We can answer the health question by examining the character of emerging electric technologies. The highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical ethylene chloride is the most common paint stripper. Acid-free metal cleaning can be accomplished with a combination of electrolysis and ultrasound. Low-temperature plasma torches can replace solvents in industrial cleaning. Fabricating, transporting, storing, and using chlorine exposes workers to health hazards.
Ozone has the same effect as chlorine in destroying organic and bacterial hazards.
Hospitals, medical institutions, and research laboratories all produce potentially hazardous medical waste. Microwave disinfection can reduce the volume of medical waste by more than 80 percent and render the remainder harmless. Infrared dryers can be used in textile production, eliminating the use of thermal dryers and the associated workplace risk of fire as well as reduction in indoor emissions. Using supercritical carbon dioxide gas can eliminate the need for chemical solvents and the resulting emissions during coating and painting processes. Using ETs reduces harmful emissions to the urban air shed.