Environmental guidance for your business in Northern Ireland & Scotland
Solvents are commonly used to remove grease and oil. They can be applied using rags, vapour or immersion degreasing baths. Vapour degreasing uses chlorinated solvents, including:
Trichloroethylene (Trike) is now banned for most uses - alternatives are available. Trike is classified as a category 2 carcinogen.
Organic solvent degreasing activities can have a significant impact on air quality. You may have to take steps to prevent air pollution.
Check whether you are affected by controls on solvent emissions.
In most circumstances, you must not use ozone depleting substances for any degreasing or solvent application, including:
Some vapour degreasing baths use banks of refrigerant-filled coils in the condensing zone. If you use F-gases or have old equipment containing ozone depleting substances, you must make sure that staff and contractors who service and repair refrigeration equipment comply with the controls on these substances.
Ozone-depleting substances and fluorinated gases
You must comply with your duty of care responsibilities when dealing with waste.
Duty of care - your waste responsibilities
You may need to deal with the following materials and substances as hazardous/special waste:
Ensure that you do not make any discharge to public sewers, surface waters or groundwater without consulting the appropriate regulator. To make a discharge without the appropriate permission may be an offence and could lead to enforcement action.
Trade effluent - discharges to sewers
Health and Safety Executive Solvent vapour degreasing plant
Groundwater in Northern Ireland, DAERA have produced a leaflet to raise awareness about this untapped resource
EU Exit, EU Exit useful information
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