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Chlorinated solvents market down again after one year of stabilisation

16 Jun 2008 - After one year of stabilisation in 2006, European sales of chlorinated solvents were down again in 2007. The decline of trichloroethylene (TRI) sales continued after the more stringent carcinogenicity classification for trichloroethylene introduced in 2002. The ECSA Member companies and the Romanian producer Chimcomplex Borzeti have indeed agreed, in a spirit of Responsible Care, to ensure safe use in metal degreasing by stopping supplies TRI to companies that are not equipped with closed systems after 2010. This time frame will allow such companies to purchase the necessary equipment. The absolute sales of TRI can no longer be reported according to Cefic statistics rules, since there are only two producers left in Western Europe: Dow Europe and INEOS Chlor.
 
Sales of the two other chlorinated solvents (perchloroethylene and dichloromethane) last year totalled 182,000 tonnes, a 3.7% drop compared with the previous year (189,000 tonnes) (EU 27 countries plus Norway, Switzerland and Turkey).
 
European sales of perchloroethylene (PER) by ECSA member companies last year dropped to 52,000 tonnes (2006: 55,000 tonnes), although Romania and Bulgaria were added to the list of countries reported. PER remains the solvent of choice for dry-cleaning and continues to gain market share as a substitute for TRI in metal degreasing.
 
Dichloromethane (DCM) sales slightly decreased in 2006 to 130,000 tonnes compared to 134,000 tonnes the previous year. It is still the most widely-used of the chlorinated solvents, especially in the pharmaceutical industry, but delocalisation of some pharmaceutical plants to Asia has impacted sales.