United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance
Washington, DC 20460
EPA-300-F-98-002f
February 1998
JgLEPA Federal Facilities Toxic Release and Reduction
Initiatives Fact Sheet
Background
Executive Order 12856, entitled "Federal Compliance with
Right-To-Know Laws and Pollution Prevention
Requirements", was signed by President Clinton on
August 3, 1993. The primary objectives of EO 12856 are
to encourage Federal facilities to:
•	Develop pollution prevention plans to reduce toxic
releases by 50%;
•	Collect and report data on the quantity of hazardous
materials stored, used, and released at the facility;
•	Ensure public access to use and release information.
Federal facilities are required to submit annual TRl reports
starting in 1995 for data collected in 1994.
ETHYLENE GLYCOL
1995 Waste Management Distribution
0%



3
i
21%

I 46%
Recycling
Energy Recovery
¦ Treatment
C Releases
Approach
A study was undertaken to analyze Federal facility TRi data for 1994 and 1995 to: 1) determine the most commonly
used and released chemicals; 2) identify currently used pollution prevention (P2) approaches and on-going pollution
prevention research and development to tower or substitute the use of a chemical; and 3) identify potential
RD/transition needs. As of January 1998, fifteen chemical Fact Sheets have been developed. Please refer to the
back page to order Fact Sheets for other chemicals.
This Fact Sheet contains two charts and four main sections'
*
The charts represent the waste management distribution and percent change of TRI reported quantities.
Chemical Profile section.
Identified and used P2 approaches section.
On-going P2 research and development section.
P2 research and development/transition needs section.
TRI Reported Quantities - Percent Change 1994 and 1995
(O
•G
O
-1.00
	TRI
Releases
Recycling
Energy Recovery
Treatment
Releases plus
Reporting

Oh-Site Off-Stte
On-Site
"Off-Site
On-Site
Off-Site
Off-site Treatment
1994 (lbs)
263.183
0 12,886
166,940
201.935
32,537
290,900
564,083
1995 (lbs)
616.503
0 2.631
89,265
347.331
86.966
198,659
815,162
% Change
134%
0% -80%
-47%
72%
167%
-32%
47%
Page 1 of 5
ETHYLENE GLYCOL

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CHEMICAL PROFILE: ETHYLENE GLYCOL
CAS#: 107-21-1
SYNONYMS
MONOETHYLENE GLYCOL
1,2-DIHYDROXYETHANE
GLYCOL ALCOHOL
GLYCOL
COMMON USES IN THE U.S.
www-eoa-goWttn/uatw# http:ffwww.epa.oov/ttn/uat
w#
Ethylene gtycol is used as antifreeze in cooling and heating systems, in hydraulic brake fluids,
as an industrial humectant. as an ingredient of electrolytic condensers, and as a solvent In the
paint and plastics industries.
•	Miscellaneous uses of ethylene glycol include: deictng aircraft, runways and taxiways, heat
transfer solutions for a wide temperature range {-51 to 135 °C). It is also used in adhesive,
latex paint, and asphalt-emulsion water-based formulations to provide freeze protection. High
purity ethylene glycol is a solvent and suspending medium for ammonium perborate, the
conductor used in most eletrolytic capacitors.
•	About 27% of the antifreeze market is used in the manufacture of polyester and other
packaging materials.
•	About 42% of the ethylene glycol produced domestically is used as a nonvolatile antifreeze for
liquid-cooled motor vehicles
ACUTE HEALTH HAZARDS
www.epa.gov/ttn/uatw#http://www.epa.oov/ttn/uat • The reported probable oral acute lethal dose between 1-2 g/Kg
w#
Acute exposure of humans to ethylene glycol by ingesting large quantities causes three stages
of health effects Phase 1, CNS depression, includes such symptoms as vomiting, drowsiness,
coma, respiratory failure, and convulsions. Phase I is followed by Phase II. cardio and
pulmonary abnormalities, and Phase 111. renal damage
CHRONIC HEALTH HAZARDS
www epa gov/Hn/uatwflhltp //www epa.qov/ttn/uat • No effects were noted in one study of individuals exposed to low levels of ethylene glycol by
5!S	inhalation for about a month
• No information is available on the carcinogenic effects of ethylene glycol in humans. EPA has
classified ethylene glycol as a Group D, not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity.
COMMON P2 INITIATIVES
w#
epa qov/ttn/uatw#http://www.e pa qov'ttri/ual • Recycling Ethylene glycol or propylene glycol is typically recycled either on or off-site using a
variety of technologies
• Substitution. Replaced ethylene glycol with propylene glycol for vehicle and equipment
maintenance applications. Propylene glycol is less toxic and more biodegradable than ethylene
glycol. For de-icing applications, propylene glycol is the only aircraft deicer currently approved
for purchase by the Air Force. Ethylene glycol ts no longer approved for deicing runways and
roadways. For natural gas production, use alternative dehydrating systems.
Additional information regarding chemical hazards and access to Material Safety Data Sheets can be reached through
the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry web page: http://atsdr1.atsdr.cdc.gov.8080/- refer to ToxFAQs,
FEDERAL FACILITIES REPORTING
COMMON USES OF: ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Federal Facililties Reporting in both 1994 and 1995 28
Federal Facililties Reporting Only in 1994	9
Federal Facililties Reporting Only in 1995	3
DE-ICING AGENT
NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION
ENGINE COOLANT
PAINT CONSTITUENT
POLLUTION PREVENTION APPROACHES CURRENTLY IN USE
DE-ICING AGENT
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ETHYLENE GLYCOL

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POLLUTION PREVENTION APPROACHES CURRENTLY IN USE
DE-ICING AGENT
•	According to Air Force instruction 32-1045. "Snow and Ice Control" (7 March 1994), ethylene glycol ts no longer approved for de-icing operations ;
on runways and roadways The following chemicals are approved and currently available propylene glycol, potassium acetate, isopropyi
alcohol Grade B, urea, calcium chloride, and sodium chloride. Urea, a solid compound, has been used as a de-icer in the past, however, i! has
come under increasing scrutiny and some states and airports have prohibited its use Sodium acetate and sodium formate are solid compounds
that have been tested at several Air Force bases and found to perform better than urea and to have less of an environmental impact. The Air
Force is using sodium formate and sodium acetate for use as pavement and runway deicers because they meet the SAE/AMS 1431A
specifications and are listed in FAA Advisory Circular 150V2500-30A. Aircraft Winter Safety and Operation " The following products still require
further testing and have not been fully certified for military applications combination potassium acetate/propylene glycol, liquid potassium
acetate, and potassium formate Liquid potassium acetate has been approved under Aerospace Material Specification Liquid Pavement De-
icer. and can be used for pavement de-icing operations	j
I
•	Equipment for recycling de-icing fluids may differ from those used for recycling automobile or equipment antifreeze because de-icing fluids are J
more dilute and they contain different types of contaminants An anaerobic biofilter system can be used to pre-treat de-icing fluid prior So
discharge to either a POTW for direct discharge to a stream under a NPDES permit (manufactured by AAA Environmental Services
Corporation). ECOLOCorp Inc manufactures a reprocessor for spent deicing fluid by evaporation and distillation. Glycol Specialists
manufactures a system that concentrates (by membrane technology) and purifies (by chemical pretreatment and distillation} spent aircraft
deicing fluids.
•	Like many of the large commercial airports, Air Force installations have begun investigating the feasibility of installing systems to capture and
recycle spent aircraft de-icing fluids. Due to the high cost of retrofitting airports with equipment to capture and recycle the spent antifreeze,
recycling may only be feasible for larger facilities (e g., Denver's airport. Greater Pittsburgh International Airport.) Technical Order 42-C-1
prohibits the reuse of propylene glycol for aircraft deicing (source Air Force Pro-Act Technical Inquiry 10802, 18 November 1996)
•	Propylene glycol (SAE-AMS 1424, "Fluid Deicing/Anti-icing, Aircraft, Newtonian SAE Type I", Mil Spec. MIL-A-8243D, Type I) is the only aircraft
deicer approved for purchase by Air Force activities Several possible substitutes for aircraft de-icing are commercially available but have not
yet been fully certified and tested new Type I and II anti-icing fluid; super Type II; Type I fluid; UCAR AAF ULTRA; New Type II (Type IV). The
majority of the alternatives are propylene glycol based. Reported advantages include lower toxicity, more biodegradable, and longer holdover
times.	!i
ENGINE COOLANT
•	The Army's Tank and Automotive Command has established an antifreeze hotline which provides technical assistance on antifreeze recycling
Questions can be faxed to 810-574-5413.
•	As of 1996, propylene glycol had not been approved as a substitute for use in government owned vehicles The Mobility Technology Center -
Belvoir is in the process of evaluating propylene glycol. Some DOD facilities have already begun using propylene glycol in some vehicles. Two
DOD-approved recycling systems work with either ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, but each must be processed separately. Several different
technologies are available for engine coolant recycling including ion exchange, distillation, and several types of filtration systems (chemically
assisted mechanical filtration, filtration and dual bed deionization, filtration, precipitation/aeration/filtration. advanced filtration, and micro-
filtration/ion exchange) (Source: USEPA "Vehicular Products Containing Recovered Materials" EPA530-B-96-001. July 1996) Fort Bragg,
Fort McCoy, the Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves, Red River Army Depot, US Army Transportation Center - Fort Eustis, and several US
Navy facilities are already recycling their ethylene glycol
NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION
•	No implemented P2 projects were identified.	j
PAINT CONSTITUENT
I
•	Some latex paints contain ethylene glycol Faciliies should try to find alternative paints that contain the least amount of ethylene glycol possible, j
ON-GOING POLLUTION PREVENTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
OE-iCING AGENT
Substitutes for Ethylene Glycol for Deicing
SERDP issued a request for proposal in FY98 for research into substitutes for ethylene glycol for deicing.
Improved De-icing Agent Application Systems
Another alternative to reducing spent de-icing fluids is to improve the equipment used to apply the fluids One company has developed a douole
gantry spray system called the "Whisper Wash". High pressure nozzles facing the aircraft blast heated air at 40 - 500 pounds per square inch to
remove snow and ice A small amount of water and glycol may by used with the system.
InfraTek (Infrared) De-icing System
Process Technologies. Inc. has developed a device called InfraTek which uses infrared heat instead of chemicals to de-ice aircraft Aircraft are
towed through an aluminum deicing structure where they are exposed to electromagnetic wavelengths. The system was tested at Greater Buffalo
International Airport in 1995.
Page 3 of 5
ETHYLENE GLYCOL

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ON-GOING POLLUTION PREVENTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
DE-ICING AGENT	~
Electromagnetic De-Icing Svstsem
A company called Cirrus Design has completed a Phase I report for a low-cost electromagnetic-type de-icing system that would be affordable for
small businesses and personal transportation aircraft. Axiomatics Corporation completed a Phase I project for a dielectric sensor technology to
detect, quantify, and characterize ice accretion on aircraft components both in-flight and on the ground. The system would provide a low-cost, low-
power, retrofittable ice detection capability that would serve as the primary control for in-flight activation of an ice protection system, minimize
deicing required a! the ramp, while providing verifiable aircraft protection and maximizing holdover times Similarly, two companies. Aerazur
(France) and Vibro-Meter (Switzerland) have teamed to develop a de-icing boot with a miniature tee detector that indicates when to operate the de-
icing system.
Several organizations have initiatives underway to test and or develop de-icinq/anti-icinci fluids,
NASA Ames Research Center in California is testing a new product lhat is reported to be non-toxic, biodegradable, and have a lower BOD than
other propylene glycol fluids. Wright Laboratory has a project underway to identify, develop, and test drop-in substitutes for deicing fluids for aircraft
and runways Armstrong Laboratory Environics Directorate has completed a Phase I study to determine the technical feasibility of developing
aircraft and runway deicers based on ice inhibition compounds. The project looked at the design and synthesis of novel biomimetic deicing/anti-
ictng agents based on naturally occurring antifreeze proteins.
ENGINE COOLANT
No research projects were identified.
PAINT CONSTITUENT
No research projects were identified.
POWER PRODUCTION
Alternatives to Glycol Dessicants.
Alternatives to the use of glycols as a dessicant in natural gas production include* using solid dessicants (e g , alumina, silica gel, or molecular
sieves), expansion refrigeration using the Joule-Thompson effect, or anhydrous calcium chloride These techniques are only suitable under certain
operating conditions.
POLLUTION PREVENTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT I TRANSITION NEEDS
DE-ICING AGENT	" —^—
•	The Air Force has two initiatives underw y to baseline current deicing management practices and develop a management strategy for
minimizing de-icer runoff.
ENGINE COOLANT
•	Ethylene glycol recycling has bean successfully explored. However, there are no on-going R&D projects seek ng an ethylene glycol substitute.
NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION
•	A feasability analysis should be conducted to determine the process impact of substituting to an alternative dessicant for natural gas production
other than ethylene glycol.
PAINT CONSTITUENT
•	Federal facilities should attempt to use latex paints which do not contain ethylene glycol or lesser quantities of ethylene glycol - these types of
paints are currently available.
Federal Facilities Which Reported for Both 1994 and 1995
1994 Release*	1995 Release+ Percent
Facility	Off-site Treatment Off-site Treatment Change
U S ARMY FORT MCCOY, CAMP MC COY. Wl
U.S. ARMY WATERVLIET ARSENAL, WATERVLIET. NY
U.S ARMY TRANSPORTATION. NEWPORT NEWS, VA
U.S. ARMY TOOELE CHEMICAL, TOOELE, UT
U S. ARMY SCHOFIELD BARRACKS. WAHIAWA, HI
U.S. ARMY RED RIVER ARMY DEPOT, TEXARKANA, TX
0
0
0%
33.000
14,080
-57%
12.260
27.260
122%
24.174
25,770
7%
1.000
1,010
1%
43 000
2,300
-95%
Page 4 of 5
ETHYLENE GLYCOL

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Federal Facilities Which Reported for Both 1994 and 199S
1994Release+	1995 Release+ Percent
Facility	Off-site Treatment Off-site Treatment Change
U S ARMY LETTERKENNY ARMY CHAMBERSBURG. PA
39,000
17,000
-56%
U S. ARMY HQ USAEC, FORT LEONARD WOOD, MO
38
0
-100%
NASA JOHN F. KENNEDY SPACE. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL
8.386
0
-100%
U.S. ARMY FORT RILEY, FORT RILEY. KS
4.351
99,560
2188%
U.S. DOE FERMILAB. BATAVIA, !L
1,070
1,441
35%
U S. ARMY FORT LEWIS, FORT LEWIS, WA
1.156
4,274
270%
U.S ARMY FORT CAMPBELL, FORT CAMPBELL, KY
2,910
894
-69%
U S ARMY FORT BENNING. COLUMBUS, GA
30
0
-100%
U.S. ARMY FIELD ARTILLERY. FORT SILL, OK
0
2.000
100%
U S AIR FORCE OGDEN AIR, HILL A F B, UT
23.000
0
-100%
U S. AIR FORCE ENGINEERING. ARNOLD A F B. TN
120.996
40,916
-66%
U S AIR FORCE ELMENDORF, ELMENDORF AFB. AK
499
480,870
96267%
U.S. AIR FORCE. TINKER AFB, OK
18,304
0
-100%
U.S. ARMY HEADQUARTERS XVIII. FORT BRAGG, NC
500
o
-100%
U.S. MARINE CORPS. JACKSONVILLE, FL
20,000
69
-99%
U.S NAVY SAN DIEGO, SAN DIEGO. CA
0
239
100%
U S NAVY, WILLOW GROVE, PA
0
0
0%
U S NAVY, SAN DIEGO. CA
35
34
-3%
U S NAVY. SAN DIEGO. CA
u
154.
100%
U.S. NAVY. PORTSMOUTH. VA
4,800
0
-100%
U.S NAVY, NORFOLK, VA
11,110
4,940
-56%
U.S. MARINE CORPS CAMP, OCEANSIDE, CA
0
4.627
100%
U.S. MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS. ALBANY, GA
60.000
38,900
-35%
U S DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY. OGDEN, UT
0
2,280
100%
U S. MARINE CORPS, YUMA, AZ
1,050
1,028
-2%
U.S DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY, RICHMOND, VA
0
0
0%
U.S. MARINE CORPS. CHERRY POINT, NC
0
23,000
100%
U.S MARINE CORPS. BARSTOW. CA
101.949
18,404
-82%
U.S. ENRICHMENT CORP., PIKETON, OH
0
520
100%
U.S. DOE PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS, PIKETON. OH
81
3
-95%
U.S. DOE NAVAL PETROLEUM, TUPMAN, CA
1,299
952
-27%
U.S. DOE NAVAL PETROLEUM. CASPER. WY
67
67
0%
U.S. DOE HANFORD SITE. RICHLAND, WA
0
2,370
100%
U.S. TVA COLBERT FOSSIL PLANT, TUSCUMBIA. AL
18,836
0
-100%
U.S. MARINE CORPS CAMP LEJEUNE. CAMP LEJEUNE, NC
1,202
0
-100%
If you have additional information regarding an identified or used P2 approach, on-going P2 research and development,
or any P2 research and development/transition needs, please notify Will Garvey. US EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW. Ariel Rios Building, 3rd Floor, Washington. DC 20004-2403. or fax (202) 501-0069.
Page 5 of 5
ETHYLENE GLYCOL

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