Delivering safety

Being well received by responsible drycleaners in the UK is a system allowing safe handling of perc and pollution prevention.

The SAFE-TAINER system, developed by the Dow Chemical Company—a major producer of perc—and available in the UK through Böwe Direct, facilitates a high level of safety with the delivery and storage of perc, and with the transfer of the solvent to the drycleaning machine.

With the system, Dow’s DOWPER Pure Power perc is delivered in a specially designed container known as the SAFE-TAINER. The container is directly linked with the drycleaning machine via a main tube and a series of dry lock connectors, and a vapour return tube.

Perc is transferred into the machine without the operator coming into contact with the liquid solvent or its vapour. Eliminated are the risks associated with opening ordinary containers and pouring solvent into the drycleaning machine.

As well as satisfying health and safety needs, the system reduces the risk of spills and resultant ground contamination. When the system is used, there is no requirement for costly bunding to accommodate stored solvent.

The SAFE-TAINER is available in two sizes, containing either 50 kg or 325 kg of perc. The smaller container is designed to be ideal for regular topping up of a drycleaning machine, and the larger one is for use for the initial fill or for topping up of a number of machines at a larger processing plant.

If required, a motor may be fitted to the larger container—which has an integral pump. The motor assists the transfer of solvent in longer pipework.

Once empty, the SAFE-TAINER is collected and returned to Dow for re-use. Removed from the drycleaner is the worry of disposing of one-use containers and residual solvent inside. Each SAFE-TAINER remains the property of Dow.

A dedicated, balanced trolley has been developed by Böwe Direct for the easy moving of the 50 kg SAFE-TAINER.

The SAFE-TAINER system has been used in Germany and Switzerland for over two years, and was introduced in Austria in 1998. Some 40% of German drycleaners using perc have introduced the SAFE-TAINER system. In Switzerland, the equivalent figure is about 20% and in Austria it is 15%.