Paint Stripping with Non-Toxic Chemicals

A number of products that do not contain chlorinated solvents or phenol have been developed to remove paint from aircraft. These products are now being used successfully to strip commercial and military aircraft. Acid activated, as well as near neutral pH and alkaline activated products, are available. These products usually take longer to remove the paint. However, they have demonstrated the ability to efficiently remove the paint without extending the total time required to process the aircraft.

These new products greatly reduce exposure of workers and the environment to hazardous chemicals.

This paper will present data on relative strip rates and environmental impact.