i
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance
Washington, DC 20460
EPA-300-F-98-002)
February 1998
nSrEPA 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%;
•	Coliect 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 TRI reports
starting in 1995 for data collected in 1994,
METHANOL
1995 Waste Management Distribution
1%

0%

wmm 23%


76%
Recycling
Energy Recovery
¦ Treatment
£ 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 lower 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
S
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.20
0 00
-0 20
-0.40
-0.60
-0.80
-1 00
TRI
Reporting
Re teases
Recycling
On-Site
Off-Site
Energy Recovery
On-Site
Off-Site
1934 (lbs)
402,954
o"
1,597
400
1995 (lbs)
381,454
0:
4,200
400
% Change
-5%'
0%)
163%
0%
Treatment
On-Site
124,409
114,830
-8%
Off-Site
4~626~
2,369
-49%
Releases plus
Off-site Treatment
407,580
383,823
-6%;
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CHEMICAL PROFILE: METHANOL
CAS #: 87-56-1
SYNONYMS
WOOD ALCOHOL
WOOD SPIRIT
CARBINOL
COMMON USES IN THE U.S.
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ACUTE HEALTH HAZARDS
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CHRONIC HEALTH HAZARDS
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COMMON P2 INITIATIVES
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Red River Army Depot used denatured alcohol {5% methanol) in maintaining the Chapparel
Missile in 1994 Over 90% of Red River's consumption of methanol is attributed to missile
maintenance. The missile is no longer maintained at Red River so the facility expects the use
of methanol to drop below the reporting threshold in the future (source' Red River Army Depot
Pollution Prevention Plan, 1995) Pine Bluff Arsenal reported using methanol in 1994 but none
in 1995 which may indicate that it was used for a one-time special production run Sunflower
Ammunition Plant's methanol usage dropped by 69% from 1994 to 1995. The facility is on the
inactive list so the use in 1994 may also have been the result of a one-time batch operation.
The second largest reported user of methanol is DOE's Oak Ridge Y-12 plant (10% of the 1994
total TRI release) The plant's primary mission is manufacturing and reworking nuclear weapon
components, and dismantling weapon components returned from the national stockpile.
Examples of some of the operations include' precision fabrication services, laboratory
operations, and weapons disassembly. Methanol may be used as a cleaner in precision
fabrication and laboratory operations.
Federal facilities reported using methanol for a variety of applications including: natural gas
processing, in water treatment, as a microbial feed, electrical parts cleaning, as an emulsion
breaker, and lab testing. The largest single consumer of methanol is the DOE Nava! Petroleum
facility in Tupman. CA (78% of the 1994 total TRI releases). Naval Petroleum Reserve Number
1 is a major oil and gas producing field with a daily output of 74,000 barrels of oil and 330
million cubic feet of gas (1991). Methanol is used in the production of natural gas as a solvent
in the continuous acid gas removal process. Acid gas constituents such as hydrogen sulfide
are removed from natural gas to prevent corrosion. Methanol is one of several physical
solvents used to absorb carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide Physical solvents are typically
regenerated on-site by flashing.
Methanol is also used as an antifreeze for automotive radiators, an ingredient of gasoline (as
an antifreezing agent and octane booster), a gasoline substitute, and as fuel for picnic stoves.
Methanol is also an ingredient in paint and varnish removers as well as denatured alcohol.
Methanol is primarily used in the US in the production of methyl-t-butyl ether, a gasoline
additive. Methanol is also used in the production of chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetic
acid, chloromethanes, and methyl methacrylate. Other applications are1 as an industrial
solvent for inks, resins, adhesives, and dyes, and in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals.
Contact of skin with methanol can produce m id de matltis.
Acute exposure of humans to methanol by inhalation or ingestion may result in visual
disturbances, such as blurred or dimness of vision, leading to blindness. Methanol can be
acutely toxic if ingested. Neurological damage, specifically permanent motor dysfunction, may
also result. Coma or death due to respiratory failure may occur in individuals exposed to high
doses of methanol.
No information is available on the carcinogenic effects of methanol in humans or animals, EPA
has not classified methanol with respect to carcinogenicity.
Chronic inhalation or oral exposure to methanol may result in conjunctivitis,
headache, giddiness, insomnia, gastric disturbances, visual disturbances, and blindness in
humans.
Process efficiency improvements. In addition to alternative cleaners, a wide range of new
precision cleaning technologies are on the market.
Cleaning
Material substitution. Depending on the nature of the part being cleaned and the contaminant
being removed, substitutes for methanol (denatured alcohol) as a cleaner may be available.
Natural gas production
Material substitution. There are alternatives to the use of methanol in continuous acid gas
removal processes
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Additional information regarding chemical hazards and access to Material Safety Data Sheets can be reached through
fhe Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry web page: http://atsdr1.atsdrcdc.gov.8080/- refer to ToxFAQs.
FEDERAL FACILITIES REPORTING	COMMON USES OF: METHANOL
Federal Facililties Reporting in both 1994 and 1995 11 HAND-WIPE SOLVENT	NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION
Federal Faculties Reporting Only in 1994	3 POWER PRODUCTION	PRECISION CLEANING
Federal Facililties Reporting Only in 1995	0
POLLUTION PREVENTION APPROACHES CURRENTLY IN USE
HAND-WIPE SOLVENT
•	No implemented P2 projects were identified,
NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION
•	Alternates to the use of methanol in continuous acid gas removal processes include chemical absorbants {e.g., aqueous solutions of organic
amines such as monoethanlamine, diethanolamine, iron sponge batch process, and adsorption systems using molecular sieves for feed gases
having low acid gas concentrations. Amine and batch processes account for over 90% of the wellhead applications (source1 Kirk-Othmer,
Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. 4th edition. John Wiley & Sons. 1995.)
PRECISION CLEANING
•	Examples of precision cleaning alternatives for methanol are contained in the following list:
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Plasma Cleaning
Carbon Dioxide Snow
Supercritical Fluid
Dry Steam
Semi-Aqueous Cleaners
Media Blast Systems
Thermal Cleaning
Ultraviolet/Ozone Systems
Laser Cleaning Systems
ON-GOING POLLUTION PREVENTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
HAND-WIPE SOLVENT	|
Solvent Substitution for Fuel Tank Cleaning:
Using isopropyl alcohol (IPA) as a temporary substitute for the cleaning compound (NSN 6850-00-611-7993) that contains MEK for spot cleaning
fuel tanks. The B-52 program office is working with Morton Aerospace to test a substitute sealant (MC-250) that could be removed with a substitute
cleaner that does not contain HAPS.. US.AF, B-52 Program Office; POC: Unknown.	I
Surface/Solvent Diagnostics for Metal Cleaning Operations	I
Army Research Laboratory; POC' Unknown	.	I
Substitute Wipe Solvent.
Testing DS-108 as a substitute wipe solvent. DS-108 Solvent was developed and patented by General Dynamics, Fort Worth Division (now
Lockheed-Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems) for use in the F-16 program. DS-108 has been qualified to meet a variety of OEM and military
specifications and received toxicity clearance from the Surgeon General, Department of the Army. USAF, OC-ALC; POC: Unknown.
Substitute Hand-Wipe Solvents
Tested 30 commercially available hand-wipe cleaners Of the 30 cleaners, only four passed all screening tests" SD 1291 (Brulin Corporation);
CitraSafe (Inland Technology), Super 140 (LPS Industries); and De-Soiv-lt E&E (Orange-Sol, Inc.). USAF, Warner Robins ALC (WR-ALOTI); POC:
Unknown.	s
Substitute Hand-Wipe Solvents'	s
Evaluated 24 cleaners Testing three potential substitutes for MEK: ISO-BLAST, MD-516F. and Antirox 5564. USAF, P-15 Program Office, Wright
Patterson AFB, POC. Unknown.
Substitute for Hand-Wipe Solvents.	j
Conducted extensive testing on commercially available, environmentally-friendly hand-wipe solvents for use on the B-2 program at the Air Force	j
Plant 42 Paimdale site Selected two solvents for implementation in manufacturing operations, Dynamold DS-108 and DS-108CA. Northrop	I
Grumman: POC' Unknown.
Solvent Substitution/Low VOC Cleaners:	j
Navy-Patuxant, POC: Unknown	f
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ON-GOING POLLUTION PREVENTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
HAND-WIPE SOLVENT
Non-toxic Small/Medium Caliber Automatic Weapons Cleaning Process:
AROEC: POC: Unknown
Alternatives for General Aircraft Maintenance:
CCAD. POC Unknown
NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION
Lawrence Lwermore National Lab
Lawrence Livermore National Lab is researching the development of new catalysts that partially oxidize methane to methanol. The future of natural
gas processing depends on the development of catalyzed routes directly converting methane to higher valued products (olefins and alcohols) This
basic research project will help recover remote natural gas resources (source: DOE's R&D web page database http://www.doe.gov/md/data).
POWER PRODUCTION
Development of new catalysts
Lawrence Livermore National Lab is researching the development of new catalysts that partially oxidize methane to methanol. The future of natural
gas processing depends on the development of catalyzed routes directly converting methane to higher valued products (olefins and alcohols). This
basic research project will help recover remote natural gas resources (source DOE's R&D web page database http://www.doe.gov/rnd/data).
PRECISION CLEANING
No research protects were identified.
POLLUTION PREVENTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT / TRANSITION NEEDS
HAND-WIPE SOLVENT			""""""
•	On-going R&D and existing commercial off-the-shelf technology solutions are adequately addressing the pollution prevention needs for this use,
NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION
•	On-going R&D and existing commercial off the shelf technology solutions may adequately address the pollution prevention needs for this use.
POWER PRODUCTION
•	On-going R&D and existing commercial off-the-shelf technology solutions are adequately addressing the pollution prevention need tor th ~ e
PRECISION CLEANING
•	Existing commercial off-the-shelf technology solutions are adequately addressing the pollution prevention needs for this use.
Federal Facilities Which Reported for Both 1994 and 1995
1994Release+	1995 Release* Percent
Facility	Off-site Treatment Off-site Treatment Change
U.S.
NAVY ROOSEVELT ROADS, CEIBA, PR
5,100
4.900
-4%
u s.
ENRICHMENT CORP.. PIKETON, OH
1,600
1,600
0%
U s.
DOE OAK RIDGE Y-12 PLANT, OAK RIDGE. TN
39,000
35.000
-10%
u s
DOE OAK RIDGE K-25 SITE, OAK RIDGE, TN
7
14
100%
US
DOE NAVAL PETROLEUM.TUPMAN,CA
313,016
321,807
3%
U s.
DOE NAVAL PETROLEUM, CASPER, WY
8?
0
-100%
u s
DOE FERNALD ENVIRONMENTAL. FERNALD. OH
1,700
3,400
100%
u s
DOE, UPTON. NY
1,860
1,860
0%
U s
DOE. OAK RIDGE, TN
367
261
-29%
U.S.
ARMY SUNFLOWER AMMUNITION, OE SOTO, KS
10,745
1.130
-89%
U.S.
ARMY RED RIVER ARMY DEPOT, TEXARKANA, TX
12,000
0
-100%
U.S.
ARMY PINE BLUFF ARSENAL, PINE BLUFF, AR
18.192
0
-100%
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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 GARRISON, FORT GEORGE G MEADE MD	0	0 0%
U.S ARMY FORT HOOD, FORT HOOD, TX	926	12,000 1196%
U S ARMY FORT CAMPBELL, FORT CAMPBELL, KY	3,000	1.051 -38%
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) 507-0069.
Page 5 of 5
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