U.S. EPA 33/50 list

Green Solvents for Industrial Chemistry 209 Table 7.2. Compounds on the U.S. EPA 33/50 list. 

The U.S. EPA followed the Act by compiling a list of 17 priority pollutants, including some solvents, whose use was to be voluntarily reduced by 50% in 1995. This list, known as the U.S. EPA 33/50 list, was based on the criteria that the chemicals are used in large volume, they are detrimental either to the environment or to human health, and there are available methods to reduce their use (U.S. EPA, 1992). The 33/ 50 list in conjunction with the previously mentioned global and federal regulations has provided a solid starting point for scientists and engineers to reevaluate traditional methods and to discover ways to limit or eliminate the use of hazardous solvents. 

Many types of solvents are used in marine eoatings and in their associated cleaning materials as shown in Table 14.26.1. Almost all solvents used at shipyards are VOC and approximately one in three solvents contain HAPs. Of the H APs reported, several are included on the list of 17 high priority chemicals targeted by U.S. EPA for the 33/50 program. These ineluded xylene (commercial), toluene, and the ketones. Commercial grade xylene represents the major portion of the volatile HAPs reported. 

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