Number

020-EN

Section

General Section

Use

Abstract

Elimination of naphtha contained in a combustion accelerator of a hospital laundry boiler in central Madrid which performed dry cleaning of hospital clothes. Union representatives and regional health and safety experts recommended against the use of the accelerator due to its environmental and health risks.

Substituted substances

Reliability of information

Evidence of implementation: there is evidence that the solution was implemented and in use at time of publication

Reason substitution

CMR

Other type of alternative

The process was modified. Due to the health risk for workers, the phase of the process that included the use of the product was eliminated.

Hazard Assessment

» Check the Substance Database according to SUBSPORT Screening Criteria (SDSC)

Description of Substitution

The presence of the toxic product was detected during a project developed by the regional union’s (CC.OO.) health and safety department. The union’s safety representatives requested the Safety Data Sheets of the products used for dry cleaning and found out naphtha was among them. The substance was found in a combustion accelerating compound (RJ-10) added to the diesel mixture in laundry boilers. The product wastes were not disposed of adequately. The main purpose of union intervention was the elimination of tetrachloroethylene used as solvent (see case stuory 019), but upon the detection of the toxic combustion accelerator union reps decided to eliminate the specific phase of the process where it was used. Combustion accelerators are unnecessary, especially if they imply health and environmental risks.Description of procedure or technology (including pre-/post-processing)Use of a combustion accelerator in a laundry boiler. The use of an accelerator has been found to be unnecessary and has been eliminated from the process.Way of application: e.g. spraying, dipping, open/closed system etc.Risk management measures (technical, organizational and personal)Risk reduction by alternative: Human health: e.g. more/less safety measures e.g. technical/operational/personal protection measuresReduction of health risks by eliminating a CMR substance.Risk reduction by alternative: Environment: e.g. waste reduced/increasedReduction of environmental risk and elimination of waste associated with the accelerator.

Case/substitution evaluation

Comments To eliminate the hazard – in accordance to the hierarchy of control measures – is the first and most important measure to be sought. Therefore, the ideal solution was achieved when naphta was removed from the process. Advantage or Disadvantage of alternative

Aspect	Advantage/disadvantage to conventional process
Technical requirements
Implementation	Disadvantages: Boiler’s combustion times increased. The employers conveniently accepted the elimination of the product which they did not consider essential for the process..
Operational expenses
etc.

State of implementation

In use

Date and place of implementation

Spain

Enterprise using the alternative

Lavandería hospitalaria central de la Comunidad de Madrid

Type of information supplier

User

Contact

www.madrid.ccoo.es/

Date, reviewed

February 27, 2020