If your company works in the industrial sector, industrial cleaners and degreasers are probably a necessity. But that doesn’t mean that you have to endure the effects of dangerous degreaser chemicals. There are thousands of dangerous chemicals found in traditional cleaners and degreasers, some of the most common of which are methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, toluene, glycol ethers, and numerous fluorinated and chlorinated solvents. Until recently, the use of these and other chemicals was necessary to attain high cleaning power. But today, eco friendly solvent supplies offer environmentally preferred solutions that clean as well or better than their toxic counterparts. If you currently use toxic cleaners, switching to environmentally preferred cleaners could do more than save the environment; it could also save your company. Below, examine three reasons why.
The Danger of Hazardous Air Pollutants
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) are chemicals that evaporate from toxic solutions, harming both the environment and the health of those who inhale them. Some companies attempt to negate HAPs by implementing a superior ventilation system. But if a toxic solution can be smelled-and it always can be-then the presence of HAPs is still there. In the short term, HAPs decrease productivity by causing respiratory distress, vertigo, and stomach sickness. But in the long-term, chronic conditions and illnesses caused by prolonged exposure to HAPs can lead to lawsuits damage a company’s finances and reputation. If you don’t think that toxic material can come back to haunt companies that use them, remember the asbestos debacle, which was costly enough to put some companies out of business.
The Collateral Expense of Toxic Chemicals
Some companies continue to use toxic degreaser chemicals because environmentally safe degreasers cost more. But when you calculate the cost of chemical waste removal, using a fully organic biodegradable degreaser can result in a lower chemical waste disposal bill that saves more money than buying cheaper toxic degreasers, especially if a company performs degreasing on a daily basis. Today, most companies are preoccupied with cost savings and their environmental stance. Switching to biodegradable cleaning solutions can improve both.
The Threat of EPA Regulations
Even if you decide to keep using toxic cleaners, the EPA will eventually regulate or prohibit their use in industrial and commercial settings by regulating or prohibiting one or more or the chemicals they contain. EPA regulations are announced well in advance of their effective dates to allow companies to research appropriate replacements. Companies that fail to do so end up in two unenviable situations: they have a stock of toxic cleaner that they can no longer use or use in sufficient quantities, and they’re forced to implement one or more replacement solutions with no research in place.