Solvent market shifts to water-based cleaners

14 August 2008 21:36  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--Increased regulation and a market shift to water-based solvents in Europe may have been the cause of a general decline in US chlorinated solvent exports during the first half of 2008, sources said on Thursday.

US exports of trichloroethylene (TCE) and dichloromethane decreased, while perchloroethylene (perc) exports remained flat in the first six months of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007, according to the US International Trade Commission (ITC).

“There has been a shift to water-based solvents happening all over the US and Europe, but much less so in the Far East,” an industry participant said. “Also, there have been significant regulations on trichloroethylene in Europe which took effect in 2007.” 

US perc export volumes held steady at 9,278 tonnes in 2008 despite shipments to South Korea jumping 92%. Perc is widely used in clothes dry cleaning.  

Dichloromethane exports were down by 15% from the 36,720 tonnes shipped during the first half of the previous year. Brazil and Mexico were the top destinations for the chemical, which is widely used as a metal degreaser, while Singapore came in a close third. Together, Mexico and Brazil received 41% of US dichloromethane exports from January to June.

TCE saw an export decline of 6%. The US exported 14,329 tonnes in the first half of the year, with South Korea and China buying more than 86% of US shipments. In Europe, the use of trichloroethylene has declined sharply, reflecting a more stringent carcinogenicity classification introduced in 2002.

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By: Leela Landress
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