Review of solvent cleaning in aerospace operations and pollution prevention alternatives
- Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
This paper examines the use of selected solvents in degreasing, cold cleaning and spot cleaning applications in the aerospace industry, with emphasis on Federal facility operations. Research referenced in this paper is drawn from aerospace industry participants and from research conducted under the STrategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), as well as EPA`s Waste Reduction Evaluations At Federal Sites (WREAFS) program. SERDP is a cooperative effort between DoD, DOE and EPA to develop environmental solutions that enhance mission readiness in defense operations. WREAFS, founded in 1988, is an EPA-backed program that works with individual military bases, research centers and Federal facilities to promote pollution prevention opportunities and advance technologies to reduce environmental impacts while enhancing efficiency in Federal operations. With the increasing regulatory pressure preceded by the Clean Air Act, Montreal Protocols and various Executive orders, the use of certain highly effective, but environmentally harmful solvents has been restricted and will likely be further limited in the future. In the aerospace industry, primary solvents are also found on EPA`s 33/50 list-often referred to as the {open_quotes}EPA 17{close_quotes} list-of hazardous chemicals identified for reductions. With the added concerns of customer demand, market forces and costs, participants in both the private an public sector components of the aerospace industry and operations are moving to find replacements for the targeted chemicals. Various strategies are being considered, both chemical and mechanical in nature. The purpose of this paper will be to select some of the primary solvents and evaluate promising alternative chemicals and cleaning operations currently available. It will also provide a briefing on some alternatives currently being evaluated at Federal facilities. 15 refs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 258845
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Progress, Vol. 14, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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