How Safe Are Industrial Cleaners?

Industrial cleaners are essential in many areas of business, but can be harmful to humans, wildlife, and the environment due to the chemicals used within these products. While companies require these items to clean parts, equipment, flooring, and for certain manufacturing processes, products designed without eco-friendliness in mind create numerous safety concerns. Cleaning products used in industrial environments not only contain tough abrasives, but also contain several hazardous ingredients. Cleaners formulated for home use have numerous manufactured or chemically based ingredients. Agents designed for industrial use contain an increased amount of toxins thus making the dangers of improper handling increasingly important. Eco-friendly alternatives eliminate a vast amount of complications experienced with traditional chemicals used for industrial cleaning and contaminant removal processes. Deciding to switch to greener choices decreases health costs, ensures the ability to meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements, and limits the impact made on the atmosphere when performing these necessary industrial processes.

What Risks Are Associated with Volatile Industrial Cleaners?

Industrial cleaners contribute to a number of health problems as individuals are exposed to dangerous toxins. The chemicals used by these products create certain risks due to the volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) they release during use. These compounds pollute the atmosphere as they are released into the air, enter water sources, and leak into the ground. Improper use or storage of industrial cleaners can result in these health complications:

  • Upper Respiratory Conditions
  • Eye Irritation
  • Light Headiness
  • Nausea
  • Skin Irritation
  • Allergic Reactions

Prolonged exposure to volatile cleaners has also been linked to more chronic conditions, which result in increased insurance costs and loss of work. Improper handling of agents containing toxic ingredients not only causes the health complications mentioned above, but also results in the release of toxins into the atmosphere. Cleaners naturally release toxins as volatile components evaporate or as the remaining product is disposed of.

Environmental concerns include the decreased quality of water due toxins entering local water and soil sources. Industrial cleaners have been found in soil, which directly impacts local plant and wildlife in addition to human health. The release of volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere contributes to pollution by reducing indoor and outdoor air quality. Toxins found in industrial cleaners present many problems; however, companies have several options outside of these traditional choices to accomplish defined needs and prevent harm to the environment. Eco-friendly products with these attributes are better for the atmosphere:

  • Biodegradability
  • Low Toxins
  • Low VOCs
  • Recycled Packaging
  • Reduced Manufacturing Energy Use

A plethora of buying choices makes it easy to choose an effective, environmentally safe alternative. The decision to “go green” with industrial cleaners minimizes health impact among workers or building occupants, boosts indoor air quality, and reduces pollution. Safer alternatives with the ability to get the job done offer increased benefits such as disposal cost savings. Eco-friendly choices are the best approach to reducing the risks associated with harmful chemically-based agents and are a great way to implement greener practices within a business.

Industrial cleaners are necessary in a number of industries and play a pivotal safety role. For more information about environmentally friendly, low VOC products, please call (800) 886-8240 or email info@ecolink.com.

Organic Cleaning Solvents for Green Cleaning

The problem with later model cleaning products created many years ago has never been with the quality of the cleaning solution. When new testing was born that allowed a more thorough study into the types of chemicals that were used to create these solvents, an alarming discovery was made. The results states that the chemical compounds found in the majority cleaning solvents were considered quite dangerous to the environment, and to people who are exposed to the solvent, either by touch or inhalation. The danger is so apparent that almost every federal regulatory organization has made the push for companies, especially industrial organization, to switch to organic cleaning solvents because they consist of better chemical ingredients. Even though the word is out concerning the harmful effects of the chemical solutions found in many industrial solvents, businesses who procure these cleaning products are hesitant to make the switch for the fear that green alternative cleaning solutions will not provide the same efficiency.

Those who think in such a way could not be more wrong.

If you read the studies, which companies such as Ecolink would be happy to share with you and explain in detail, research and analysis of several conducted tests show that organic cleaning solvents used for green cleaning are as effective, if not more effective, than traditional chemical solvents. Green alternative cleaning agents are as efficient when ridding parts and materials of oil, dirt, grease, stains, rust, and any other type of substance that needs to be stripped from materials. Since it has been proven as a quality solvent, making the transition now should be a no brainer, as the safety for the environment, and more so for your employees should be the number one priority.

 

If you need more information regarding the effectiveness and success rate of organic cleaning solvents and ecofriendly solutions, you should contact Ecolink. Ecolink has been the in the industrial degreaser business for several years, and has been especially proactive in helping companies make the switch to green cleaning solutions. Do not wait any longer; make the switch to safer cleaning alternative, and put your workers and the environment out of risk.

Industrial cleaners are necessary in a number of industries and play a pivotal safety role. For more information about environmentally friendly, low VOC products, please call (800) 886-8240 or email info@ecolink.com.

Degreasing Agents – Finding Eco-Friendly Industrial Cleaners

Degreasing agents are a type of cleaning product used in several industries for lifting grease, oil, fats, or other contaminants from the surface of an object. Solvents are a common choice for removing unwanted contaminants from difficult to clean surfaces. Degreasing agents are frequently used to clean floors, machine parts, automotive parts, industrial stoves, and kitchen areas. The decision to use a solvent for lifting grease or grime raises some concern regarding the eco-friendliness of these products. Flammable, toxic solvents are harmful to humans, plant life, animals, water sources, and the air. Water-based degreasing agents containing a reduced amount of solvents are one option companies have for reducing environmental impact. Environmentally friendly options offer a safer choice for meeting cleaning needs. It is important to evaluate how a choice will affect the surrounding atmosphere when choosing a degreasing agent for quick, easy removal.

What Characteristics Create a Safer Cleaning Agent?

Many products have eco-friendly printed right on the label, but it is important to know what actually makes each available choice safer for the environment. Traditional cleaners have three specific drawbacks: surface abrasion, harmful to the body, toxic to the environment.  The chemicals making up these industrial cleaners are harmful to the skin and should never be inhaled or ingested. Ingredients in eco-friendly alternatives are:

  • Gentler on Surfaces
  • Safer to Handle
  • Non-toxic
  • Biodegradable

Residue created from traditional industrial cleaners remains in bodies of water and soil for a longer period of time. This contributes to toxicity in the surrounding eco-system and poses harm to every form of life with access to the water polluted water or soil source. Businesses and individuals requiring a degreasing agent must keep the possible negative impacts of a chosen solvent based cleaner. Before choosing a degreaser, consider the manufacturing processes used to make the product in addition to its ingredients. Solvent-free degreasing agents typically contain alkaline chemicals, surfactants, or a combination of the two. A water-based or solvent-free cleaner can be beneficial as long as it meets degreasing requirements.

Choose a manufacturer who takes the environment into consideration during creation of their product. The manufacturer should use ingredients that are as close as possible to their natural state to avoid extensive processing steps. Renewable plant or vegetative based materials are a much safer choice than products made from fossil fuel reserves. Does the manufacturer minimize energy consumption and is waste material properly treated prior to disposal? The cleaner should effectively meet specified needs, have recyclable qualities, and offer eco-friendly benefits. While not every eco-friendly selection will provide the required results, a variety of less harmful cleaners are available with the capability to supply the same if not better results. If you have been considering switching to less volatile, safer alternatives, take plenty of time to consider each possible option before making a choice. Then choose a suitable product that is capable of meeting your specific degreasing requirements and not harmful to the environment.

Industrial cleaners are necessary in a number of industries and play a pivotal safety role. For more information about environmentally friendly, low VOC products, please call (800) 886-8240 or email info@ecolink.com.

Eco-Friendly Industrial Solvents Improve Workplace Environments

An eco-friendly industrial solvent dissolves another substance or solute to form a type of solution. The contaminant removal agent may be a liquid, solid, or gas depending on their required application by a company. Liquid cleaning agents in combination with a liquid or solid solute are common and prove to be most beneficial to businesses. Eco-friendly industrial solvents are frequently used for large-scale contaminant removal processes, to perform experiments, and to accomplish general cleaning tasks. Not every type of solvent can be used to remove solutes from a surface. Certain substances prove to be more beneficial based on the type of contaminant being eliminated. The products chosen by a company greatly depend on factors such as temperature, volume, chemical properties, and the contaminant to be removed.

Solubility or the ability of a substance to dissolve another substance is based on polarity, which involves how electrons are distributed across each molecule. Chemists stick with the concept that substance must be similar for solutes to be dissolved. For the sake of simplicity, a polar solute will dissolve in a polar solvent and vice versa. The volume and temperature of both also determine solubility; however, polarity is the main contributing factor. Solvents are applied in a number of industrial settings including:

  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Spill Cleanup
  • Refinishing Processes
  • Part Creation
  • Manufacturing Processes
  • General Cleaning

Organic products containing carbon are harmful to handle and generate specific environmental dangers. Eco-friendly industrial solvents offer companies the chance to improve the workplace environment, reduce negative health impacts, cut costs, and “go green.”

What Health Concerns Are Eliminated with Eco-Friendly Industrial Solvents?

Prolonged exposure to harmful solvents decreases an individual’s ability to perform their tasks efficiently. The choice to use toxic products in the workplace can result in irreversible health effects such as cancer or even death depending on the amount of exposure. If an individual inhales too much, they will experience respiratory or central nervous system complications, which eventually results in detrimental diseases caused by long term exposure. Headaches, nausea, dizziness, and unconsciousness are all signs of an individual inhaling too many vapors.

Skin contact or absorption is typically a result of splashing, direct immersion, spills, or direct contact with objects. This causes a breakdown of the fats and oils used as barriers by the skin thus resulting in irritation or harm that later leads to skin diseases. A worker may ingest a solvent when it resides on their hands or food as it contacts the mouth. Eco-friendly industrial solvents are a non-toxic solution for preventing these issues and improving the workplace environment. While not suitable for every industry, most companies benefit from making the switch to eco-friendly industrial solvents. The choice results in the implementation of green practices, development of a safer working environment, and decreased costs. If your company is still using traditional products when eco-friendly industrial solvents are applicable, it is time to consider making the switch to a safer alternative.

Eco-friendly industrial solvents are necessary in a number of industries and play a pivotal safety role in the workplace. For more information about environmentally friendly, low VOC products, please call (800) 886-8240 or email info@ecolink.com.

Industrial Solvents – Finding Greener Alternatives

A solvent is a type of liquid capable of dissolving another substance without becoming chemically altered itself. Industrial solvents are organic or inorganic compounds designed to dissolve, carry, or disperse unwanted contaminants from the surface of equipment, floors, or parts. These contaminants can be a solid, gas, or another type of liquid depending on what is being cleaned. Many cleaning agents are dangerous to humans, animals, and the environment when handled or disposed of inappropriately. Absorption through the skin often leads to rapid entry into the bloodstream and harm to the central nervous system or individual organs such as the kidneys. Additionally, numerous industrial solvents are not biodegradable and their release into the atmosphere results in direct environmental harm. Non-biodegradable products have become a major contributor to air, water, and soil pollution, which directly affects every living organism in the immediate area. Businesses requiring industrial solvents to accomplish daily tasks should seek greener alternatives to prevent individual harm and pollution.

Why Is Switching To Eco-Friendly Products Important?

The decision to use eco-friendly industrial solvents allows a business to decrease their carbon footprint, experience financial gains, and create a better company image. Environmental Protection Agency regulations for toxic contaminant removal agents have increased tenfold and companies using eco-friendly industrial solvents are more likely to meet these stringent requirements. Biodegradable, eco-friendly products offer the most cost savings for waste removal; however, this solution does not work for every company. Switching to an environmentally friendly solvent will supply a noticeable cost reduction for waste removal. The change also allows a business to develop emission credits, which boosts the bottom line and makes it possible to trade with companies in need of these credits. Finally, greener alternatives lessen the risk of dealing with lawsuits related to individual or environmental exposure to toxic materials.

Solvents are frequently used by businesses to create products, clean or degrease machinery, prepare surfaces for finishing processes, or to facilitate chemical reactions. These products create a dangerous setting for workers and pose harm to the environment. Organic solvents are toxic to the handler or when inappropriately released into the atmosphere, soil, or water. Certain industries such as aviation require traditional products to remove contaminants from heavily oiled parts, hard to dry items, or pieces with complex shapes. Electronics require specific material compatibility to avoid harm or a non-corrosive solution. Companies without these requirements are able to switch to greener alternatives capable of providing the same results without the toxicity concerns. Eco-friendly practices not only reduce process costs, but also make it easier to conserve energy. A business should begin by evaluating greener alternatives in regards to their capability of supplying equivalent results. Innovations have made this switch less costly, more reliable, and basically worry free. By making the decision to use greener alternatives, companies can create a safer working environment and drastically reduce operational costs while ensuring a better future for the planet.

Industrial solvents are necessary in a number of industries and play a pivotal safety role. For more information about environmentally friendly, low VOC products, please call (800) 886-8240 or email info@ecolink.com.