Consumer Product Cleanup
& Thinning Solvents
Protecting Health and the Environment
Julia Quint, PhD
CA Dept. of Public
Health (Retired)
WRPPN 2008
Monterey, CA 1
Consumer Product Cleanup Solvents &
Thinners--Brief Overview
Solvent-based products sold in hardware
stores, paint supply stores, etc.
Consumers include "public" & small &
medium-sized businesses
Paint thinners and lacquer thinners are
most common types
Application equip. cleaning & paint thinning
Substrates include metal, wood, & plastic 2
Consumer Product Cleanup Solvents &
Thinners--Health /Environ. Concerns
High VOC/smog-producing chemicals
Increase asthma/other resp. diseases
Toxic chemicals (nervous system, etc.)
Health hazard info not
accessible/understood
Sensitive/vulnerable populations (children,
pregnant women, elderly) potentially exposed
Water, other potential environ. pollution
from improper disposal 3
Lacquer Thinners & Paint Thinners
Lacquer Thinners
Blend of different
solvents
Paint Thinners
Petroleum-based
solvents
4
Lacquer Thinners & Paint Thinners
Cleaning Equipment
Furniture Refinishing
PaintingPainting Metal
Metal
5
Finding Out What's in
Specific Lacquer & Paint Thinner Products
Review labels/Material
Safety Data Sheet
(MSDS) before purchase
Identify chemicals &
CAS #s under
"Hazardous Ingredients"
Identify % of chemical in
product
Contact vendor if MSDS
is incomplete
6
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)
The Good, The Incomplete, The Confusing
7
Paint & Lacquer Thinner Product
MSDSs--Some of the Problems
Strengths
Essential for identifying
specific toxic
Parks Paint Thinner ingredients in products
Weaknesses
Often incomplete--%
ingredients; trade secret
Health hazard info often
Stoddard Solvent
incomplete or inaccurate
1,2,4-trimethyl
benzene
Overly complex; English,
only, usually.
8
High VOC Lacquer Thinner Products
IRTA Project
Product Haz. Ingredient % CAS #
DTL10 Lacquer Acetone 20 67641
Thinner Toluene* 40-50 108883
PGME Acetate 5 108656
Isopropyl alcohol 20 67630
Petroleum distillates 10-20 64741840
AWC Lacquer Toluene* 50-70 108-88-3
Thinner Methyl ethyl ketone 15-25 78-93-3
Methyl isobutyl ketone 15-25 108-10-1
Parks Lacquer Methanol* 16 67-56-1
Thinner Methyl ethyl ketone 10 78-93-3
Toluene* 22 108-83
Cyclohexane 1 110-82-7
*Additional toxic effects 9
Health Effects of High-VOC
Lacquer Thinner Solvents--General
Central Nervous System or Brain
Acute: Depressant effect when inhale excessive amounts.
Symptoms include headache, dizziness, etc. (drunkenness)
Chronic: Fatigue, sleeplessness, poor coordination, difficulty
concentrating, depression, etc. (toxic encephalopathy)
Skin
Dissolve natural protective oils and can cause dermatitis.
Eyes, Nose, Throat, Lungs
Vapors can irritate with symptoms that include stinging & burning
of eyes, burning of nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness, etc.
Liver and Kidneys
Can cause damage at high exposure levels. Drinking increases risk
of liver damage.
10
High VOC Lacquer Thinner Solvents
Health Effects
(Additional, Specific Toxicity)
Developmental Toxicity
Toluene is a developmental toxicant in animals; on Prop 65
List. Causes fetal alcohol syndrome at very high
concentrations. Metabolism defect in some Asian populations
causes increased sensitivity.
Methanol is a developmental toxicant in animals. It has
caused visual disturbances in exposed workers. It can be
absorbed through the intact skin.
Color Blindness
Toluene causes a loss of blue-yellow color vision at low levels
of occupational exposure. 11
High VOC Paint Thinner Products
IRTA Project
Product Haz. Ingredient % CAS#
E-Z Paint Stoddard solvent 100 8052-41-3
Thinner
1,2,4-Trimethyl- Unknown 95-63-6
benzene*
AllPro Paint Stoddard solvent 95-100 8052-41-3
Thinner
1,2,4-Trimethyl- 0-2 95-63-6
(Metal)
benzene*
Paint Thinner Petroleum distillates 100 8002-05-9
(Bortz)
*Additional Toxic Effects
12
High VOC Paint Thinner Solvents
Health Effects
(General)
Central Nervous System or Brain
Acute: Depressant effect when inhale excessive amounts.
Symptoms include headache, dizziness, etc. (drunkenness)
Chronic: Fatigue, sleeplessness, poor coordination, difficulty
concentrating, depression, etc. (toxic encephalopathy)
Skin
Dissolve natural protective oils and can cause dermatitis.
Eyes, Nose, Throat, Lungs
Vapors can irritate with symptoms that include stinging & burning
of eyes, burning of nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness, etc.
Liver and Kidneys
Can cause damage at high exposure levels. Drinking increases risk
of liver damage.
13
High VOC Paint Thinner Solvents
Health Effects
(Additional, Specific Toxicity)
Other Chronic Health Effects
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene
Has caused asthmatic bronchitis and blood
disorders among workers exposed at up to 60 ppm.
Some of the blood disorders may have been due to
benzene contamination. Benzene content in
solvent should be monitored.
14
Types of Solvents
Petroleum Distillates
Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Solvent
n-Hexane
Aromatic Hydrocarbon Solvents
Benzene 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene
15
Safer Alternatives to High VOC Lacquer &
Paint Thinners Consumer Products
Acetone
Acetone blended with 2.5%
dipropylene glycol monomethy ether
Acetone with 1% Soy Gold 2500
16
Toxic Chemicals--Protecting Health & the
Environment--Some of the Challenges
?Large number of industrial chemicals/
limited toxicity testing
?Burden on government to prove chemicals are toxic
?"Silo" effect--VOC & Toxics prevention efforts
often are not coordinated
?Wide disparity in regulating toxics to
protect workers versus protecting communities
?New industries, technologies, & workforces pose
additional challenges
17
Protecting Health & the Environment From Toxic
Solvents--Some Long-Term Strategies
An effective (mandated) Green Chemistry Policy
and Program that focuses on a comprehensive
approach to safer materials, processes, etc.
An effective Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA) with effective enforcement
Dedicated funding for the development &
testing of effective, safer alternatives
Mandated use of safer, effective alternatives
Integrated strategies among programs regulating
toxics & VOCs; occupational & community toxics-
related health effects 18
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