Trichloroethylene - the end of an era? Looks like it, says Geiss UK

There has long been a requirement under existing legislation that operators must substitute trichloroethylene "wherever possible" and "at the earliest opportunity", the company explains. But, it says, this has been very much open to convenient interpretation, with one of the main drivers having been the requirement for trichloroethylene to be used for the vapour degreasing of titanium, in certain aerospace applications. However, the company offers: "With the approval of Rolls-Royce aerospace of modified alcohols, such as Geiss RG63, clearly substitution in this industry is now possible." The dilemma for many operators having invested in systems designed to operate at ambient pressure only is now painfully clear, it adds. Operators wishing to continue to use trichloroethylene after the sunset date must apply for authorisation no later than 18 months following its inclusion in Annex. 14 - September 2014. Geiss UK says that "it is known that any license, if granted, would cost a six figure sum", but that some trichloroethylene suppliers intend to apply for a 'blanket' license to continue to supply trichloroethylene, "even when alternatives are clearly available". And it adds that even if this were so, with the volumes supplied potentially being close to zero, the question of cost of continued availability for the operator and, indeed, commercial viability for the supplier will then become the all consuming questions. A logical choice for many, advises the company, will be a switch to another of the chlorinated family, such as perchloroethylene, a solvent that is also very happy to work under ambient pressure conditions (although vacuum distillation and by-pass distillation maximises performance and economy). However, while many existing double-lidded or enclosed systems cannot be deemed to be 'compliant at source' (by bringing consumption to <100 grams/hour (rounded to the now famous one tonne threshold limit), there still remains the possibility of successful conversion. Providing all Health & Safety and environmental legislation, particularly the Solvent Emissions (England & Wales) Regulations 2004, are strictly followed, existing systems can often be converted to accommodate perchloroethylene at relatively modest cost by companies such as Standard Industrial Cleaning Systems, it is suggested. The arguments for alternative solvents, such as normal Propyl Bromide (nPB) and methylene chloride, still continue, Geiss UK offers, but close examination of the toxicity issues (R60) associated with the former and abatement problems with the latter render such products questionable at the very least, it says. "Clearly, the volumes of organic halogenated hydrocarbons used in surface cleaning and degreasing within the western world have decreased significantly in the last few years," the company says. "The massively reduced requirements of modern hermetically sealed systems, supplied by German manufacturers such as Karl Roll GmbH, incorporating vacuum distillation and by-pass distillation, demonstrate frugality in the extreme. Volumes will continue to decline and the real future will be service orientated." Geiss UK Ltd was formed two years ago as the exclusive UK distributor for Richard Geiss GmbH, one of Germany's leading producers of high quality, highly stabilised cleaning and degreasing solvents, and Europe's largest recycler of both halogenated and non-halogenated products. Says the company: "Organic solvents constitute a finite resource. Traditionally a significant amount of used product has been disposed of by incineration. But effective recycling produces ultra-pure solvents that contribute significantly to reduced CO2 emissions and lead to a favourable carbon footprint, as well as a cost-effective and resource conscious material for the operator. "The demise of trichloroethylene has been debated for many years - the argument is officially over and the way forward is clearer than ever. "Solvent degreasing in efficient plant remains the most environmentally-friendly form of industrial component cleaning. The practice of supply, support and certificated waste removal and processing by Geiss UK provides the operator with the confidence to know he is involved in a truly sustainable process with service at its core - the future is guaranteed."