Vertrel Solvents - Frequently Asked Questions

In our opinion, HCFC-225 is not a great choice for most cleaning applications. But to be fair, HCFC-225 does have a few advantages. It's a moderately powerful cleaner. It works well in vapor degreasers. It is nonflammable and not as aggressive on plastics as HCFC-141b. Perhaps most importantly, it is not classified as a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) so the air-quality regulators in Southern California think it is "the bee's knees."

So what are the problems? First and foremost, HCFC-225 is an ozone-depleting substance. Specifically, it is a Class II Ozone-Depleting Substance under the U.S. Clean Air Act. Because of this fact, the Montreal Protocol requires that for most of the world the manufacture of HCFC-225 must be phased out at the end of 2010. So after doing all the work to specify a new cleaner, you soon will be faced withn repeating the project to specify something that is completely ozone-safe!

(By the way, everybody asks about the Montreal Protocol, HCFCs and global warming. The Montreal Protocol is all about ozone-depleting substances like HCFC-225 and does not address either global warming or the VOC issue. For more details about the ozone depletion issue, global warming and VOCs, you can visit the United Nations web site, the Earthwatch web site, the GreenPeace web site, and a new location in the UK called OzoneDepletion.co.uk that has very good info without the polemics found on GreenPeace.)

Secondly, HCFC-225 is really just one product. There are very few blends which enhance or expand the cleaning performance of the product. Meanwhile, Vertrel^® is a whole family of choices, allowing engineers to tailor their chemistries to their applications.

Most critically, HCFC-225 has a definite toxicity factor. There are two "versions" of the HCFC-225 molecules, called isomers. One of the HCFC-225 isomers is substantially more toxic than the other, although it normally is present in the solvent at very low levels. Originally, the 8-hour time-weighted Average Exposure Level (AEL) has been set at 100 ppm.

In short, HCFC-225 is yesterday's news. Select Vertrel^® for a cleaner you can use today, tomorrow and for years to come.


About \| News
	How Does Vertrel^® Compare to HCFC-225?
		In our opinion, HCFC-225 is not a great choice for most cleaning applications. But to be fair, HCFC-225 does have a few advantages. It's a moderately powerful cleaner. It works well in vapor degreasers. It is nonflammable and not as aggressive on plastics as HCFC-141b. Perhaps most importantly, it is not classified as a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) so the air-quality regulators in Southern California think it is "the bee's knees." So what are the problems? First and foremost, HCFC-225 is an ozone-depleting substance. Specifically, it is a Class II Ozone-Depleting Substance under the U.S. Clean Air Act. Because of this fact, the Montreal Protocol requires that for most of the world the manufacture of HCFC-225 must be phased out at the end of 2010. So after doing all the work to specify a new cleaner, you soon will be faced withn repeating the project to specify something that is completely ozone-safe! (By the way, everybody asks about the Montreal Protocol, HCFCs and global warming. The Montreal Protocol is all about ozone-depleting substances like HCFC-225 and does not address either global warming or the VOC issue. For more details about the ozone depletion issue, global warming and VOCs, you can visit the United Nations web site, the Earthwatch web site, the GreenPeace web site, and a new location in the UK called OzoneDepletion.co.uk that has very good info without the polemics found on GreenPeace.) Secondly, HCFC-225 is really just one product. There are very few blends which enhance or expand the cleaning performance of the product. Meanwhile, Vertrel^® is a whole family of choices, allowing engineers to tailor their chemistries to their applications. Most critically, HCFC-225 has a definite toxicity factor. There are two "versions" of the HCFC-225 molecules, called isomers. One of the HCFC-225 isomers is substantially more toxic than the other, although it normally is present in the solvent at very low levels. Originally, the 8-hour time-weighted Average Exposure Level (AEL) has been set at 100 ppm. In short, HCFC-225 is yesterday's news. Select Vertrel^® for a cleaner you can use today, tomorrow and for years to come.


	Please call, fax or email us at MicroCare Marketing Services for more information about our full line of cleaning answers.