Source reduction for prevention of methylene chloride hazards: cases from four industrial sectors. 2003.

Source reduction, defined as chemical, equipment and process changes that intervene in an industrial process to eliminate or reduce hazards, has not figured as a front-line strategy for the protection of workers' health. Such initiatives are popular for environmental protection, but their feasibility and effectiveness as an industrial hygiene approach have not been well described.

We investigated four cases of source reduction as a hazard prevention strategy in Massachusetts companies that had used methylene chloride, an occupational carcinogen, for cleaning and adhesive thinning. Three cases were retrospective and one was prospective, where the researchers assisted with the source reduction process change. Data were collected using qualitative research methods, including in-depth interviews and site visits.

Authors: C. Roelofs, M. Ellenbecker

Published in Environmental Health, v2 no.9, 2003

The electronic version of this article can be http://ehjournal.net/content/2/1/9