PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The consumption of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) as cleaning and degreasing agents in industrial processes (445.000 t pa) is one of the main sources of synthetic VOC emissions in Europe. In order to promote the reduction of VOC-emissions, the European Commission has adopted a directive with the aim that industry should reduce non-methane VOC emission from industrial solvent use in Member States by 57 % from 1990 emissions levels. The metal industry is one of the largest consumers and emitters of solvents. Within the European Community, 2.2 million tonnes of solvents are consumed per year in industrial processes. Metal degreasing is calculated to be more than 1/10 of this figure. Currently, the typical cleaning agents in the metal sector are mainly petrochemicals of fossil origin. They are more or less volatile and often contain additives, e.g. corrosion inhibitors.
OBJECTIVES
This project set out to demonstrate that volatile organic solvents commonly used for cleaning purposes in the metal industry could be replaced by products on the basis of vegetable oil esters. Fatty acid esters represent an environmentally friendly alternative to typical industrial cleaners in the metal branch. They are emission-free, non-toxic, easily biodegradable and based on renewable resources. The new cleaning technology would be tested in the region of the main proposer - Northern Germany - and in the Netherlands and Austria. Innovation of the basic chemicals (esters) and an improved application technology would make it possible to replace conventional VOC-emitting volatile organic solvents and to reduce the investment capital expenditures for technical emission abatement. The project was structured in three main phases: 1) Pilot phase, consisting of choosing and introducing the technology in 16 pilot companies; Installation of one recycling installation and test of one mobile equipment for SME's. 2) Optimisation phase, consisting of optimising the application properties of the basic chemicals (esters) and the properties of the equipment; Testing the recycling and waste material; Optimising the recycling process; Introduction of the technology in 64 companies. 3) Dissemination phase.
RESULTS
In general, the project reached the objectives stated in the decision and completed all the tasks that were envisaged. It has confirmed the benefits and cleaning power of esters and proved the practicability of their use for specific cleaning applications, such as open manual cleaning, repair activities and special applications. However, the overall goal to successfully substitute organic solvents as cleaning and degreasing agents with a new cleaning technology in companies in the metal sector could not be realised. Although, the use of non emitting fatty acid esters derived from vegetable oils was tested in a considerable number of companies in the metal sector from Germany, Netherlands and Austria (68), only about 30 of them continued to use esters for specific cleaning applications. In the testing phase, the co-operation and involvement of companies from the Netherlands and Austria was weaker than expected. This was partly due to the fact, that in both countries, the co-operation of the partners with industry or trade associations was not as well organised as in Germany. Throughout the project, the beneficiary set up a co-operation network, in which companies of the metal sector, producers of the recycling equipment, the producers of the raw chemical (esters) and scientific institutes developed ways to improve the application and recycling process of esters. New mixtures of esters have been developed and tested in order to improve their physical and chemical properties, such as solubility, viscosity, the capacity to carry soil, wetting ability and corrosion potential. Although the benefits and cleaning power of esters were made more obvious, the project only partly succeeded in reaching a market break through of the new cleaning product. It turned out to be clear, that a greater market acceptance of the fatty acid esters can only be reached through intensive and widespread awareness raising activities amongst companies in the metal sector. For this reason, the beneficiary decided to extend their dissemination activities beyond the "METALVOC" project in a follow-up project "Alternative detergents in the metal branch to substitution of volatile organic solvents" (called LIFE 2). LlFE 2, financed by professional associations, other authorities, suppliers and trade unions started in Germany in 2001. The focus lies on new branches and new applications for non-volatile metal cleaners. The experiences of “METALVOC” have been used for a number of other follow-up activities, which include: - development of a good-practice-database for metal surface cleaning financed by the EU-Innovation Programme; - A guide "Substitutes for metal cleaning" for the federal safety and health executive of Hamburg, which is a tool for labour inspector's and enterprises looking for less hazardous cleaning agents; - New research projects in the Netherlands: a) on the occurrence of OPS ("Organic Psycho Syndrome") in the metal industry, and b) research on the 'state of the art' in the shipbuilding and repair industry. This study encompasses the possibilities to reduce exposure to organic solvents in the shipbuilding and repair sector. - In Austria a follow up project was started in collaboration with the federal office of agriculture technique. The focal point is the technical application of rapeseed oil in the areas of maintenance of agricultural machines and for road works. - In July 2000 the union of metal industries and the employers association 'Nordmetall', together with the North German metal professional association together signed a branch initiative on worker and environmental protection. Vegetable oil esters are classified as products to be given preference. Generally, dangerous volatile cleaners should not be used anymore in typical manual cleaning processes.
