and enhanced to allow for current, up-to-date, and even real-time monitoring, which allows for immediate control and regulation, subsequently leading to the prevention of hazardous substance formation.
Inherently Safer Chemicals for Accident Prevention: All substances that could be chosen for a chemical process should have an element or high degree of chemical accident prevention specifically designed within its makeup.

Looking to Buy Eco-Friendly Chemicals?

Ecolink is a proud provider of environmentally conscious chemicals. We supply companies with safer, greener alternatives to harsh, toxic chemicals in an attempt to minimize and eradicate unnecessary chemical pollution.

Reach out to us today to learn how our team of chemical experts can help your company achieve greener practices!