Alternative Degreaser Saves Money, Reduces Waste
Aggressive Hydraulics, which manufactures hydraulic cylinders in Bethel, was using an aerosol brake cleaner containing toluene to remove lubricant, metal chips and grease from their cylinders prior to assembly. In the interest of employee health, reducing pollution and waste and saving money, the company enlisted MnTAP to help find a better degreasing option.
After testing multiple alternatives on Aggressive’s cleaning operations, SuperClean water-based degreaser was found to have the power to handle lightly-soiled parts, which make up about three-quarters of the cleaning operations in the facility. SuperClean is VOC-free and comes in a resuable hand spray bottle, further reducing VOCs by eliminating aerosol propellants as well as reducing aerosol can waste.
Thanks to the product change, Aggressive was able to save over $400, 1,300 lbs of VOCs, 430 lbs of HAPs and 150 lbs of metal can waste per year in their standard cleaning jobs.
Regulatory Alert! No more puncturing aerosol cans and gas cylinders.
Starting January 1, 2017, hazardous waste aerosols and gas cylinders may no longer be punctured or vented in Minnesota, unless all hazardous waste propellant gases, product gases and liquids are captured and properly disposed. Charcoal and activated carbon filters do not capture hazardous waste propellants or gases for proper disposal. For more details, see the MPCA website.