MEK, also known as methyl ethyl ketone, is a colourless, highly flammable solvent used in various industrial processes. However, despite its widespread use, MEK has received criticism and controversy due to its potential health effects and environmental impact. In this blog post, we will discuss the uses, properties and controversies surrounding MEK. We’ll also discuss why it remains a topic of debate among industry experts and environmental organisations.
Properties and Uses of MEK
MEK is a highly volatile and flammable liquid that is used as a solvent in various industrial applications:
Paint and coating applications: to improve viscosity and flow
Adhesive applications: to improve wetting and spreading
Printing ink applications: to improve flow and viscosity
Cleaning agents, such as degreasers and stain removers: due to the chemical’s ability to dissolve a wide range of materials
In addition, MEK is also used as an intermediate in the production of other chemicals, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals and plasticizers.
Health and Environmental Concerns Over MEK Use
The use of MEK carries with it a variety of health and environmental risks.
Inhaling this chemical’s fumes can cause respiratory problems, headaches, dizziness and nausea. Prolonged exposure can lead to more serious health problems, including kidney and liver damage. It is also a highly flammable liquid, which poses a fire and explosion risk in industrial applications.
MEK is a highly volatile substance that is prone to evaporation and can contribute to air pollution. Additionally, it can easily contaminate water supplies, endangering humans and other living organisms.
Controversies and Regulations
Due to its potential negative health and environmental effects, MEK has been the subject of controversy and regulation in many countries. In the United States, for example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set limits on the amount of MEK that workers can be exposed to in the workplace. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA has also regulated the release of MEK into the environment, due to its potential impact on air and water quality.
However, some industry experts and environmental organisations argue that current regulations do not go far enough to protect workers and the environment from the potential effects of MEK. Some have called for stricter regulations and the use of alternative and safer solvents that are less hazardous to health and the environment.
Conclusion
MEK has been an important component in various industrial processes. However, it is crucial that its potential health and environmental effects are considered and addressed. It is important for industries to be transparent about the use of MEK and to work towards finding safer, more sustainable alternatives. Consumers also have a role to play in promoting the responsible use of chemicals by choosing products that are free from harmful chemicals and supporting companies that prioritise the health of employees, end users and the environment.
In recent years, the concept of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices and investment has gained public attention. Companies, investors and customers are more concerned with the impact of business on society and the environment. ESG refers to the three key factors that affect a firm’s reputation and long-term success, and it is quickly becoming a major aspect when investors, customers and other stakeholders evaluate companies.
In this blog post, we will explore the benefits and importance of adopting ESG business practices in your company and why it should be a top priority for businesses of all sizes and industries. We’ll also outline how to start applying ESG principles in your company.
Why Should You Adopt ESG Practices in Your Business?
Better reputation and brand image One of the key benefits of adopting ESG practices is the positive effect it can have on a firm’s reputation and brand image. In today’s socially conscious world, end users and investors are becoming more aware of the impact of business on people and their surroundings. They are choosing to support companies that prioritise sustainability and social responsibility more and more. So, adopting ESG practices can help your company build a positive reputation and strengthen your brand image by proving your commitment to making a contribution that will benefit your immediate community and the planet.
Attractive to Investors ESG principles are also becoming more crucial to investors, who are looking to invest in companies that prioritise ESG factors that align with theirs. Investors recognise that companies with strong ESG practices are better placed to weather financial challenges and provide stable, long-term returns. By using ESG measures, your company can show investors that it is committed to sustainable and humane business practices, and that it is in an advantageous position for success over the long term.
Better employee retention and recruitment In addition to being attractive to investors and customers, ESG practices can help your company improve employee retention and recruitment. Many employees are now looking for companies that share their values and are committed to making a change for good in the world. Consequently, implementing ESG approaches can help companies attract and retain top talent and foster a positive work culture that values sustainability and social responsibility.
Improved operational performance Prioritising ESG factors in the way business is conducted can improve energy efficiency, reduce waste and improve supply chain management. These actions can result in lower operating costs, reduced risk and improved overall performance.
Compliance with government regulations In many countries, governments are introducing new rules and standards to spur companies to adopt ESG practices. Developing and implementing a corporate ESG strategy can ensure that the organisation is in compliance with these new regulations and standards. This can help reduce the risk of legal or regulatory action and can help companies gain standing as responsible and sustainable businesses.
What Are Some Examples of These in Business?
Below are just a few examples and specific practices may vary based on the industry and size of the company.
Environmental:
Energy efficiency and renewable energy usage
Reduction of carbon emissions and waste management
Community engagement and support for local enterprises
Governance:
Transparency in reporting and accountability
Ethical leadership and decision-making
Responsible management of finances and investments
How Can You Adopt ESG Business Principles?
Follow these steps to adopt ESG principles:
Develop a clear ESG policy: Establish a clear policy that outlines your company’s commitment to ESG. It should define the specific actions you will take to integrate these principles into your operations.
Assess your current ESG footprint: Conduct an assessment of your current ESG performance and identify areas for improvement. This could include a review of your supply chain, energy consumption and employee policies.
Set ESG goals and targets: Define specific and measurable goals and targets that align with your ESG policy. This could include reducing your carbon footprint, increasing diversity and inclusion in the workplace, or improving governance practices.
Incorporate ESG in every area of the business’s processes: Ensure that ESG plans are integrated into your company’s processes—from decision-making to strategy development to risk management, and everything in between.
Communicate your ESG efforts: Regularly communicate your ESG efforts and progress to stakeholders, including employees, customers and investors.
Monitor and report on your ESG performance: Regularly monitor and report on your ESG performance. Include any progress toward your goal and targets, and any challenges you may face.
Continuously improve: Continuously review and search for areas of improvement. Doing so will ensure that you are truly making a positive impact on the environment and society.
Achieving ESG business principles is not possible overnight. It can be tough in the beginning; however, with hard work, consistent application, regular monitoring, evaluation and making adjustments when necessary, you can ensure that your ESG efforts will succeed.
We’re very excited to announce that this month, Envirofluid is celebrating its 30th anniversary!
Humble Beginnings
The company started out with humble beginnings in 1993, opening from a small rented office in a tin shed in Warrnambool after Ben Ohlmeyer, company CEO, moved from Adelaide with his wife Cathy and their three kids. He was soon joined by Jim Mead, Debbie Cox and Lynette Earle.
In 1998, the business relocated when the building that holds our current offices and warehouse was completed. The group grew to include Owen Scott and Matthew Sutherland not long after and continued to expand from there. The company continued working with various water authorities and industries to provide sewage pump stations, water treatment and wastewater systems.
Section of the factory with bottling equipment in the foreground and mixing equipment in the background
L-R (back row): Jim Mead, Matthew Sutherland, Nelson Mead, Ben Ohlmeyer, Alan Mead, Owen Scott L-R (front row): Robyn Mead, Lorraine Johnson, Rachael Mead
In the early 2000’s the company was renamed Environmental Fluid Systems, or Envirofluid, as we are now more commonly known. This name and branding change was completed to reflect our focus on helping industries improve their bottom line as well as protect workers with environmentally friendly chemicals. In 2006, Envirofluid transitioned from a partnership to a company, with Ben and Cathy as directors. The range of chemicals was initially limited to the Triple7 line but it quickly expanded to include Purasolve and ActiveEco.
Envirofluid Branding Over the Years
One of the key features of the original Envirofluid branding was the use of swashes to represent land, sea and air. This idea was carried forward in our current branding and incorporated into a circular and leaf-like design to emphasize the whole-life and recyclability aspects of Envirofluid products.
The new branding helped to visually represent the vision and mission of Envirofluid and our passion to improve workplaces whilst protecting people and the world we live in. Over time, the Envirofluid brand has become synonymous with high-quality, powerful, WorkSafe and environmentally friendly chemicals and the company has continued to grow and expand its product line.
Our facility when it was first constructed
Our facility in 2023
Growth and Changes
In 2001, Envirofluid started supplying to the Australian Defence Force, helping to reduce their chemical inventory by up to 80 percent. This led to virtually eliminating their Dangerous Goods use in a number of applications and improving worker safety.
Several large distributors within Australia and globally have partnered with us over the years. Envirofluid also works with the mining industry, supplying a number of products ranging from Triple7 degreasers and cleaners to Purasolve parts washers and solvents.
As recently as last year, Envirofluid signed a contract with the New Zealand Defence Force. A range of products was also launched through the global GPC network.
Another milestone was hit by Envirofluid in 2022 when manufacturing was started in the United States. In addition, a global agreement was signed with Boeing in Dallas, U.S. and Melbourne, Australia.
This growth necessitated the addition of more talented and skillful people. As well as expanding the team in Australia, international staff have also been added to the team since 2018 to fill roles in marketing, sales and accounting.
L-R (back row): Paul Butcher, Michael Ohlmeyer, Ben Ohlmeyer, Peter Kearney, Chris Cleary, Natalie Butcher, Daniel Ohlmeyer, Neale Hayes L-R (front row): Laurie Ohlmeyer, Pev Agustines, Cyrene Fabros, Antoinette Samorjay, Lorraine Johnson, Chelsea Duncan, Pam Tolentino
L-R: Cyrene Fabros, Chelsea Duncan, Pam Tolentino, Pev Agustines
Pandemic Response
Operating in the regional community, Envirofluid was able to respond quickly during the pandemic and produced over 500 tons of 100 percent Australian-made Ethanol-based sanitisers.
Recognitions
Envirofluid is honoured to have received a number of notable distinctions over the years, which are a testament to the team’s drive and dedication to our cause. Below are some of the achievements for which we have been shortlisted or recognised:
2013
Winner of Supplier of the Year at the Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety Awards
2014
Winner of Excellence in Environmental Management at Australian Mining Prospect Awards
Finalist at the United Nations Environmental Award
2020
Finalist for Regional Defence SME at the Defence Connect Australian Defence Industry Awards
2022
Finalist for Safety Innovator at the Australian Aviation Awards
Finalist for Manufacturing/Maintenance Business at the Australian Aviation Awards
Finalist for Aviation Support Business at the Australian Aviation Awards
Winner of Manufacturer of the Year at the Australian Defence Industry Awards
Winner of Regional Exporter at the 43rd Annual Governor of Victoria Export Awards
Heartfelt Gratitude
Envirofluid has employed some amazing people through the years, all of whom had the special skills and expertise that helped make the company what it is today. We also have our valuable customers who come from a range of industries to thank for supporting a small business and helping us to get where we are now.
The journey ahead of us looks promising and exciting, and we hope you will stick around with us into the future.
Thursday, the 24th November, Catherine Dorward with fiancé Lathan Black, representing Envirofluid at the 60th Australian Expo Awards
Catherine Dorward with HOO Yip Soon, First Secretary, High Commission of Malaysia at the 60th Australian Export Awards
On Thursday, 24th November, Envirofluid attended the 60th Australian Export Awards in the Great Hall at Parliament House, Canberra. We want to congratulate Mort & Co from QLD who were the worthy winner of Regional Exporter, the category for which we were shortlisted.
Congratulations to our table mates, Green Eco Technologies, for taking home the award for Small Business. They are doing amazing things turning food waste into high-quality compost and renewable energy. Well done, Rohan and David. Envirofluid are excited to see how your company grows!
Congratulations to Bubs Australia who won the coveted Australian Exporter of the Year, with their work providing baby formula to the US during their national shortage. Bubs Australia was a tie in the first category of the night, Agribusiness, Food and Beverages.
We can never thank organisers enough for awards nights like this. The Austrade team, including Rachael Dean and their roving conversationalists, need to be mentioned for greeting us as the night started and seeing us off at the evening’s conclusion.
Congratulations to all the finalists and those who successfully secured a national award! For a full list of the winners, click here.
Choosing the right parts washer for your application can be a daunting task, with the numerous options available in the market. Various factors must be considered when purchasing a parts washer for your business, such as the range of cleaning solutions to use with the parts washer; whether to go for manual, automated, agitation or ultrasonic machines; the machine’s effects on worker health and safety; and, environmental concerns that come with particular parts washers.
Parts washers are a staple in various manufacturing, re-manufacturing, assembly, maintenance and repair operations and are used to remove contaminants and debris, including dirt, grime, dust, carbon, oil, grease, metal chips, chemicals, ink, paint, residue, and corrosion from components and parts. This is done to prepare the parts for surface treatment, assembly, inspection or shipment.
With all the different options available, deciding on which type of parts washer to buy is no small matter. Not all of these machines are created equal, and there are many elements to take into account to ensure that you are purchasing the appropriate parts washer for your application.
Types of Parts Washers Based on Cleaners
Solvent-Based Parts Washers
Traditional petroleum-based solvents were typically used for parts washing for many decades. However, they have lost their popularity due to the risks they posed to worker health and safety and the environment.
Alternative safety solvents are now available in the market that are low hazard and replace common hazardous and dangerous industrial solvents. These safer chemicals offer reduced environmental compliance costs and health and safety risks.
Aqueous-Based Parts Washers
Aqueous cleaners are pH-neutral and water-based. These are often used with jet sprayers or power washers.
Biologicals Parts Washers
Biological parts cleaning involves a combination of water-based surfactants and microorganisms (usually in tablet form) that transform pollutants into food and energy, thus regenerating the solution and making it available for re-use.
Types of Parts Washers Based on Functionality
Rotary Parts Washers
Rotary parts washers utilise a blend of spray and flood cleaning technology. The spray removes oils, dust and debris from the part exterior, and the solution flushes out contaminants from hollow areas or blind holes of the component while it is immersed. This type of parts washer is ideal for those with high volume cleaning requirements each day. Whilst parts are rotated during the cleaning process, the machine doesn’t cause damage to parts and handle them with care.
Immersion Parts Washers
As the name suggests, immersion parts washers are used by submerging components in cleaning solution inside the tank. Grease, oils, soiling, dust, debris and other contaminants are removed either by automatic agitation, or scrubbing (manual or with the use of impellers or paddlers). Some examples of applications for immersion parts washers include general purpose cleaning, surface preparation, container cleaning, degreasing, and descaling.
High Pressure Spray Cabinet Parts Washers
In a high pressure spray cabinet parts washer, components are loaded through a door at the front. The parts are subjected to high pressure and heated solution composed of water, cleaning chemicals, or detergent. This type of parts washer is ideal for cleaning parts of any size, including oversized ones.
Ultrasonic Parts Washers
Ultrasonic parts washers use ultrasound technology (at 20 to 400 kHz) to produce cavitation bubbles through high frequency sounds to agitate the cleaning solution. The agitation enables contaminants in deep holes, cracks and crevices to be removed which cannot otherwise be cleaned by normal high pressure sprays or immersion.
Other Factors to Consider When Choosing a Parts Washer
Several other aspects that you need to consider when choosing a parts washer for your business include:
What is the material composition of the parts you need to clean?
How big or small are the parts?
Are the parts delicate or durable?
What types of soiling do you need to remove?
What is the cleanliness level required?
What type of cleaning chemical do you want to use?
How do you plan to deal with the waste generated by the parts washer?
How much risk are you willing to take on in terms of your workers’ health and safety?
How will your organization’s parts cleaning operations affect the environment?
Red Flags When Purchasing Parts Washers
When trying to choose a parts washer, keep an eye out for these red flags:
Untested and unproven technology – Unscrupulous suppliers abound in every industry, and there will be many companies that will present questionable claims about their parts washers. Be diligent in your research and background checks of companies. Ask if you can talk to their current customers to find out how satisfied they are with the products. Request to see the machines in action so you can determine how well they work first hand.
Fly by night companies – Make sure that the company you are talking to has an established history in the industry. New, legit companies will have a verifiable physical address, a working website and several ways to be contacted, such as an email and phone numbers.
Costing that sounds too good to be true – Most, if not all, parts washers will cost a lot of money upfront to purchase. If the supplier gives you a quote that sounds to good to be true, it may be that the machine is not all they are making it out to be. As a rule, get quotes from different suppliers so you can compare the pricing.
Conclusion
Industrial parts washers come in many sizes, functionalities and differ in the cleaning chemicals to be used. They are a significant but necessary investment, especially considering the number of hours your workers spend cleaning parts and the volume of components they clean on a daily basis. If you are looking for a parts washer for your business, Envirofluid has several options for you depending on your unique applications.
For more information on our parts washers, contact us at 1800 777 580 or sales@envirofluid.com.
Parts washing is an integral part of the operations process for many industrial enterprises. These heavy duty machines are used to remove contaminants or debris, such as dirt, grime, carbon, oil, grease, and many other kinds of soiling, from transmissions, engines, engine parts, brake drums, wheels or other parts. The cleaning results achieved relates to the quality and reliability of parts washers, and this, in turn, affects the performance of the cleaned components.
Why Replace Your Parts Washers?
It is important to note that parts washers, whilst built to last a long time, will need to be replaced after they have surpassed their efficiency. This is because outdated parts washers can become inefficient at cleaning parts, rendering them unreliable and degrading their quality. Additionally, these legacy parts washers can become prone to breakdowns, causing interruptions in productivity and creating bottlenecks in the overall process. Increased maintenance costs and downtime are also major considerations for replacing parts washers with newer, superior ones.
Some of the numerous benefits of replacing old style parts washers:
Elimination of costs involved with the maintenance and/or repair the legacy equipment
Reduced labour costs by replacing manual parts washing or manual pressure washing
Availability of parts washers that combine wash, rinse, or dry cycles into a single process
Elimination of hazardous and toxic chemicals and solvents from the cleaning process
Availability of parts washers in a variety of sizes and load capacities
Larger variety of models available (front load, top load, agitating, high-pressure, rotary, etc.)
Increased automation and ease of operation
Newer innovations and capabilities of superior models, such as closed loop cycle, integral recycling/re-use system, etc.
Reduced solvent use, waste disposal and running costs
Improved ability to meet and exceed work safety and environmental compliance regulations
How to Choose the Best Parts Washers for Your Operations
When researching which parts washers will best fit your needs, determine the following basic requirements:
Types of parts that require regular cleaning
The sizes of the parts or batches and how much they weigh
The complexity of the cleaning process for components
Type of operation required (top load, front load, agitating, high-pressure, etc.)
Whether you need a standard base model with its limited options, or custom-designed parts washers to meet specific requirements
Environmental and waste disposal concerns
Aside from these, you must also take the manufacturer’s capabilities and limitations into account.
Does the manufacturer provide installation and setup services?
Does the manufacturer provide manuals and other guides for using their machines?
Do they also offer their own solvents or detergents?
Are they able to provide after-sales technical support, accessories, and other supplies?
Is the manufacturer able and willing to address any specific requirements or special challenges you may have?
Purasolve Parts Washers
Purasolve Parts Washers are designed to make parts cleaning easy, fast, and cost-effective. These machines are best used in conjunction with Purasolve Safety Solvents, which can be recycled for up to 2 years, allowing for thousands of dollars of cost savings. What’s more, the Purasolve solvent range introduces replacements for dangerous and toxic substances, such as MEK, Acetone, and products that contain benzene and its derivatives.
You can choose from bath style parts washers, rotary parts washers, high-pressure parts washers, and agitating parts washers. Accessories are also available, including filters and filter kits.
For specific applications, purpose-built machines are available. Let us know your parts washing requirements! Contact us at sales@envirofluid.com or 1800 777 580 now.
Transporting dangerous chemicals comes with numerous risks. In fact, accidents during transport of these substances are common though not always reported in the news. Just recently, a container vessel carrying dangerous chemicals caught fire and exploded off the coast of Colombo.
When choosing which chemicals to use for day-to-day operations, businesses must consider not only the efficacy of a product, but also the impact on the health and safety of our workers and effects on the environment.
Disastrous Consequences of Improper Shipping of Dangerous Chemicals
Because of the very nature of dangerous chemicals, extreme caution must be taken by personnel with the highest level of expertise in order to ensure that they are transported from one location to another, whether by road, rail, air, or sea; disastrous consequences can otherwise occur. This is why an exhaustive set of regulations are in place for shipping dangerous goods, and the onus is on the shipping company to meet them.
On 20 May 2021, the container vessel MV X-Press Pearl caught fire off the port of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The ship was carrying more than a thousand containers, with contents including 25 tons of Nitric Acid, and other chemicals.
Authorities who carried out preliminary investigations suspect that a chemical reaction of the hazardous chemicals might have caused the fire. The fire raged for several days and on 25 May 2021 crew members were evacuated after an explosion occurred on the vessel.
A more thorough investigation is required to determine the exact cause of the fire and explosion in the case of the MV X-Press Pearl.
However, based on research conducted in 2011 (with data of dangerous goods shipments by sea from the U.S. and Great Britain from 1998 to 2008), it was found that 97% of incidents in the U.S. (and 94% for the U.K.) were caused by containment and packaging faults. Furthermore, 15% of container ship casualties were a result of accidents involving dangerous goods.
Factors that Contribute to Incidents
Improper labeling – Mislabeled chemicals can have serious implications than just sending the wrong chemicals down the supply chain. A mislabeled chemical in the wrong storage container can be lethal.
Improper storage – The proper storage for chemicals will depend on the kind of chemical that will be stored within. Considerations must be given as to temperature requirements, ignition control, ventilation, segregation, and identification.
Exhausted workers – The perils posed by accidents involving dangerous chemicals are far greater, and human error can easily occur when workers responsible for transporting and storing these substances become overworked or fatigued. Shipping companies must ensure that no employee is overworked.
Equipment malfunction – Properly inspecting equipment to be used for transporting hazardous chemicals is a must to reduce the likelihood of incidents.
Natural or man-made catastrophes – Incidents can occur that are beyond our control, such as storms, landslides, and earthquakes, or potholes, and reckless drivers. These can cause accidents that can quickly become calamitous and lead to untold damages and loss of life.
Eliminating and Reducing Chemical Hazards
In the Hierarchy of Actions in Risk Management, the very first and most effective action is to remove the hazard in order to eliminate all the risks associated with the chemical hazard. However, if this is not entirely possible, the next step would be to find a suitable substitute for it.
Due to technological advancements, there is now a wide range of low hazard, non-toxic substitutes for many common dangerous chemicals. The good news is that these safer substitutes are often as effective as, or even more effective than, their counterparts.
It’s common practice for different substances to be used in parts washers, such as mineral spirits, kerosene, and even diesel. Whilst these may be effective at cleaning parts to some degree, they pose serious health and safety risks and should be substituted with highly effective and safer alternatives.
Health and Safety Risks of Avgas
Avgas can cause irritation to the eyes and skin. High concentrations of vapour or mist may cause nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, loss of coordination, numbness, and other central nervous system effects. In cases of massive acute overexposure, it may cause rapid central nervous system depression, sudden collapse, coma, and/or death.
Avgas is highly flammable and explosive, and even empty containers may retain residue and pose a serious danger.
The worker was instructed by his employer to cut the lid off the Avgas drum so it could be used as a rubbish bin.
The 18-year old worker, and another worker who was assisting him, attempted to wash and clean the drum.
The 18-year old then used an angle grinder to cut the drum, causing the explosion. The worker received burns to the hands, arms, face, and nasal passages.
Replacing Avgas with a Safer Substitute
Instead of using dangerous chemistries such as Avgas in your parts washers, we recommend using Purasolve Parts Cleaner SK. Purasolve Parts Cleaner SK is a powerful, fully recyclable, heavy duty parts washing solution developed to replace dangerous solvents for parts cleaning. It has no special storage requirements, lowering the cost of transport, handling, and storage.
This high-tech parts washing solution is non-flammable and non-explosive, low vapour and benzene-free. (Check out this flame test video!)
Purasolve Parts Cleaner SK is highly effective at removing heavy-bearing grease. Because the product is slow evaporating, it thoroughly cleans parts and does not leave behind deposits that cause congestion and damage equipment. It does not dry out seals and hoses like traditional cleaners, further extending the life of your equipment.
If you’re like most consumers, you probably walk into a store assuming that all the products lined up on the shelves are safe. The unfortunate reality is that many products sold to Australian consumers have not undergone stringent safety checks.
Most Australians will be surprised to know that compared to other developed countries, Australia has limited product safety laws in place and manufacturers are often under no obligation to ensure the safety of products before they are sold to the public.
What does this mean? Simply put, businesses could be selling potentially dangerous products that could cause serious injuries or incidents. Worse, these products could already be in your homes or workplaces.
A business might voluntarily recall a product if a user becomes injured while using it. However, more than one million unsafe products that have been voluntarily recalled by manufacturers are yet to be returned to sellers exposing an untold number of people to serious risks.
Mandatory Safety Laws
The Food Standard Code regulates the food and beverage sector in Australia; however, there are other industries for which product safety is paramount. This includes pharmaceuticals, electronics, cosmetics, and more. For now, only some high-risk products are required to meet safety standards in order to be sold in Australia, such as baby products, children’s toys, and automotive, to name a few.
As yet, there are no definitive industry-wide regulations that manufacturers or retailers must meet to ensure the safety of their products before they hit the shelves. Even then, some products that do have to meet mandatory safety standards still fail independent testing.
Consumer watchdogs such as the ACCC and CHOICE are calling on the government to establish new, proactive safety laws instead of the reactive regulations currently in place.
Protecting Yourself
Whilst waiting for better product safety laws to come into effect, the responsibility of ensuring the safety of families and workplaces falls on consumers. Make sure to do your research and find out if the products you regularly use are manufactured by companies that proactively work to ensure the safety of their goods.
The ACCC is also urging consumers to ‘react to recalls’ as part of an international campaign.
Corporate Responsibility
At Envirofluid, we strive to ensure the high quality and safety of our products before they reach you. We have made it our mission to improve lives by drastically reducing health and safety risks in the workplace with the chemistries we provide.
Safer chemicals are often more effective than the toxic chemicals they replace! Additionally, they are easier to use and provide more efficient handling to increase productivity, reduce waste, and boost morale.
Those living in hard water areas are familiar with limescale and all the unpleasant effects it can have on a water delivery system’s pipes and fixtures. The good news is that whilst limescale build-up is troublesome, it can be treated rather easily and safely using Triple7 Eco-Scale.
Triple7 Eco-Scale is a non-toxic, biodegradable, and low-corrosion limescale and calcium remover. Treating limescale deposits with Triple7 Eco-Scale ensures the well-being of your workers and the environment, as well as the integrity of your equipment.
Step by Step Guide
Safety Precautions:
Whilst Triple7 Eco-Scale has a low-corrosion, non-toxic formula, in rare cases, it can cause mild irritation with prolonged contact with the product. Gloves and protective glasses are recommended.
For dismantled pumps and parts:
Place in container and cover with 50:50 Triple7 Eco-Scale and water.
Monitor pH level and add more Triple7 Eco-Scale if pH rises above 2.5. If pH has risen too high, discard solution and recommence cleaning process.
Water rinse and re-assemble.
For installed pumps in systems:
Fill the pump system with sufficient Triple7 Eco-Scale solution (between 10% and 50% dilution.
Run the pump.
Check for overheating and that pH level is maintained below 2.5.
As the pH level rises, add more product. Change liquid occasionally if needed.