The chemical cleaning solvent bromopropane has enjoyed a long run as a go-to solvent for companies in various industries. For the past 20 years, bromopropane has been used for everything from degreasing industrial motors to removing light accumulations of dirt on diverse surfaces. But, as has happened with so many other industrial solvents that have a dubious safety profile, bromopropane is slowly being phased out by companies that understand the dangers it poses.
Dangers of Bromopropane for Humans
OSHA provides a succinct report on the dangers of bromopropane for humans, summarizing research from Majersik et al. 2007 and Ichihara et al. 2012 that found: “[Bromopropane] exposure can cause irritation (for example, of the eyes, mucous membranes, upper airways and skin) and can damage the nervous system. Neurologic effects can appear as headaches, dizziness, loss of consciousness, slurred speech, confusion, difficulty walking, muscle twitching, and/or loss of feeling in arms and legs. These effects may continue among affected persons even after exposure to 1-BP has ended.”
The adverse health effects have the highest incidence in workers who perform bromopropane operations for companies that use a high volume of the solvent, particularly: dry cleaners, asphalt production companies, companies that perform aircraft maintenance, synthetic fiber manufacturers, companies that use adhesive spray products, and outfits that perform vapor and immersion degreasing to clean metal, plastic and electrical and optical components. However, any work environment where bromopropane is use in large quantities poses health risks.
What Are Safe Bromopropane Alternatives?
Safe bromopropane alternatives are solutions that have the same efficacy as bromopropane but are formulated to have a better safety profile for humans and the environment. At Ecolink, we help companies and organizations choose safe bromopropane alternatives by providing a comprehensive product guide and product list of our cleaning solutions. We recommend that you use these resources to identify safe bromopropane alternatives for you work processes.
Why Get Bromopropane Alternatives Now?
Bromopropane hasn’t been added to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) List of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs). However, as information continues to emerge about the solvent’s dangers, the eventual inclusion of the solvent on the list seems inevitable. By implementing safe bromopropane alternatives now, you can do more than better protect the health of your workers. You can also avoid being forced to replace bromopropane on short notice, if indeed the solvent makes its way onto the EPA’s HAP list.
Contact Ecolink for Bromopropane Alternatives
Bromopropane is a highly effective solution for a variety of solvent-based work processes. Unfortunately, though, the effectiveness of the solvent comes at a high price for companies and organizations that use it in large volumes: profound, negative health effects on workers, which can lead to other negative situations, such as workers compensation claims, chemical injury lawsuits, and an increase in sick days taken.
For assistance choosing safe bromopropane alternatives, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or refer to our contact page. We look forward to helping you protect the health of your workers and perform business-critical, solvent-based work processes with an eco friendly solution.
Mark
Khatera Barati
