The use of conventional organochlorine-based solvents presents an array of environmental health and safety issues along with associated handling and disposal costs. These substances have been shown to exert or are suspected of exerting adverse effects on human health or the environment, including tropospheric ozone formation and fire hazards for petroleum distillates and neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity for chlorinated solvents (Burgess, 1995; Callahan and Green, 1995).
Owing to the growing legal restrictions concerning the aforementioned solvents and the associated costs of their use and disposal, water-based cleaners, containing only a few per cent active substances once diluted in water, are becoming more and more desirable.
FIS Certified Aqueous products are manufactured from a naturally-derived base, which consists of unsaturated and low VOC cyclic hydrocarbons.
These products are biodegradable, non-greenhouse gas emitting, non-ozone depleting, have a low flash point, low odour, are non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, and are rated non-flammable under ECP guidelines for industrial and commercial cleaners.
The use of these products improves health and safety in the workplace while reducing liability insurance, waste disposal costs, environmental impacts, and long-term liabilities associated with conventional solvents. Table 1 compares the environmental health and safety impacts of Certified Aqueous products and conventional solvents.
| Conventional Solvents | ||
| Certified Aqueous | ||
| Biodegradable | Yes | No |
| Non Toxic | Yes | No |
| High flash point | Yes | No |
| Non-Ozone depleting chemical | Yes | No |
| Low to no VOC’s | Yes | No |
| Non -regulated | Yes | No |
| Non-Hazardous waste | Yes | No |
| Low global warming | Yes | No |
| Short atmospheric lifetime | Yes | No |
| Regulatory sustainability | Yes | No |
| Cost effective | Yes | No |
Our FIS Certified Aqueous Degreaser reduces the need for manifests, permits, and costly disposal contracts because it can be disposed of as non-hazardous waste subject to local laws regarding toxicity levels of the soiled product.