Toxics Use Reduction Institute Cleaning Alternatives Assessment Process from the Surface Solutions Laboratory What Has SSL Done • As a technical assistance provider for over 10
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Toxics Use Reduction Institute Cleaning Alternatives Assessment Process from the Surface Solutions Laboratory What Has SSL Done • As a technical assistance provider for over 10 year • SSL has helped hundreds of companies find safer alternatives to hazardous cleaning solvents. • The implementation rate for clients of the lab is three times higher than the national average for technical assistant providers. • Over one-third of the companies fully adopt the lab’s recommendations. Three Types of Cleaning • Parts Cleaning – Cleaning parts during and after manufacturing in metal working or tooling industries – Gross Cleaning Applications • Precision Cleaning – Cleaning parts during and after manufacturing in Semi Conductor and Medical Sectors – Critical Cleaning Applications • Facility Cleaning – Janitorial or housekeeping chores in public/private institutions such as schools or hospitals – Institutional Cleaning Applications Technical Assistance • The goal of the lab is to assist industry in the search for safer cleaning processes – By developing and promoting safer alternatives to hazardous solvents Alternative Selection • Process is challenging – Thousands of products – Different information from different vendors – What is right for some may not work for you • Need for an easier selection method – Independent analysis of products – Objective operating conditions – Process specific final evaluations Review Current System • Contacted by company with cleaning related issue • Gather background information on process – SSL Test Request form • Material of parts to be cleaned • Contaminants • Current Solvent – Other alternatives already tested • Available Equipment • Operating conditions (time, temp, conc.) Review Current System • Site visit – Complete Test Request form – Gather samples and MSDS • Contaminants • Current Solvent • Dirty Parts – Identify possible adjustments to process SSL Test Request Form Important Information PROCESS DESCRIPTIONS What is the purpose of cleaning (i.e., desired product specifications)? _________________________________________ _________________________________________ __________________________________ What are the problems with present cleaning system? _________________________________________ _________________________________________ __________________________________ What Are You Cleaning DESCRIBE THE PART/PRODUCT TO BE CLEANED • What is the part/product used for? • Material(s) of construction • Surface Type – Rough or Smooth – Hard or Soft • Geometry – Simple – Complex (contains inaccessible areas) • Size & Weight – Small Medium Large – Weight: < 1/2lb, <1lb, < 5lb, < 10lb, < 50lb, >50lb How Are You Cleaning It? DESCRIBE THE CURRENT CLEANING PROCESS • Contaminants to remove – – – – • • • • Are samples of contaminants available? No Yes Manufacturer Product Amount used per year (month or week) Manufacturing step immediately before cleaning Manufacturing step immediately after cleaning # parts cleaned per week (or shift, etc.) # per batch How Are You Cleaning It? • Equipment being used or available for use – Specify vendor, if possible: • Cleaning chemicals currently being used: – – – – – – – Manufacturer Product Concentration Vol. used in equipment Amount Used per year (month or week) Time Temp • Rinse Cycle – Time – Temp – Water source: DI (deionized) OR Tap • Drying Cycle Method – Time – Temp How Do You Determine How Clean Is Clean? • After cleaning, parts are – Used Immediately OR Stored • If stored, how and how long • Method(s) employed for evaluating cleanliness • Performance test, if any Who Is Doing the Cleaning • JOB DESCRIPTIONS – – – – – Job Titles in Cleaning Operation # of Workers Duties Time Period (year) Time at each job (daily) What Type of Safety Is Used? • CONTROL MEASURES – Do you use any control measures (hoods, splash guards, goggles, gloves, etc – What methods have you taken to control exposures within the last six months? The last year? • Comments or Areas of Special Concern Selection of Alternative Cleaner Alternative Cleaner Step 1 • Identification of a potential solvent substitute must meet important parameters – The cleaner must be assessed for its ability to remove the contaminants – Compatibility with the surfaces to be cleaned – Compatibility with equipment that will be used – The alternative should be safe for the worker and the environment Find a Safer, Effective Alternative • Simple Solutions Database – Used to identify safer and effective products • Safety Scores – VOC, ODP, GWP, HMIS/NFPA, pH • Matching Performance – Contaminant, substrate, equipment, current solvent • www.cleanersolutions.org/SimpleSolutions Xyzjs5t0: jmuml F3c1wt9s: jpnet Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) • Chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature – The term “organic” indicates that the compounds contain carbon – VOC exposures are often associated with an odor while other times there is no odor • Both can be harmful – There are thousands of different VOCs produced and used daily • Acute – – – – – – – Eye irritation / watering Nose irritation Throat irritation Headaches Nausea / Vomiting Dizziness Asthma exacerbation • Chronic – – – – Cancer Liver damage Kidney damage Central Nervous System damage VOCs • Source control – Eliminate products that have high levels of VOCs – Purchase new products that contain low or no VOCs • (Environmentally Preferable Purchasing) Global Warming Potential (GWPs) • GWP – Used to compare the ability of different greenhouse gases to trap heat in the atmosphere – Based on • Heat-absorbing ability of the gas relative to base chemical carbon dioxide (CO2) • Decay rate of each gas relative to CO2 GWPs • Some greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere – Include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone • Others result from human activities – Very powerful greenhouse gases that are generated in a variety of industrial processes, including cleaning processes Ozone Depletion Potential (ODPs) • Ozone layer screens out the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation – Small amounts of ozone are constantly being made by the action of sunlight on oxygen – At the same time, ozone is being broken down by natural processes – The total amount of ozone usually stays constant because its formation and destruction occur at about the same rate – Human activity has recently changed that natural balance ODPs • The ratio of the amount of ozone depletion of a chemical compared to the amount of ozone depletion of the same mass of CFC-11 • Certain manufactured substances can destroy stratospheric ozone much faster than it is formed Hazardous Material Information System/ National Fire Protection Association (HMIS/NFPA) • HMIS – Hazard Communication standard requires employers to evaluate materials and inform employees of the hazards – Developed by comparing information on the health hazard, flammability, and physical hazard of the product to a set of criteria for each hazard category • NFPA – Originally developed this set of hazard rankings for their own purposes – The rankings have proven to be very useful in the chemical industry HMIS/NFPA • HMIS/NFPA – Health – Fire – Reactivity/Instability • Lab attempts to use products with a hazard less than 3 • • • • • 4 = Severe Hazard 3 = Serious Hazard 2 = Moderate Hazard 1 = Slight Hazard 0 = Minimal Hazard pH Readings • Provides a measure on a scale from 0 to 14 of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution –=7 – <7 – >7 neutral acidic basic • Try to avoid – >11 – <3 very basic, likely to cause corrosion and/or tissue damage a strong acid pH • Neutral substances receive the highest Individual Indicator points • Both very acidic and very basic are both avoided Guidelines VOC content (g/l) 0-24 Good 25-49 Good 50-74 GWP Values GWP = 0 Good Okay GWP = 1 (CO2) Okay 75-99 Okay All others = Poor 100-149 Okay 150-199 Fair 200-299 Fair 300 Poor >300 Poor ODP Values ODP = 0 Good All others = Poor Guidelines pH HMIS/NFPA Point Assessment 0-1.0 Poor H-0 F-0 R-0 Good 1.1-2.4 Poor H-0 F-0 R-1, H-0 F-1 R-0 Good 2.5-2.9 Fair H-1 F-1 R-0, H-2 F-0 R-0 Good 3.0-4.0 Okay H-1 F-1 R-1, H-2 F-1 R-0 Okay 4.1-5.9 Okay H-3 F-0 R-0 Poor 6.0-6.4 Good H-2 F-2 R-0, H-1 F-2 R-1 Okay 6.5-7.5 Good H-1 F-3 R-0 Poor 7.6-8.9 Good H-2 F-2 R-1 Fair 9.0-9.9 Okay H-1 F-3 R-1, H-2 F-3 R-0 Poor 10-11.4 Okay H-2 F-2 R-2 Fair 11.5-11.9 Fair H-3 F-3 R-0 Poor 12-12.4 Poor H-3 F-3 R-1, H-3 F-3 R-2 Poor 12.5-12.9 Poor 13-14 Poor Example Screening Values Product Name Perchloroethylene Product Name Brulin Formula 815 GD Indicator Value Comments VOC 1620g/l High GWP 0 Good ODP 0 Good HMIS H 2 HMIS F 0 HMIS R 0 pH NA Good Indicator Value Comments VOC 1.1 g/l Good GWP 0 Good ODP 0 Good HMIS H 1 HMIS F 0 HMIS R 0 pH 11.6 • Solvent Okay Good Okay • Alkaline Aqueous Other Indicators • Further analysis should be conducted to verify that the selected products are compatible with your process • Determine if there are any health risks that the screening does not address Other Possible Indicators • Aquatic Toxicity • • Biodegradability • • Carcinogens, Mutagens or • Teratogens • Concentration • • Disposal • • Endocrine disruptors • • Eutrophication Fragrances and Dyes Life Cycle Assessment Neurotoxins/CNS Depressants Packaging Recyclability Reproductive Toxicity Simple Solutions Database Alternative Cleaner Step 2 • Initial laboratory evaluation of alternatives – Using basic operating conditions • Minimal concentration • Short times • Little agitation – Using coupons matching part substrate – Using supplied contaminants – Compare with current solvent (if possible) Alternative Cleaner Step 3 • Advanced lab evaluation of alternatives – Using client specific operating conditions • Moderate concentration (if necessary) • Times • Appropriate agitation (match current equipment) – Using coupons matching part substrate – Using supplied contaminants – Compare with current solvent (if possible) Pilot Alternative Cleaner Piloting Step 1 • Pilot cleaning in lab setting – Using client specific operating conditions – Using client supplied parts – Compare with current solvent (if possible) – Send/bring parts to client for assessment Piloting Step 2 • Perform comparison with old system – – – – – – – – Cost of product Bath life Energy usage Water usage Time changes Worker training Worker safety Regulations Piloting Step 3 • Pilot testing at facility – Using best alternative cleaning products – Using operating conditions from lab piloting • Modify conditions if necessary – Set up piloting off-line from current system • Compare pilot cleaned parts with current system for parts from the same manufacturing lot • Get end user input for performance (if applicable) Adoption of New Process Adoption Step 1 • Evaluate parts cleaned with new system – Compare with results from old system (QA/QC) – Get customer response to parts cleaned with new process – Determine acceptability of results Adoption Step 2 • Full scale production – Re-evaluate system after extended usage