Substitutes in Metals Cleaning

Substitutes are reviewed on the basis of ozone depletion potential, global warming potential, toxicity, flammability, and exposure potential. Lists of acceptable and unacceptable substitutes are updated several times each year. A chronological list of SNAP updates is also available.

Note: SNAP Notices and Final Rules published in the Federal Register take precedence over all information on the web site.

**Acceptable Substitutes for ODS in Metals Cleaning**
Substitute	ODS Being Replaced	Comments
Aqueous cleaners	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	EPA is planning to issue effluent guidelines for this industry under the Clean Water Act.
Semi-aqueous cleaners	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	EPA is planning to issue effluent guidelines for this industry under the Clean Water Act.
Straight organic solvent cleaning (with terpenes, C5-C20 petroleum hydrocarbons, oxygenated organic solvents such as ketones, esters, ethers, alcohols, etc.)	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	OSHA standards must be met, if applicable.
Trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, methylene chloride	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	OSHA and RCRA standards must be met. EPA issued Maximum Achievable Control Technology requirements under the Clean Air Act for vapor degreasing in November 1994.
Supercritical fluids	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	None
Volatile methyl siloxanes	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	Approval is granted for the whole class of compounds.
Trans-1,2-dichloroethylene	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	The OSHA set exposure limit is 200 ppm.
Hydrofluorether (HFE) 7100: C4F9OCH3 (methoxynonafluorobutane, iso and normal)	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform, HCFC-141b	None
HFE-7200 (C5F9OCH3)	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	The Agency expects that any exposures will not exceed any acceptable exposure limits set by any voluntary consensus standards organization, including the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' (ACGIH) threshold limit values (TLVs) or the American Industrial Hygiene Association's (AIHA) workplace environmental exposure limits (WEELs).
Vanishing oils	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	Depending on geographic region, may be subject to VOC controls.
Heptafluorocyclopentane	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform, HCFC-141b	EPA expects users to adhere to an exposure limit of 123 ppm over an eight-hour time-weighted average, with a ceiling of 500 ppm.
HFC-365mfc	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform, HCFC-141b	None
HCFC-225ca and HCFC-225cb	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	EPA recommends observing the manufacturer’s recommended exposure guidelines of 50 ppm for the -ca isomer, 400 ppm for the -cb isomer, and 100 ppm for the commercial mixture of HCFC-225ca/cb. EPA encourages users to consider other alternatives that do not have an ozone depletion potential.
HFC-4310mee	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform, HCFC-141b	Company-set time-weighted average workplace exposure standard of 200 ppm, and a workplace exposure ceiling of 400 ppm.
The Mini-Max Cleaner®	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	None
n-propyl bromide	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	EPA recommends the use of personal protective equipment, including chemical goggles, flexible laminate protective gloves and chemical-resistant clothing. EPA expects that all users of nPB would comply with any final Permissible Exposure Limit that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issues in the future under 42 U.S.C. 7610(a). nPB, also known as 1-bromopropane, is Number 106-94-5 in the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry.

**Substitutes for ODS in Metals Cleaning Acceptable Subject to Use Conditions**
Substitute	ODS Being Replaced	Conditions or Restrictions	Comments
Monochlorotoluenes and benzotrifluorides	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	Subject to a 50 ppm workplace standard for monochlorotoluenes and a 100 ppm standard for benzotrifluoride.	The workplace standard for monochlorotoluenes is based on an OSHA PEL of 50 ppm for orthochlorotoluene. The workplace standard for benzotrifluoride is based on the company-set acceptable exposure limit.

**Unacceptable Substitutes for ODS in Metals Cleaning**
Substitute	ODS Being Replaced	Comments
Dibromomethane	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	High ODP; other alternatives exist.
HCFC-141b and its blends	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform	High ODP; other alternatives exist.
Chlorobromomethane	CFC-113, Methyl Chloroform, HCFC-141b	High ODP; other alternatives exist.

Substitutes in Metals Cleaning

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