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1 Bromopropane(nPB) listed as higher hazard substance in Massachusetts. Is this the beginning of the end for nPB?

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Cleaner world with 1 Bromopropane/N Propyl Bromide ReplacementIndustrial solvents containing n-propyl bromide (nPB), or 1 bromopropane as it’s also known, are affordable and effective solvent degreasers that have served as a reliable replacement to TCE (Trichloroethylene) for decades now. However, like TCE before it, 1 bromopropane has become known to the public as a potential carcinogen and neurotoxin. Studies have found that nPB has both acute and chronic toxicity caused by solvent vapor exposure from inhalation and through skin absorption. Worker safety is a key factor here as nPB is a popular solvent for both cold cleaning and vapor degreasing.

How is nPB Being Managed Today?

Given that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection updated the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) and added n-propyl bromide to their list of toxic chemicals; this is a reasonable indicator that 1-bromopropane will likely become restricted or limited by the EPA in the near future. If you are under such restrictions or if you simply want to provide a safer working environment, we have a line of products ready to serve as drop-in replacements.

Finding a 1 Bromopropane Alternative that is Right for You

Many nPB alternatives offer the same if not better cleaning power as the nPB solvents they replace. These products are drop-in replacements because they can be swapped with the current nPB cleaners as a safer solution and it will not slow your cleaning process. Ecolink is a licensed distributor of FluoSolv AP® which is an excellent replacement for nPB based solvents. FluoSolv® AP (All Purpose) is non-hazardous and has a high allowable exposure limit. The Fluosolv® line has products that excel in both modern vapor degreasing equipment or spray and wipe aerosol application. To see how Fluosolv products stack up to TCE, nPB and MEK, Click Here.

 

Not Ready to Move on from 1 Bromopropane? Hypersolve has you Covered

Let’s face it, for many users of nPB based products, there may be little incentive to switch to a new, potentially more expensive, replacement material. 1 bromopropane based solvents simply do a great job cleaning in the following applications:

  • Adhesive and sealant removal
  • Asphalt Extractions (Bituminous Asphalt)
  • Automotive parts cleaning
  • Carbon soil removal
  • Cleaner/degreaser
  • Drying agent
  • Metal cleaning, hydraulic parts, wheels and brakes
  • Non-destructive Inspection
  • Precision cleaning
  • Printed wiring board cleaning
  • Surface wipe cleaning

Given adequate ventilation and ensuring safety precautions, you could very well continue using nPB based products in your operations with minimal risk. If this is the case, Ecolink offers Hypersolve™ based on stabilized n-propyl bromide. We can and will continue to supply Hypersolve until the day you look to switch to an EPA/OSHA friendly solvent.

Whether using 1 Bromopropane products or not, learn from the concept of Zero Waste. Zero Waste is an effective hazard reduction practice that can be applied to the use of nPB or any potentially harmful solvent.

What is Zero Waste?

The U.S. Zero Waste Business Council has the goal of teaching zero waste practices to businesses and communities to help them become more healthy and sustainable. Through Zero Waste, businesses can cut greenhouse gases, reduce litter and pollution, and reinvest resources locally. Zero Waste Businesses save money, become more efficient, and manage risks. All of these benefits will help create jobs and more value for the businesses and the communities. If you want to be a part of this movement and grow from these opportunities then apply for Zero Waste certification here.

One of the ways you can help your business contribute to Zero Waste is through solvent distillation. Ecolink proudly partners with CBG Technologies to promote their solvent distillation equipment which continually helps customers save money on recoverable solvent as well as reduce waste output.

Call for information or a quote on any of our nPB alternative products at (800) 563-1305 or send an email inquiry to npbreplacement@ecolink.com

You might also be interested to see our aerosol cylinders. Check out the video below for a demonstration:

Four Ways That Using Non Toxic Solvents Can Save Money

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Industrial cleaning solvents can be categorized in several ways, one of the most important of which is whether they contain ingredients that are hazardous to human health or have a safe formulation that classifies them as non toxic solvents. Using the latter type of solvents can prevent a variety of negative health conditions that range from acute (e.g., upset stomach and dizziness) to chronic (e.g., nerve damage and cancer). In preventing these maladies, non toxic solvents save organizations money by helping them avoid the following situations.

  1. High Number of Sick Days Taken

Acute health conditions that toxic chemical exposure causes can linger for days after the source of exposure is removed. Consequently, it isn’t uncommon for employees who are exposed to the chemicals to take a higher number of sick days than employees who aren’t exposed. Sick days are more than hindrance to productivity in the workplace; they essentially amount to paying employees for not working.

  1. Workers Compensation Claims

When chemical-related injuries in the workplace lead to extended periods of sickness, the injured often file workers compensation claims. When evidence of injury is obvious and the injured hire an attorney, employers typically have no option but to pay the claim — and paying it can be costly indeed. In addition to paying for wage replacement, the employer often pays for claimants’ medical treatments that the injury necessitates, as well as vocational rehabilitation.

  1. Chemical Injury Lawsuits

Also known as “toxic torts”, chemical injury lawsuits are frequently filed by employees who work with dangerous chemicals and suffer chronic, poor health as a result. Wikipedia defines a toxic tort as “a particular type of personal injury lawsuit in which the plaintiff claims that exposure to a chemical caused the plaintiff’s injury or disease.”

Depending on the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries and the level of pain and suffering experienced, settling a toxic tort could cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to many millions more, not including attorney fees. Using non toxic solvents helps companies avoid these lawsuits and the tremendous impact they can have on the bottom line.

  1. Need for High-Level Protective Wear

Using non toxic chemicals may still require workers to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). However, the “level” of PPE required, as defined OSHA, is often lower than the level of PPE required for working with toxic solvents. Consequently, organizations stand save money on PPE when they replace toxic solvents with non toxic ones. For an explanation of the levels of PPE, see this helpful resource that the United States Department of Labor provides.

Let Us Supply Your Non Toxic Solvents
At Ecolink, we specialize in providing non toxic solvents that have a better safety profile and the same cleaning power as the toxic cleaners they replace. We often think of non toxic solvents as being good for the environment — and they are. But solvents that contain no hazardous ingredients can also help organizations save money in the ways listed above, among others.

If your organization uses toxic solvents that need to be replaced, call us at (800) 563-1305, or refer to the contact page on our website, to get started on finding suitable replacements. We look forward to helping you save money through the use of non toxic solvents.

Replace your Current Cleaner with Non Toxic Solvents & Degreasers

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For those companies that use cleaning and degreasing agents to rid your industrial parts of harmful particles and contaminants, when was the last time someone at your place of business looked into whether your current cleaner is made up of hazardous chemical components? In all likelihood, industrial organization that are using older model cleaning and degreasing solvents are using chemical agents that have been condemned as hazardous to the environment and a danger to people. Much of this has to do with a previous ignorance concerning how the chemical compounds in a solvent mesh with the environment, more specifically the air, the ozone, soil, and water sources. Thankfully, there are organizations such as Ecolink that employ scientists, environmental professionals, and other kinds of experts who have performed research and analysis on countless chemical agents to determine whether they produce a harmful component that endangers the environment and the people who come in to contact with, or are in close proximity to the chemical. Results have been quite astonishing and alarming, as many of the current cleaning solvents that have been in use for quite a log time pose serious threats to both people and the environment. Fortunately, eco conscious groups and agencies like Ecolink have found eco friendly, green alternative parts cleaning solutions that offer industrial businesses an opportunity to transition to an up to date non toxic solvent and degreaser.

Transitioning to a more current cleaner that has been created with non toxic chemical solvents that make for safer cleaning and degreasing is much easier than one may think. First, the cost of making the switch to a non toxic solvent is not expensive at all. In fact, eco friendly, green alternative cleaners and degreasers are not any more expensive than traditional cleaning agents, and in many cases, propose to be a less expensive alternative, providing industrial businesses the opportunity to go not only greener, but cheaper. In addition, many of the newer, safer cleaning and degreasing alternative provide methods of waste reduction through recycling processes, which is also a fantastic way for industrial businesses to reduce waste, and save money on cleanup costs. Most importantly, the second your industrial business finds out that it is using a hazardous and toxic cleaning and degreasing solvent, the very first subsequent action should be to find a safer chemical alternative. Learning that your industrial company has an opportunity to change its chemical solution to an eco friendly, green alternative that will no longer place people and the environment in harm’s way should be an immediate call to action, no matter how expensive or difficult the substitution may be. The fact that non toxic solvents exist, are not any more expensive, will save your business money in the long run, reduces waste, protects the environment, and does not affect people should be more than enough reason to replace your current cleaner.