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January 2015 • SMT Magazine 39 Table 2 shows that 1233zd(E) has signifi- cantly low global warming potential (GWP) compared to most other solvents used for vari- ous cleaning applications. Compounds which have a lower lifetime have lower GWPs since they do not stay in the atmosphere longer, absorbing infrared radiation to make earth warmer. The lifetime of the compound, GWP and ozone depletion potentials for 1233zd(E) have been determined by world renowned sci - entists [5] . volatile Organic Compound Characterization Certain chemical compounds are labeled as volatile organic compounds (VOC), depending on whether they are found not to be photo- chemically reactive to producing smog at the lower atmosphere, hence characterized as a non-VOC chemical compound. This is mea- sured by an experimentally determined num- ber called maximum incremental reactivity (MIR). To be non-VOC, a chemical has to have an MIR less than the MIR of ethane (0.27 gms of ozone produced/gm of VOC). The MIR of 1233zd(E) (measured value, 0.04 [5] ) is well be- low that value. The U.S. Environmental Pro- tection Agency has taken final action to revise regulatory definition of VOC for purposes of preparing state implementation plans to attain the national air quality standards for ozone under Title 1 of the Clean Air Act. This final action adds 1233zd(E) to the list of compounds excluded from the regulatory definition of VOCs on the basis that this compound makes a negligible contribution to tropospheric ozone formation. It is published in a recent Federal Register publication [7] . As a result, if someone is subject to cer- tain federal regulations limiting emissions of VOCs, their emission of this compound need not be regulated if they use this solvent for cleaning applications. This action may also affect whether 1233zd(E) is considered as a VOC for state regulatory purposes, depending on whether the state relies on the EPA regu - latory definition of VOCs. 1233zd(E) is now going through review of VOC status in Cali- fornia. In case of HFCs and HFEs, they are consid- ered individually non-VOCs but most of the solvents sold today in the marketplace based on HFCs and HFEs are essentially blends with tr-1,2 dichloethylene and are therefore labeled as VOCs because of VOC designation of tr-1,2 dichloroethylene. Table 2: Environmental properties of selected solvents. a no impact on ozone layer depletion and is commonly referred to as statistically zero (Wuebbles [4] ). Table 3: Volatile organic compound (VoC) designation of selected solvents. artiCle an aLTErnaTIvE SOLvEnT WITH LOW GLOBaL WarMInG POTEnTIaL continues