Development of a Non Toxic Paint Stripper

There is a tremendous need for an all-purpose paint stripper that is safe to handle and that does not harm the environment. The most popular all-purpose paint strippers are based on methylene chloride (MeCl), which is dangerous to workers and harmful to the environment. In particular, it is highly volatile, and if it is used in an area with poor ventilation it is an immediate health hazard. In extreme circumstances, acute exposure to MeCl vapor can lead to death. Due to the inherent hazards that MeCl presents, its use in paint strippers has been restricted by the EPA. MeCl-based paint strippers can no longer be sold in stores and are unavailable to private consumers. For this reason, it is critical to develop a replacement paint stripper that is non-hazardous to both consumers and the environment. During this Phase I project, TDA developed a paint stripping formulation that is MeCl-free and composed entirely of non-toxic ingredients. The paint stripper does not use aggressive industrial solvents such as Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) or N-Methyl Pyrrolidinone (NMP), unlike many MeCl-free paint strippers currently on the market. 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. All of the components used in TDA's paint stripping formulation have undergone and passed rigorous safety testing and are not harmful to the environment. We evaluated our paint stripper against a wide range of coatings and compared its performance against two of the top MeClfree paint strippers that are currently available. Our paint stripper removed coatings faster than either of these commercial paint strippers. It will remove architectural or furniture coatings in 30 minutes or less. During Phase II of this project, we are going to finalize the formulation of the paint stripper and then develop in-house methods to prepare it on pilot scales. Before the end of Year 1, we will begin to package and sell the paint stripper. We are going to aggressively pursue sales during Year 2 of the project. Our primary target will be private consumers, who can no longer purchase MeCl-based paint strippers and who need a safe and effective alternative. This is exactly what we will provide. Our primary objective of this Phase II project is to achieve greater than $100,000 in sales before the start of the 8th quarter in order to qualify for the commercialization option funding. We will use this funding to target sales of our product to professional markets, who traditionally prefer to use MeCl-based products.