Organic solvents are volatile organic compounds (VOC) that tend to vaporize at room temperature. Organic solvents are extremely important within the industrial sector of production and manufacturing. They include chemicals and compounds within items such as paint thinners (toluene, turpentine), nail polish removers, and perfumes and detergents. Because of the ability of solvents to dissolve certain materials and substances, they are imperative to societies current lifestyle, and cannot be discontinued without massive loss in fabrications.
Organic solvents are not inherently bad as a compound, though the manufacturing and use of these compounds is causing large repercussions towards the environment. They react readily with sunlight and form ozone. Though this isn’t bad, as our ozone layer is shrinking, it does not shift towards atmospheric ozone, and rather remains near earth as Ground Level Ozone, which is neither safe nor healthy. The use of these solvents has correlated strongly with the increase of Ozone (O3) that causes agricultural crop loss each year in Ontario and noticeable leaf damage in many crops, garden plants and trees (Gov.Ontario, 2012). 53% of solvent use is used in the industrial based uses and production sectors.
People who work with organic solvents within the workplace are usually accompanied by health issues. ”A 1999 Canadian study found that 125 women who were exposed to solvents while working and who were seen by their physician during the first trimester of pregnancy were about 13 times more likely than unexposed women to have a baby with a major malformation” (Richard K. Miller, Patricia R. McElhatton, 2007). There has also been confirmed studies of the effects or organic solvents causing chronic kidney disease and renal injury within rats and workers. Government records show that Ozone has been linked to increased hospital admissions and premature death.
Since unused solvents are toxic and corrosive, it is unwise to leave them to evaporate and spread within the atmosphere or to place them within a container that can be dissolved (such as metal containers). It is unwise to incinerate these compounds as they will react within the air, and can cause major pollution to the air, earth and water. Rather, current safety disposal tactics are to place the solvents within a plastic container, cap them, and ask a local waste management agency to remove them from the place of use. For further instructions within a workplace, see the UCLA guidelines for general information:
For those situated in Ottawa using organic solvent or hazardous waste, such as paint thinners or old cleaners, please follow these protocols for safe disposal methods
Pesticides are varied in their dangers to workers. Whilst most are toxic, some may catch on fire, whilst some (like Nitric Acid) are oxidizers and will combust readily. As such most (If not all) should contain the following new WHMIS 2015 symbols that have just become law on Dec 1, 2018: The flame pictogram, the corrosion pictogram, the exploding bomb pictogram and the exclamation mark pictogram.
Organic compounds are fundamentally part of foods. Organic compounds are not the same as Organic solvents. Food, or rather anything organic for that matter, is made up entirely of these. This is because terms such as Lipids, Fats, Carbohydrates and Proteins are all organic compounds. Though some, such as Aspartame, are used as a “artificial” sweetner or for other uses to promote better taste, texture, or to preserve foods for longer, many are reported to cause certain health complications, such as hyperactivity and allergic reactions.
