Trichloroethylene (TCE) Use Reduction

Current Massachusetts users of TCE were identified and offered assistance in reducing or substituting TCE with less toxic alternatives. Joint OTA/TURI site visits resulted from the outreach efforts. Following the site visits, alternative cleaners were tested for these companies in the TURI Surface Solutions Laboratory. Satisfactory non-chlorinated solvent alternatives were identified for all of their applications, and the results reported to the companies. To date, some of the companies have undertaken pilot testing of the alternatives at their plants.

A year is a very short time for companies to develop and implement substitution strategies for TCE. To continue the momentum built up under the grant, OTA/TURI received a second year of funding to continue to approach companies with offers of technical assistance, sponsor two workshops to educate TCE users on MACT standards and alternatives to using TCE, assess reduction in TCE use from successful implementation of alternatives, and prepare a report on this project.

OTA will be seeking assistance, through a contractor, with collecting and assessing information pertaining to the technical, economic, or other barriers to reducing the use of TCE in Massachusetts. The hope is that the contract start date will be October 2004 and will take approximately 3-4 months to complete, so that results will be published early next year.