EU regulation creates pressures
An
Enviro Tech Europe product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Aug 9, 2006
It would be surprising if any business in the manufacturing sector was not being affected by EU Directives, says Derek Carpenter.
It would be surprising if any business in the manufacturing sector was not being affected by EU Directives.
One industry that is heavily affected is the chemical sector.
The use of chemicals touches everyone's daily life and is therefore a subject in which everyone can engauge.
Chemical use can be generally broken down to two groups, domestic and industrial.
Inevitably, regulation is directed at industry to resolve perceived issues and this implies that industry is expected to carry the overall burden.
Chemical manufacture is seen by many as a necessary evil.
Yet without them our quality of life and advancement would cease.
The perception of many is that chemical volumes increase year on year and so heath and environment risks must be increasing.
In reality this is untrue.
Over the last two years the movement of chemicals in the UK alone has declined by up to 1 million tonnes.
Imagine the loss of revenue that this provided to industry to fund improvements.
One product group that suffers from being a soft target is solvents used in vapour degrading.
At worst this sector contributes 4% of the solvents produced in Europe.
The paint manufacturing industry accounts for most, though they too will argue regulation has become silly.
Regulation in this sector has thrived and whilst industry meets the cost, the general public have been sold the idea that if the scientists demand it we should accept it is for our greater good.
That is, until an observer looks a little closer and finds governments are relying less and less on science and more on opinion.
The problem with regulatory groups is that their existence relies on regulating.
They seldom allow time to complete a task before offering more regulation.
Talk to industry and their first concern is what these groups actually know about the practical use of what they regulate.
We are not in the dark ages anymore.
Industry considers the chemical, the process, the risks and even whether chemical use can be eliminated or reduced.
It's called being responsible and prudent.
Ensolv's company philosophy is to promote, encourage and achieve lower solvent use through a proven solvent reduction programme.
Many companies sadly do not follow its lead.
Like many I grew up in the chlorinated solvents sector and companies using 100 tonnes per annum and above were not uncommon.
Today you will find it hard to find one, though it is true too many exist in the 35 to 50 tonne per annum range, generally using trichloroethylene, itself requiring early substitution.
Using our own product Ensolv, our aim is to get users below 2 tonnes per annum using excellent performance, good practice and engineering.
Using highly specialised partners throughout Europe we say what we mean and mean what we say.
For critical cleaning standards solvents in vapour degreasing systems are still the "proven" way.
If it works, is safer and uses minimum levels of product it is surely ideal for industry, helpful to regulators and reassuring for the community.
How much of this is considered by regulatory groups is not easy to say.
It is possible their knowledge of volumes of product actually being used is outdated.
When using a "precautionary principle" which was never intended by the EU it is not too difficult for them to justify their actions.
The number of legal actions being taken against the EU is growing.
A day of reckoning may times seem delayed but don't be surprised if such scrutiny unfolds a good deal of unfairness in the regulatory process.
Time is the great revealer and the accountability that comes with government responsibility must never be replaced by indifference to the power that affects our lives.
It is generally felt a lot of confusion exists around vapour degreasing solvents.
Often, this is because choices seem to be reducing.
Never dismiss solvents in your assessments.
They are a natural and highly proven answer to your cleaning needs.
Ensolv carries the highest possible performance approvals from companies like Boeing and Airbus.
No obligation demonstrations are available in the UK and throughout Europe.
If you are one of the many required to substitute Trichloroethylene under the terms of the Solvent Emissions Directive, join the many who proved Ensolv was the best choice.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Contact Enviro Tech Europe
Tel +44 208 281 6370
Other Enviro Tech Europe stories
-
Rumours surrounding European EnSolv ban are false
There have been reports circulating recently stating that EnSolv is to be banned in Europe because of its ozone depletion potential (ODP). -
Solution cleans aircraft fuel tanks
The EnSolv FLC formulation dissolves oil residues and sludges formed by microbial growth and inhibits re-colonisation. -
Solvent answers aerospace cleaning challenges
The aerospace industry presents many critical cleaning applications where surfaces need to be completely degreased and cleaned with no residues. -
Solvent reduction efforts rewarded with praise
Using Enviro Tech EnSolv family of solvents as part of its range has enabled Core-Chem to meet customer needs, in particular those using Trichloroethylene in vapour degreasing. -
Solvent Emissions Directive: time for action
Remarkably, as the deadline looms for compliance with the Solvent Emissions Directive (SED), confusion still exists for solvent users.
Browse by category
-
Capital Equipment (3,429)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (522)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,108)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (468)
- Production line blowers and fans (65)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (942)
- Consultancy and Services (909)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,073)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (808)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (187)
- Control and Instrumentation (2)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (295)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (202)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,187)
- Plantwide control (1,338)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (570)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (388)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,402)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (1)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,285)
- Industrial Motors (500)
- Linear Drives and Motors (117)
- Precision Motors and Gears (420)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,077)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,213)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (559)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (695)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (636)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (1)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (371)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (713)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (426)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (812)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,245)
- 2D CAD software (201)
- 3D CAD software (1,163)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (572)
- Data, document management software (315)
- Electrical design software (165)
- Engineering Design Software (15)
- FEA and structural analysis software (374)
- File conversion software, data capture (355)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (334)
- Materials design and moulding design software (152)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (320)
- PLM and collaboration software (652)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (264)
- Publishing and documentation software (233)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (201)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (929)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,146)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Conferences (433)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (845)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (568)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (357)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (636)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Seminars (405)
- Engineering Training Courses (443)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (176)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (280)
- Health and Safety Legislation (402)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (115)
- Machine Building (4,573)
-
Materials and Processing (2,998)
- Materials and components (2,241)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials processing and testing (288)
- Rapid Prototyping (464)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,548)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (479)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (498)
- Data loggers (423)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (636)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (737)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (446)
- Materials testing equipment (420)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (156)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (510)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,242)
-
Powertrain Design (3,654)
- Bearings (960)
- Chains and belts (330)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,456)
- Hydraulic Components (473)
- Lubricants (431)
- Powertrain Design (3)
-
Sensors (7,155)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (436)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (624)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (286)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (155)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (529)
- Linear Position Sensors (408)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (712)
- Pressure sensors (626)
- Proximity Sensors (708)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (551)
- Sensors (8)
- Temperature sensors (613)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,396)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (1,989)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,664)
