Grantee Research Project Results

Development of a Non-Toxic Paint Stripper

EPA Contract Number: 68HERD19C0028
Title: Development of a Non-Toxic Paint Stripper
Investigators: Ellis, William
Small Business: TDA Research Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: May 1, 2019 through October 31, 2019
Project Amount: $100,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2019) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR): Phase 1 (2019) , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Toxic Chemicals

Description:

Paint stripping products are a $360 million per year business in the United States. Currently, the most effective ones rely on Methylene Chloride (MeCl). MeCl is an aggressive solvent that can loosen a coating and make it easily removed in as little as 30 minutes. Unfortunately, MeCl is toxic and dangerous to handle, especially without respiratory protection. MeCl is also harmful to environment. There is a significant market for non-MeCl paint strippers which could grow significantly if Me-Cl based paint strippers are banned.

TDA has developed a paint stripper is MeCl-free and composed entirely of non-toxic ingredients. The paint stripper will work faster than the current MeCl-free competitors on the market. It will be effective against a wide range of architectural and decorative coatings. Our paint stripper will not rely on an aggressive solvent such as Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) or N-Methyl Pyrrolidinone (NMP). As these solvents are relative newcomers in paint stripper formulations, they have not been as thoroughly tested as MeCl, and their hazards are not fully quantified. Our goals is to develop a paint stripping formulation that will be completely non-hazardous and that will not end up being another environmental problem in the future.

Progress and Final Reports:

Final Report

SBIR Phase II:

Development of a Non‐Toxic Paint Stripper  | Final Report