Vertrel Solvents - Frequently Asked Questions

There is a perception that solvent cleaning is environmentally unaceptable and water cleaning is "green." That's simply not true, and to say "water is better" is to over-simplify a very complex issue. In fact, in most instances, Vertrel^® is the best choice environmentally because these products are "environmentally balanced." Let's look at the details:

Safe for Ground Water: Fluorocarbons like Vertrel^® should always be disposed properly; they must never be dumped onto the ground or into rivers. However, aqueous cleaning systems have exactly the same problem. Once the water is mixed with cleaning additives, oils, fluxes or other contamination, the water must be treated before it can be disposed of. But there is one crucial difference: Vertrel^® is easily recycled and distilled inside the same machine that does the cleaning; it's an inherent part of the process. In contrast, water cleaning machines need complex additional filtration and treatment systems which must operate continuously and expensively.
Renewable Resources: Aqueous cleaning systems need a lot of water (which is becoming scarce) and a lot of electricity (which is becoming expensive and contributes to global warming due to the burning of fossil fuels). It takes a lot of floorspace and technology to keep an aqeous system running. In contrast, Vertrel^® systems obviously use no water at all, and some smaller Vertrel^® systems can run on household electricity. Even the big systems using only a tiny fraction of the energy of aqueous systems. The simplicity and elegance of the Vertrel^® systems are a real technical "tour de force" with which water systems simply cannot compete.

Then there are other environmental problems which Vertrel^® helps solve, aside from the issues with water cleaning:

Ozone-Safe: While it is true that old-style solvents depleted the ozone-layer, that is an old story and not applicable to today's technology. Hydrofluorocarbons like Vertrel^® contain no chlorine, so they do not harm to the stratospheric ozone. This is generally considered a good thing. But the environmental story no longer ends with the ozone layer.
Global Warming : Vertrel^® also is low in global warming potential or "GWP." This number is an index the scientists have computed which attempts to show the impact the chemical might have on global warming. Just as in golf, a low GWP rating is better.

There are a few chemicals with GWP ratings of 200-500. The Vertrel^® products generally rate between 800 and 1,200. Some chemicals, such as the perfluorocarbons from 3M Corp., rate in the tens of thousands. In short, since the Vertrel^® products disintegrate in the atmosphere in just a few years they are considered to have a low, although not zero, global warming potential.

As a side note, let's not forget that aqueous systems contribute extensively to global warming. Aqueous systems use vast quantities of electricity, most of which is generated by the burning of fossil fuels. This is a major drawback of aqueous systems.
Smog from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): It turns out that almost all of the chemicals that aree not global warmers have short atmospheric lifetimes (measured in weeks or months). These are called volatile organic compounds or "VOCs". This category of cleaners includes includes alcohols, ketones, hydrocarbons and many other classes of chemicals. Almost without exception these products are photochemically reactive. This means they contribute to ground-level air pollution (politely called "smog"). The Vertrel^® solvents have low GWP ratings and low VOC ratings -- which is why they are called "environmentally balanced."

(Special Note: There is one class of compounds which is ozone-safe, has a very low GWP, a low VOC rating, and doesn't require a lot of treatment to protect our soil and water. These products are called "siloxanes" and they are made by Dow Corning. They're great solvents and are available exclusively from Micro Care. However, they are flammable and can't be used in as many applications as the Vertrel^® products.)

In short, Vertrel^® is an optimal combination of environmental characteristics: ozone-safe, low GWP and not photochemically reactive. That's why we call these products "environmentally balanced."


About \| News
	Isn't Water Cleaning Better for the Environment ?
		There is a perception that solvent cleaning is environmentally unaceptable and water cleaning is "green." That's simply not true, and to say "water is better" is to over-simplify a very complex issue. In fact, in most instances, Vertrel^® is the best choice environmentally because these products are "environmentally balanced." Let's look at the details: Safe for Ground Water: Fluorocarbons like Vertrel^® should always be disposed properly; they must never be dumped onto the ground or into rivers. However, aqueous cleaning systems have exactly the same problem. Once the water is mixed with cleaning additives, oils, fluxes or other contamination, the water must be treated before it can be disposed of. But there is one crucial difference: Vertrel^® is easily recycled and distilled inside the same machine that does the cleaning; it's an inherent part of the process. In contrast, water cleaning machines need complex additional filtration and treatment systems which must operate continuously and expensively. Renewable Resources: Aqueous cleaning systems need a lot of water (which is becoming scarce) and a lot of electricity (which is becoming expensive and contributes to global warming due to the burning of fossil fuels). It takes a lot of floorspace and technology to keep an aqeous system running. In contrast, Vertrel^® systems obviously use no water at all, and some smaller Vertrel^® systems can run on household electricity. Even the big systems using only a tiny fraction of the energy of aqueous systems. The simplicity and elegance of the Vertrel^® systems are a real technical "tour de force" with which water systems simply cannot compete. Then there are other environmental problems which Vertrel^® helps solve, aside from the issues with water cleaning: Ozone-Safe: While it is true that old-style solvents depleted the ozone-layer, that is an old story and not applicable to today's technology. Hydrofluorocarbons like Vertrel^® contain no chlorine, so they do not harm to the stratospheric ozone. This is generally considered a good thing. But the environmental story no longer ends with the ozone layer. Global Warming : Vertrel^® also is low in global warming potential or "GWP." This number is an index the scientists have computed which attempts to show the impact the chemical might have on global warming. Just as in golf, a low GWP rating is better. There are a few chemicals with GWP ratings of 200-500. The Vertrel^® products generally rate between 800 and 1,200. Some chemicals, such as the perfluorocarbons from 3M Corp., rate in the tens of thousands. In short, since the Vertrel^® products disintegrate in the atmosphere in just a few years they are considered to have a low, although not zero, global warming potential. As a side note, let's not forget that aqueous systems contribute extensively to global warming. Aqueous systems use vast quantities of electricity, most of which is generated by the burning of fossil fuels. This is a major drawback of aqueous systems. Smog from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): It turns out that almost all of the chemicals that aree not global warmers have short atmospheric lifetimes (measured in weeks or months). These are called volatile organic compounds or "VOCs". This category of cleaners includes includes alcohols, ketones, hydrocarbons and many other classes of chemicals. Almost without exception these products are photochemically reactive. This means they contribute to ground-level air pollution (politely called "smog"). The Vertrel^® solvents have low GWP ratings and low VOC ratings -- which is why they are called "environmentally balanced." (Special Note: There is one class of compounds which is ozone-safe, has a very low GWP, a low VOC rating, and doesn't require a lot of treatment to protect our soil and water. These products are called "siloxanes" and they are made by Dow Corning. They're great solvents and are available exclusively from Micro Care. However, they are flammable and can't be used in as many applications as the Vertrel^® products.) In short, Vertrel^® is an optimal combination of environmental characteristics: ozone-safe, low GWP and not photochemically reactive. That's why we call these products "environmentally balanced."


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