Today, U.S. federal agencies and their contractors have to meet special biobased requirements when purchasing products from 139 categories identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). One of these is corrosion preventatives, which must have 53% minimum biobased content to be a qualified product under the mandatory federal purchasing initiative of the USDA BioPreferred Program. Cortec Corporation, a leading corrosion inhibitor manufacturer committed to using sustainable materials where possible, meets this need in the form of EcoLine 3690, a USDA Certified Biobased Product that can be used to replace solvent- and mineral-oil based (RPs).
 
EcoLine 3690 is a ready to use canola-oil-based temporary coating designed for corrosion protection in severe marine and high humidity conditions. It contains 72% USDA certified biobased content and leaves behind an oily protective film that does not dry. It is an excellent solution for contractors who manufacture parts or equipment for the federal government and need to prevent rust in interim periods of storage or shipment. It is also good for any manufacturer around the world who wants to go to the next level of sustainability while reducing VOCs and minimizing worker exposure to mineral-oil or solvent-based RPs. EcoLine 3690 can be easily removed with an alkaline cleaner and can help users avoid hazardous waste disposal costs associated with traditional rust preventatives.
 
One particular tubing manufacturer who adopted EcoLine 3690 for protection of newly manufactured tube ends was pleased with the corrosion protection results and safety benefits of EcoLine 3690 for its employees. The temporary coating replaced a solvent-based rust preventative and impressed the manufacturer with its performance after a multi-month trial on tube bundles in outdoor storage.
 
For best results, EcoLine 3690 should be applied to clean metal surfaces by spray, roll, brush, or dip at a recommended WFT (wet film thickness) of 1.0-3.0 mils (25-75 μm). It can also be applied over painted surfaces. EcoLine 3690 has no VOCs and is temperature stable up to 180 °F (82 °C). It protects multiple metal types including carbon, steel, silver, cast iron, stainless steel, copper, magnesium and aluminum.