Number

281-EN

Section

General Section

Use

Abstract

This is a report from a project investigating the alternatives to 1.2-transdichloroethylene in cleaning of printed circuit boards and in aerosol cleaning. For the circuit boards is suggested a change of process which does not require solvent cleaning. For aerosol cleaning products based on water, soy or acetone are recommended as alternatives.

Substituted substances

Alternative Substances

Reliability of information

Internet information: data are from an internet document and only a basic and partial evaluation could be performed

Reason substitution

physical hazards
skin/respiratory sensitizing
ecotoxicity

Other type of alternative

For printed circuit board cleaning the recommended alternative was to use low solid flux which does not require cleaning, the other option is to use water soluble flux which can be cleaned with deionised water.

Hazard Assessment

Substance to be substituted: 1,2-trans-Dichloroethylene is not listed in the SUBSPORTplus Database. Alternative substances: Several different alternatives are mentioned. For the printed circuit boards a change of process is recommended which makes the use of a solvent unnecessary. Acetone is not listed in the SUBSPORTplus Database.

Description of Substitution

1,2-trans-dichloroethylene or DCE is structurally similar to perchloroethylene and other chlorinated solvents. It is used in vapour degreasing and aerosol cleaning. DCE is flammable and therefore combined with other solvents to decrease the flammability. For printed circuit board cleaning the recommended alternative was to use low solid flux which does not require cleaning, the other option is to use water soluble flux which can be cleaned with deionised water. For aerosol cleaning this study recommends alternatives based on acetone, soy or water. This case story is from a large report from a project funded by US EPA and performed by The Department of health services hazard evaluation system and information service (HESIS) and the Institute for research and technical assistance (IRTA). The aim of the project was to study five emerging solvents, and to find safer alternatives to these in a number of applications per substance. Hazard properties, function and cost was investigated for a number of alternatives per application. For each chemical there are case stories in the report from companies evaluating the alternatives. Solvents are most often used in dispersive applications where exposure is likely to be high. The five selected solvents were Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, D5 Parachlorobenzotrifluoride, PCBTF n-propyl bromide NPB 1,2-trans-dichloroethylene, DCE N-methyl pyrrolidone, NMP For more details, concerning the other solvents, please have a look at the case stories 278, 279 and 280.

Case/substitution evaluation

This is a document that describes and evaluate a number of alternatives for the different applications. A number of these, and especially the once represented by a change in process or technology clearly represent a decreased chemical hazard compared to using the original substance.

State of implementation

In use

Date and place of implementation

2006 USA

Type of information supplier

Authority

Publication source: author, company, institute, year

ASSESSMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION OF ALTERNATIVES FOR FIVE EMERGING SOLVENTS Prepared for: Hazard Evaluation System & Information Service California Department of Health Services Under Agreement No. 04-36006 A01 and United States Environmental Protection Agency Pollution Prevention Grant NP-96912401-1 October 2006

Publication source

Type of publication and availability

http://www.irta.us/reports/Five%20Emerging%20Chemicals.pdf

Date, reviewed

November 26, 2021