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Methyl ethyl ketone is a colorless, stable, flammable liquid with an odor
similar to that of acetone. It is miscible with water and a variety of organic
solvents. Its exceptional solvency makes it a powerful and valuable solvent
for many substances, especially resinous materials.
Approximately 58% of global MEK capacity was concentrated in the three major
regions in 2006 (United States, Western Europe and Japan) compared with 75%
in 2003.
The following pie chart shows the top six producers as of October 2006:
Worldwide MEK consumption is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of
3.5% during 2005–2010.
In 1990, MEK was designated as a hazardous air pollutant (HAP) as defined
by Title III of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAAs). As part of the CAAAs,
the EPA was required to establish national emission standards for hazardous
air pollutants (NESHAPs). As part of the NESHAP program, renamed the Air Toxics
Program, the EPA has been establishing control technology guidelines (CTGs)
directed at specific industries identified as emitting relatively large quantities
of HAPs.
After nearly ten years from the time the Chemical Manufacturers Association
(CMA) originally petitioned the EPA to delist MEK from the HAPs list, MEK was
officially delisted on December 14, 2005. MEK will continue to be regulated
as a volatile organic compound (VOC). The removal of MEK from the HAPs list
could reverse the overall declining trend of MEK consumption for coating applications.
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