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-----Alternative to Methylene Chloride for removing tape from brass
Q. Is there any less expensive chemical other than Methylene chloride which can be used for removal of PVC tape from brass surface? I urgently need to know the lesser costly alternative as demanded by my boss... Please help..
Garry SahotaEngineer - Chandigarh, Punjab, India
May 20, 2011
May 2011
A. Hi, Garry.
Although alkaline strippers can hurt brass, and acids can hurt brass, most organic solvents won't. I'd try acetone first -- but remember that it is highly flammable!
Your boss should be sharing with you the information that methylene chloride is highly toxic, and eliminating its non-essential uses are very important.
If you will be using tape with the intention to later remove it, then planning for easy removability should be part of the design process from the outset. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
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Ed. note, Feb. 24, 2012: Per www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/02/24/bathtub-refinishing-deaths.html
"Methylene chloride ... has been linked to the deaths of 13 workers refinishing bathtubs in the United States...
To use products containing methylene chloride safely, work areas must be well-ventilated, and when levels of methylene chloride exceed recommended exposure limits, workers must use protective equipment ...
The finding has prompted the CDC to warn ... public health agencies, manufacturers and trade groups to 'communicate the extreme hazards' of the use of the chemical -- also known as dichloromethane -- to employers, workers and the public."
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