Substitutes in Precision Cleaning

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s About PDF page to learn more. Substitutes are reviewed on the basis of ozone depletion potential, global warming potential, toxicity, flammability, exposure potential. Lists of acceptableThis designation means that a substitute may be used, without restriction, to replace the relevant ODS within the end-use specified. For example, HCFC-22 is an acceptable substitute for R-502 in industrial process refrigeration. Note that all SNAP determinations apply to the use of a specific product as a substitute for a specific ODS in a specific end-use. and UnacceptableThis designation means that it is illegal to use a product as a substitute for an ODS in a specific end-use. For example, HCFC-141b is an unacceptable substitute for CFC-11 in building chillers. Note that all SNAP determinations apply to the use of a specific product as a substitute for a specific ODS in a specific end-use. substitutes are updated several times each year. The list of acceptable substitutes are shown below.

Note: SNAP-related information published in the Federal Register takes precedence over all information on this page.

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Substitute Trade Name(s) ODPA number that refers to the amount of ozone depletion caused by a substance. The ODP is the ratio of the impact on ozone of a chemical compared to the impact of a similar mass of CFC-11. Thus, the ODP of CFC-11 is defined to be 1.0. Other CFCs and HCFCs have ODPs that range from 0.01 to 1.0. The halons have ODPs ranging up to 10. Carbon tetrachloride has an ODP of 1.2, and methyl chloroform's ODP is 0.11. HFCs have zero ODP because they do not contain chlorine. A table of all ozone-depleting substances (http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/ods/index.html) shows their ODPs, GWPs, and CAS numbers. GWPThe index used to translate the level of emissions of various gases into a common measure in order to compare the relative radiative forcing of different gases without directly calculating the changes in atmospheric concentrations. GWPs are calculated as the ratio of the radiative forcing that would result from the emissions of one kilogram of a greenhouse gas to that from the emission of one kilogram of carbon dioxide over a period of time (usually 100 years). Gases involved in complex atmospheric chemical processes have not been assigned GWPs. See lifetime. Flammable SNAP Listing Date Listing Status Further Information
Aqueous cleaners   0 N/A no March 18, 1994 Acceptable EPA is planning to issue effluent guidelines for this industry under the Clean Water Act.
Chlorobromomethane   0.07 to 0.15 N/A no April 28, 1999 Unacceptable Alternatives exist with lower or zero ODP.
Dibromomethane   0.17 N/A no June 13, 1995 Unacceptable Alternatives exist with lower or zero ODP.
HCFO-1233yd(Z)   0.00003 <1 no January 20, 2022 Acceptable  
HCFC-123   0.02 77 no August 26, 1994 Acceptable Has an acceptable exposure limit (AEL) of 30 ppm.
HCFC-141b and its blends   N/A N/A N/A October 16, 1996 Unacceptable Alternatives exist with lower or zero ODP.
HCFC-225ca   0.025 122 no June 13, 1995 Acceptable with Use Conditions: Subject to the company-set exposure limit of 25 ppm for the -ca isomer. HCFC-225ca/cb is offered as an isomeric blend. The company-set workplace standard for the cb-isomer is higher--250ppm. The use of the less toxic cb-isomer in the blend suggests that the 25 ppm standard for the ca-isomer can be readily met.
HCFC-225cb   0.033 595 no June 13, 1995 Acceptable with Use Conditions: Subject to the company-set exposure limit of 25 ppm for the -ca isomer. HCFC-225ca/cb is offered as an isomeric blend. The company-set workplace standard for the cb-isomer is higher--250ppm. The use of the less toxic cb-isomer in the blend suggests that the 25 ppm standard for the ca-isomer can be readily met.
Heptafluorocyclopentane   0 250 no December 18, 2000 Acceptable EPA expects users to adhere to an exposure limit of 123 ppm over an eight-hour time-weighted average, with a ceiling of 500 ppm.
HFC-365mfc   0 794 yes December 18, 2000 Acceptable  
HFC-4310mee   0 1,640 no October 16, 1996;
June 8, 1999		 Acceptable with Use Conditions: Subject to a 200 ppm time-weighted average workplace exposure standard and 400 ppm workplace exposure ceiling.  
HFE-347pcf2   0 580 no August 10, 2012 Acceptable CAS Reg. No. is 406-78-0. The manufacturer recommends an acceptable exposure limit of 50 ppm (8-hr TWA) for this substitute. EPA recommends a ceiling limit (maximum concentration) of 150 ppm for HFE-347pcf2. Observe recommendations in the manufacturer’s MSDS and guidance for using this substitute, particularly with respect to proper ventilation and other industrial hygiene practices.
HFE-347mcc3 (heptafluoropropyl methyl ether) Novec™ 7000 Engineered Fluid (HFE-7000) 0 575 no August 21, 2003 Acceptable EPA expects that the workplace environmental exposure will not exceed the workplace environmental exposure limit of 75 ppm and that users will observe the manufacturer's recommendations in MSDSs.
HFE-449s1 (methoxynonafluorobutane, iso and normal) Novec™ 7100 Engineered Fluid (HFE-7100) 0 297 no September 5, 1996;
December 18, 2000		 Acceptable  
HFE-569sf2 (ethoxynonafluorobutane, iso and normal) Novec™ 7200 Engineered Fluid (HFE-7200) 0 59 no December 6, 1999;
December 18, 2000		 Acceptable The Agency expects that any exposures will not exceed any acceptable exposure limits set by any voluntary consensus standards organization, including the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' (ACGIH) threshold limit values (TLVs) or the American Industrial Hygiene Association's (AIHA) workplace environmental exposure limits (WEELs).
Methylene chloride   0 8.7 no March 18, 1994 Acceptable OSHA and RCRA standards must be met. EPA issued Maximum Achievable Control Technology requirements under the Clean Air Act for vapor degreasing in November 1994.
Monochlorotoluenes and benzotrifluorides   N/A N/A N/A May 22, 1996 Acceptable with Use Conditions: Subject to a 50 ppm workplace standard for monochlorotoluenes and a 100 ppm standard for benzotrifluoride. The workplace standard for monochlorotoluenes is based on an OSHA PEL of 50 ppm for orthochlorotoluene. The workplace standard for benzotrifluoride is based on the company-set acceptable exposure limit.
n-propyl bromide (nPB)   0.0049 1.57 no May 30, 2007 Acceptable CAS Reg. No. is 106-94-5. EPA recommends the use of personal protective equipment, including chemical goggles, flexible laminate protective gloves and chemical-resistant clothing; EPA expects that all users of nPB would comply with any final Permissible Exposure Limit that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issues in the future under 42 U.S.C. 7610(a).
Perchloroethylene   0.005 N/A no March 18, 1994 Acceptable OSHA and RCRA standards must be met. EPA issued Maximum Achievable Control Technology requirements under the Clean Air Act for vapor degreasing in November 1994.
Perfluorobutyl Iodide (PFBI)    <0.005 <5 no October 4, 2011 Acceptable CAS Reg. No. is 423-39-2; EPA recommends an acceptable exposure limit of 375ppm (8-hour time-weighted average) for PFBI; Observe recommendations in the manufacturer’s MSDS and guidance for using this substitute, particularly with respect to disposal. Prevent the solvent from entering waterways; PFBI is currently defined as a volatile organic compound (VOC) under CAA regulations (see 40 CFR 51.100(s)).
Perfluorocarbons (C5F12, C6F12, C6F14, C7F16, C8F18, C5F11NO, C6F13NO, C7F15NO, and C8F16)   0 N/A N/A October 16, 1996 Acceptable with Narrowed Use Limits: Acceptable for high-performance, precision-engineered applications only where reasonable efforts have been made to ascertain that other alternatives are not technically feasible due to performance or safety requirements. The principal environmental characteristic of concern for PFCs is that they have long atmospheric lifetimes and high global warming potentials. Although actual contributions to global warming depend upon the quantities of PFCs emitted, the effects are for practical purposes irreversible. Users must observe this limitation on PFC acceptability by conducting a reasonable evaluation of other substitutes to determine that PFC use is necessary to meet performance or safety requirements. Documentation of this evaluation must be kept on file.
Plasma cleaning   0 N/A N/A March 18, 1994 Acceptable OSHA standards for ozone must be met.
Semi-aqueous cleaners   0 N/A no March 18, 1994 Acceptable EPA is planning to issue effluent guidelines for this industry under the Clean Water Act.
Straight organic solvent cleaning (with terpenes, C6-C20 petroleum hydrocarbons, oxygenated organic solvents such as ketones, esters, ethers, alcohols, etc.)   0 N/A N/A March 18, 1994 Acceptable OSHA standards must be met, if applicable.
Straight organic solvent cleaning with petroleum hydrocarbon C5   0 N/A N/A February 24, 1998 Acceptable  
Supercritical fluids   0 N/A N/A March 18, 1994 Acceptable OSHA standards for ozone must be met.
The Mini-Max Cleaner® The Mini-Max Cleaner® 0 0 N/A September 28, 2006 Acceptable  
Trans-1,2-dichloroethylene   0 N/A yes August 26, 1994 Acceptable The OSHA set exposure limit is 200 ppm.
Trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-ene  SolsticeTM  1233zd(E) 0.00024 - 0.00036 4.7 - 7 no May 17, 2013 Acceptable CAS Reg. No. is 102687-65-0; The manufacturer recommends an acceptable exposure limit of 300 ppm over an 8-hour time-weighted average for trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-ene; Note that this substitute boils at room temperature. Therefore, EPA recommends using this substitute in equipment designed to minimize solvent losses, emissions and worker exposure. Examples of such equipment include containers with connected hoses and valves that allow for direct transfer of the solvent to cleaning equipment without opening of the storage container, and enclosed or low-emission cleaning equipment.  Observe recommendations in the manufacturer’s MSDS and guidance for using this substitute.

Observe recommendations in the manufacturer’s MSDS and guidance for using this substitute.
Methoxytridecafluoroheptene isomers (MPHE) SionTM 0 2.5 no July 16, 2015 Acceptable MPHE is a mixture of structural and stereo isomers, which includes trans-5-methoxy-perfluoro-3-heptene and eight isomeric structures. The manufacturer recommends an AEL of 500 ppm (8-hr TWA) for MPHE.
Trichloroethylene   0.00037 N/A yes March 18, 1994 Acceptable OSHA and RCRA standards must be met. EPA issued Maximum Achievable Control Technology requirements under the Clean Air Act for vapor degreasing in November 1994.
UV/Ozone cleaning   0 N/A no March 18, 1994 Acceptable OSHA standards for ozone must be met.
Volatile methyl siloxanes   0 N/A yes August 26, 1994 Acceptable Approval is granted for the whole class of compounds.
HFE-64-13m(m)yy(s)c3 (1,1,1,2,2,3,4,5,5,5-decafluoro-3-methoxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)pentane) Novec™ 7300 Engineered Fluid (HFE-7300) 0 310 no July 21, 2017 Acceptable The manufacturer recommends an AEL for the workplace for HFE-7300 of 100 ppm (8-hr TWA). This substitute is subject to a Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) section 5(a)(2) Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) (40 CFR 721.10061).
HFO-1336mzz(Z)   0 9 no October 4, 2018 Acceptable  
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Last updated on June 4, 2024