Results of the Massachusetts Methylene Chloride End-Users Survey

Details

• Personal Author:
  Ellenbecker, Michael J. ; Roelofs CR
• Description:
  A survey of Massachusetts companies reporting use of methylene chloride between 1995 and 1999 was conducted to assess the status of industrial use of the chemical in 2000. Methylene chloride has had wide use in industry although it has been identified as potentially hazardous to exposed workers and the environment. New and tightened occupational and environmental regulations taking effect in the 1990s were hypothesized to have reduced use of the chemical in Massachusetts. Substitute technologies, especially aqueous cleaning, were expected to have replaced methylene chloride in many industries. Seventeen of the 21 Massachusetts manufacturing companies reporting use of over 10,000 lb/y of methylene chloride between 1995 and 1999 were surveyed by telephone regarding their experiences of methylene chloride use and elimination and/or replacement. Fifteen of the 17 companies had either eliminated (10) or reduced to below 10,000 lbs/yr (5) their use of methylene chloride at the time of the survey in 2000. Many of the surveyed companies moved to aqueous cleaning from methylene chloride degreasing operations. Environmental concerns were the most popular reason given for eliminating or reducing use of methylene chloride. Worker health and safety concerns, especially concern about compliance with the 1997 Occupational Safety and Health Administration methylene chloride standard, were also a motivation. In general, the companies associated many benefits and few problems with eliminating or reducing use of methylene chloride. Exposure reduction strategies based on toxics use reduction techniques appear to be feasible for many manufacturing companies. However, research should be conducted to assess the introduction of new hazards as a result of tightened regulations on methylene chloride. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Chemistry Engineering Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollution Hazardous Substances Methylene Chloride Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Methylene Chloride Chemical-analysis Chemical-properties Engineering-controls Engineering Controls Environmental-exposure Environmental-hazards Exposure-levels Massachusetts Methyl-compounds Occupational-exposure Occupational-hazards Toxics Use Reduction Toxins Worker-health Workers

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• ISSN:
  1047-322X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  132-137
• Volume:
  18
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20024301
• Citation:
  Appl Occup Environ Hyg 2003 Feb; 18(2):132-137
• Email:
  cora_roelofs@dfci.harvard.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Dichloromethane (CAS RN 75-09-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2003
• Performing Organization:
  University of Lowell Research Foundation, Lowell, Massachusetts
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20000930
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• End Date:
  20020929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:907a9789cd43e1fea474a0e098242dd5eb27c79a510b66b5dadaa8683b6069986783bfb9778bd6f0e18f2028bd92d7560cd7d274966d092b57643315cc080a18
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/196170/cdc_196170_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 250.89 KB ]