What is carbon tetrachloride and how was it used?
Once a widely used household cleaning fluid, carbon tetrachloride now has limited availability. The Environmental Protection Agency designated it as a potentially hazardous air pollutant, a probable human cancer-causing agent and an ozone-depleting substance. Its use is being phased out. Large quantities of carbon tetrachloride were used at Rocky Flats primarily for cleaning and degreasing product components and equipment used to manufacture nuclear weapons parts. These included plutonium and uranium glovebox walls, furnaces, machinery and instruments. How did it travel off-site into the community?Air Carbon tetrachloride was released into the atmosphere from 1953 to 1989 from roof vents in Buildings 776 and 707 during day-to-day operations of the plant. Carbon tetrachloride also was discharged to surface waters – such as holding ponds, creeks and reservoirs – and was stored in waste barrels at the 903 Area. Releases to surface water and at the 903 Area were small compared to the large
