Hydrocarbon cleaners do possess some hazards such as flammability and mildly neurotoxic vapors.
Many hydrocarbons are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which are major contributors to the
development and destruction of atmospheric ozone or “smog” and are regulated under the Clean
Air Act (Florida Pollution Prevention Program, 1995a & b). Nevertheless, hydrocarbon solvents
can have some recyclable capabilities. Used hydrocarbon solvent solutions can be reused in a prewash
step to remove heavy soil deposits after filtering the insoluble particles.