Newly developed concentrated, biodegradable degreaser to set stage for a cleaner environment.
The offshore, oil and heavy machinery industry is under constant scrutiny from regulatory agencies to use cleaner products that are safer for employees as we as the environment. One company based in Louisiana has developed what may be one of the stronger commercial degreasing agents on the market today that is also highly biodegradable. One thing that sets their products apart from the pack is that their material safety data sheets (MSDS for short) seem to be very detailed. Two of their products, the Nauticlean HD and EF seem to be highly biodegradable industrial degreasers according to their accompanying MSD sheets. The HD is advertised as a water soluble degreaser that is suited for rig washing, as well as a plethora of other industrial and commercial uses that range from barge, tank, engine and boat cleaning. It can be used as a spray or in a pressure or power washer. The interesting thing about their concentrates is that you actually get far more out of the product by cutting them with water than using them straight “as is”. Adding water to the HD actually activates the surfactants, making the product a more effective cleaning agent and helping consume less product, making it more resource and economically friendly. The Nauticlean EF degreaser is an oil soluble/oil based degreaser which actually seems to be an even more biodegradable alternative to the HD. These factors make it an excellent tank cleaner, for instance, cleaning oil tanks, frac tanks and breaking down mud.
The two products really have many overlapping uses, it just appears that it’s a matter of preference if you want to go with a water based cleaning agent or a oil based cleaning agent. The amount you actually cut the product (with something like water) is highly dependent on the task at hand. Users will most likely have to play around with cutting the concentrates to see what works best in different situations. Every job is dealing with something different, rather it’s mud, grease, oil, etc.
One important thing to note is that even though the products are commercial grade and highly biodegradable, it’s recommended in the MSDS sheets to use protective gloves and goggles when handling and using the products. Follow the MSDS pdfs for proper handling and safety guidelines and measures. However, even common house hold cleaners that are weaker/consumer grade should be handled with care as well.
In summation, it’s nice to see what are hopefully effective products for industrial use that also are strong enough to get the job done. Too many items that have been used in the past were toxic to the planet and there is definitely a need for heavy duty cleaners that are also compatible with mother nature.