The Green Solvents Show #007
Industrial solvent users are increasingly switching to new solvents which are more environmentally-friendly.  VOC-exempt solvents reduce the environmental impact of your products and make them more attractive to your customers.

Invest 20 minutes to listen to The Green Solvents Show. Host Erik Reynolds interviews Dave Pasin, co-founder and President of TBF Environmental, about VOC-exempt solvents, their characteristics and performance, and their benefits to your business, your workers and your environment.

 
What are VOC-Exempt Solvents?
Dave Pasin begins the episode by explaining what a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) exempt solvent is. He explains that VOCs are defined differently by major environmental regulators including the Environmental Protection Agency, the South Coast Air Quality Management District of California and the National Pollutant Release Inventory in Canada.

A VOC-exempt product is one which releases VOCs to the atmosphere at levels low enough to have only a negligible effect on the formation of ground-level ozone and smog.

VOC content and emission limits differ by region.  The EPA publishes national standards which are implemented on a state and local level.  Some states and regions impose tougher restrictions than the EPA, such as in California.  Many states defer to the California standards because they are the toughest.
The Importance of VOC-Exempt Solvents
Using VOC-exempt solvents reduces worker exposure to health risks, and reduces the adverse impact on the environment. Research has shown that many consumers are more receptive to products which are made with the environmentally-friendly solvents.

Dave also states that businesses in areas with the toughest restrictions are often more productive because improved working environments reduce injuries and health related absences.

Dave discuss several other issues about VOC-exempt solvents, including:

The criteria for VOC-exempt solvents.
Identification of environmentally-friendly solvents.
How VOC-exempt compounds contribute to a better environment.
The NPRI in Canada and the Canadian regulations.

Switching to Environmentally Friendly Solvents
Learn more about how VOC-exempt solvents can improve worker safety and reduce the impact on the local environment? Listen to Dave Pasin to discover more about VOC-exempt compounds and then share your thoughts in the comments area below.