Demand for chlorinated solvents holds up

Demand for chlorinated solvents holds up

Keywords Chlorine,Environmental impact, Environmental regulations, Solvents

Despite the phasing out of 1,1,1-trichloroethane under the Montreal Protocol, and the move to totally enclosed solvent cleaning equipment markedly reducing solvent losses, there was only a 1.5 per cent decrease in Western Europe's sales of virgin chlorinated solvents in 1997 compared with 1996. Sales totalled 309,000 tonnes in 1997 against 314,000 in 1996. However, it reflects the continuing downward trend in volumes which has been reported each year since 1993, when sales were 329,000 tonnes, says a European Chlorinated Solvent Association report.

Substantial use of recycled chlorinated solvents continues with users increasingly adopting recovery schemes and good waste management practices. Trends in volumes of the two main chlorinated solvents used in the coatings and adhesives industry and for metal cleaning ­ usually prior to coating, are as follows.

Methylene chloride sales rose by 4 per cent to 150,000 tonnes compared with 1996, returning to the level of consumption recorded in 1993. This increase is linked with economic recovery and industrial growth in Europe during the year. It also reflects the product's broad spectrum of applications, and its use in the adhesives sector to replace 1,1,1-trichloroethane.

Trichloroethylenes sales decreased by 7 per cent, returning to around the 1993 level. This followed sales increases in 1995 and 1996 due mainly to replacement of 1,1,1-trichloroethane in certain vapour cleaning applications.

68,000 tonnes of the total 1997 chlorinated solvents sales were accounted for by perchloroethylene, the dry-cleaning solvent. This fell by 7 per cent, due to the replacement of obsolete open dry-cleaning machines with totally enclosed equipment.

In regard to the EU directive to limit industrial emission of VOCs, the ECSA report says that adhesive manufacturers will be within the scope of the directive if consumption of all chlorinated and non-chlorinated solvents exceeds 100 tonnes per year. The general emission limits for R40 halogenated solvents will apply in this sector.