Volume XX, Issue 4 - May 2023

Don’t be a victim of Chemophobia! We help you manage chemicals and cleaning processes rationally. Give us a call.

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“I always look forward to your updates. Thank you both for doing them.”

Stephen Kovach, Clinical Education Emeritus, Healthmark Industries

Feature Article

Chemophobia

By Barbara Kanegsberg, BFK Solutions LLC

It’s an emergency! Regulators decide that the cleaning agent is unsafe for workers, neighborhoods, and/or the environment. Manufacturers are faced with the capital costs, testing, and performance verification associated with finding a substitute chemical and changing an established effective cleaning process. Within a few years, there’s another emergency. Regulators decide that the substitute chemical is also harmful, and yet another cleaning chemical and cleaning process must be found. What happens next? The world is saved by banning cleaning agent after cleaning agent after cleaning agent. It’s déjà vu all over again. At the same time, requirements for product performance and product cleanliness are increasing. Are the substitute cleaning agents as effective as the original one? Maybe, maybe not. Breaking the cycle of emergencies and repeated chemical substitution will require realistic, holistic, and encompassing risk/benefit analyses of the chemical and the process. Root causes of these seemingly inevitable, disruptive emergencies include the traditional chemical by chemical approach to regulation. Perhaps we can figure out how to ban Chemophobia. What is Chemophobia and is it real? 

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KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

More Fun Than a Bubble Bath!

We’re really pleased to hear that the new Aqueous Cleaning On-Demand Course from the Product Quality Cleaning Workshops (PQCW) compares favorably with a bubble bath. PQCW Instructors Barb Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg, and Dr. Darren Williams share the goal of making our courses educational, practical and fun. Here are answers to a few of your questions.

How long is the course? 

The program is four parts or modules, each about one hour long. 

Do I have to do the course all in one sitting? 

Absolutely not! Take it at your own pace. 

Can I watch the program more than once? 

For sure! It’s like Netflix – you can binge or watch an episode again and again. 

Do I get credit for completing the course? 

Complete the course, take the exam, and we send you a certificate with Continuing Education Credits. 

How do I ask questions about my applications?

We’ve got it covered! Each registered attendee is entitled to a 30 minute discussion/consultation with a PQCW instructor. 

How much does it cost?

The program costs $399. There are discounts for groups from the same company, members of the Manufacturers Cleaning Association (MCA) and alumni of the previous 2018 or 2021 PQCW workshops. Contact us for details.

Register Here

https://shsu.geniussis.com/Registration.aspx?AffiliateID=J85GN6 

Avoiding Creeping Acceptance Limits for Medical Devices

Restrictions on cleaning agents and a large supply chain are a recipe for “creeping” acceptance limits. Nobody wants that! As a start, ASTM held a symposium in Denver, “Workshop on Setting Acceptance Limits for Cleaning Validation of Medical Devices.” The room was packed with concerned manufacturers; we all listened, learned and contributed. We’ll let you know what happens next. There were great responses and comments to our own presentation, “Resilient cleaning processes and acceptable residue limits in a changing environment;” to request a copy, drop us a note at info@bfksolutions.com

About BFK Solutions

We’re independent. We don’t sell chemicals or cleaning equipment; and we don’t take commissions. Instead, we work for you. This saves you cold hard cash. We use our decades of experience to help you make good decisions about your cleaning processes, your manufacturing processes, your business. Check our website; send us an email; give us a call. We always like to hear from you.

Are there things you don’t understand about critical, precision, or general product cleaning? Contact us - we’ll get back to you! We may even address the question in Clean Source or other publications. And, because we respect the privacy of our clients and colleagues, we’ll identify you only if you ask us to.