A pollution prevention fact sheet on an introduction to industrial cleaning.
The race is on! The Phase-out deadline for Class-I ozone depleting substances is fast approaching. If you still haven't heard, federal law mandates that production of Class-I Ozone depleters will halt as of January 1, 1996. In addition, products which contain or are manufactured using Class-I Ozone depleters must be labeled as such after May 15, 1993. Class-II ozone depleters (including HCFCs) will be phased out by 2015, possibly earlier. If you are still using CFC-113 and 1,1,1 Trichloroethane in your cleaning processes, you're behind the curve. Present estimates are that for every week that you wait to order that new cleaning system or chemical you can expect an extra month before taking delivery. As you read on, you will find some ideas to help you evaluate substitutes for 'traditional' chlorinated solvents.
There are a lot of good business reasons to get All of the chlorinated solvents out of your shop.
Consider:
Finding the correct solvent substitute for your process requires a thorough study of the available alternatives and the pros and cons of each (and All of the alternatives have pros and cons). No one can tell you which alternative will be best for your process. You must decide. If you do not properly evaluate the alternatives, you may be in for some unpleasant surprises. Too often the choice is to go with the vendor with the best sales team, not necessarily the best product for your process.
Let's start at the beginning with some silly (but important) questions:
You would be surprised at the number of people who (initially at least) would say "yes". But when have you ever seen a shop with a shingle out front that says Joe's Parts Cleaning, Inc.? Parts cleaning is an ancillary function to many industrial processes, but it is not usually and end in itself. As you fall asleep tonight, repeat to yourself three times, "I am Not in the parts cleaning business, I am Not..."
Believe it or not, this is a tough one for a lot of people to see. But case studies are rife with examples of companies who quit getting their parts dirty and now don't have to clean them. Finger prints, rust inhibitors, grease, oil, dirt. Why are they there? For example, Merle has to clean parts when they first get to his shop. Let's listen in while Merle talks to his part supplier, Burl:
Merle: "What's this goop on my parts?"
Burl: "It's a rust inhibitor."
Merle: "Rust inhibitor? How long do these parts sit on your shelf?"
Burl: "We make 'em the day you order 'em".
Merle: "So why are they covered with rust inhibitor?"
Burl: "Always done it that way."
Merle: "Well this goop is costing me $40,000 a year to get off. Can you quit using it on my parts?"
Burl: "Sure. No problem."
Too simple to be true? I don't think so.
There are a lot of real good reasons to clean parts. And then there are some not so good reasons. Take a good look at you process and ask, "Is it really worth the cost and hassle to clean these things? Do all of these parts need cleaning? Can I eliminate a few cleaning steps?" Remember: "I am Not in the parts cleaning business."
Don't make your life difficult. There are a number of new water-based products (machining lubricants, forming oils, fluxes, etc.) that are much easier to remove than traditional formulas. If our friend Burl really needed to use a rust inhibitor on his parts, he could use vegetable oil or shrink wrap. The parts would be protected and Merle would be a very happy customer.
Silly question. #5 of course has no answer. Suffice it to say that a bio-medical device manufacturer, a diesel mechanic and a computer disc-drive manufacturer all have different standards. The question needs to be "How clean do these parts need to be?" Ask yourself this in light of the fact that the cleaner it is, the more it's going to cost.
Other fact sheets will talk about some of the options available to you as substitutes for chlorinated solvents and some of the considerations in evaluating each alternative. As you go along, the fact sheets will characterize groups of alternatives with similar properties and will include case histories of companies which have found successful substitutes for chlorinated solvents. Remember! There are dozens of important factors in a successful substitution. Just because a product was successful in a situation similar to yours does Not mean it will work for you! Take the time. Do your homework. You won't be disappointed!
Last Updated: October 17, 1995