Using and managing solvents
What are organic solvents?
An organic solvent is a type of volatile organic compound (VOC). VOCs are organic chemicals which vaporise at room temperature.
What are organic solvents used for?
Organic solvents are useful for dissolving certain materials and substances. Organic solvents are often used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products, footwear, paints, varnishes and adhesives.
Organic solvents in manufacturing are typically used:
- to dissolve substances
- to disperse coatings
- as media for chemical reactions
- as cleaning agents
Examples of organic solvents
Types of organic compounds used as solvents include:
- aromatic compounds, eg benzene and toluene
- alcohols, eg methanol
- esters and ethers
- ketones, eg acetone
- amines
- nitrated and halogenated hydrocarbons
Are organic solvents toxic?
Many organic solvents are classified as toxic or carcinogenic. They can cause significant air and water pollution, and land contamination.
Organic solvents react in the atmosphere in sunlight, producing an air pollutant known as ground-level ozone. High concentrations of ground-level ozone seriously affect human, animal and plant health. They also harm building materials, forests and crops.
It is important for health and safety in your business to store organic solvents safely.
Get a free sustainability report
All Northern Ireland businesses with an annual energy and resource spend of more than £30k can get a free assessment of their environmental performance across areas such as raw materials, energy, carbon, packaging, biodiversity and waste - find out more about Invest NI Sustainability Reports.