Recycled Solvents

From LoveToKnow GreenLiving

Many household products contain solvents and finding suitable ways for these to be recycled, solvent free alternatives and reducing the use of environmentally harmful products are part of green living.

Paint is one of many household products that can contain solvents.

Products containing solvents present a challenge for the green living consumer. Some solvents are both harmful to the environment when used and also when disposed of. Finding environmentally friendly alternatives to these products is important, as is ensuring they are disposed of in a way that minimizes any environmental harm.

What is a solvent?

There are many different types of solvents. A basic definition of a solvent is a fluid that dissolves and carries other chemicals. Solvents are found in many different forms around the house. These range from household solvents such as paints, paint thinners and some cleaning fluids, to solvents used for personal care, including nail polish removers and perfumes.

Most solvents carry a health and safety risk along with other environmental issues. Solvents are generally heavier than air, meaning that if they leak or are not disposed of safely they can gather in a single spot and not disperse. In addition to this, many solvents are highly flammable, meaning that that they run the risk of catching fire. The combination of the highly flammable nature of solvents and the fact that many are packaged as aerosols means that they are of a highly volatile nature and should be treated carefully.

Recycling Solvents

It is possible to recycle solvents and specialist units can be purchased that will recycle solvents, either disposing of them or turning them back into a near perfect state allowing them to be reused. These solvent recycling units, however, are designed for commercial use and are not cost effective for domestic use.

Many local authorities will have a policy for the recycling or disposal of solvents. Your local environmental group will be able to help and advise about what facilities are in your local area.

The best way to reduce the environmental impact of solvents in a domestic situation is to reduce the use of products containing solvents. There are an increasing amount of solvent free products available, or products containing ‘green’ solvents.

Benefits of Reducing Solvent Use Around the Home

There are additional benefits of reducing the use of toxic chemicals around the home. Many chemicals used in products containing solvents linger around the house and can stimulate allergies and asthma. Reducing the use of these products can help alleviate the symptoms of different allergies and is said to have a beneficial affect on asthma sufferers.

Some options for reducing solvent usage:

  • Use water based paints instead of paints with solvents. This also has the added benefit that you can use water to thin the paint and clean up afterwards. There are paints available that are environmentally friendly and offer a good alternative. Water based gloss paint is an excellent alternative to conventional gloss paints that contain solvents.
  • Use vegetable oils and waxes as a replacement for lubricants containing solvents. These can be used as a lubrication for doors and hinges.
  • There are many ‘green’ alternatives to cleaners and other household products that contain toxic chemicals and solvents and many of these are easy to make at home. For instance, it is simple to make wood polish from beeswax – after all, this is the most traditional of polishes!

Some suppliers of green paints and building products are:

Buying or Using Recycled Solvents

It is possible to buy recycled solvents for use, however this is generally on a commercial scale and not really suited to domestic use.

For further reading about recycled solvents in a commercial environment, visit these websites:

Finding good alternatives to solvents is one of the key challenges for the green living consumer. If you are unable to find good alternative products or facilities for recycling solvents, raise this concern with the relevant people. It is only by making our needs and wishes known that companies and organizations will start to appreciate the need for new alternatives.

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