Teargas Residue Removal

[sethgray 0]

Does anybody know how to remove teargas residue from a rig (container, main and reserve)? It was exposed to HIGH levels of teargas (70 canisters). Can this even be done?

BASE #958

[matthewcline 0]

Rent a C-182, put on a M-40 for you and the same for the pilot and jump away, in a year you should be good.

70 CANISTERS! WOW.

Seriously, I do not know.

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[DanG 1]

There has got to be a hell of a story behind this.

Well?

- Dan G

[sethgray 0]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010798157_nicole15m.html My rig was being borrowed by this lady's neighbor, my friend. When the police went in for the dude, they surrounded the target house with teargas, then gassed the target house (as to eliminate any clear escape route).

BASE #958

[Andy9o8 0]

Any time I want to get tear gas out of my rig I use a solution of tomato juice (V-8 works in a pinch), white wine vinegar (balsamic works in a pinch), baking soda (alka-seltzer works in a pinch) and a few drops of cat urine (you can use your own in a pinch). Obviously, this works better on F-111 than zp.

[DanG 1]

You got the solution right, but after about 5-6 gas removal operations, the baking soda will start to corrode your hardware. Trust me.

Don't even get me started about removing placenta/afterbirth stains from the non-loadbearing ribs. Amniotic fluid is a bitch.

- Dan G

[LouDiamond 1]

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Does anybody know how to remove teargas residue from a rig (container, main and reserve)? It was exposed to HIGH levels of teargas (70 canisters). Can this even be done?

Stiff brush, remove as much as possible from the container, think lots of elbow grease. It goes without saying but I will say it, this requires you wear a mask as you will be exposed to the residual teargas coming off the rig so be sure to do it outside. Once that is done, wash the container in a clean garbage can, much in the same way you wash a container after it's been in salt water (do a search , there is a thread here that explains the process). Do that as many times as necessary and allow to air dry(not in direct sunlight). Re-assemble your rig/ have your rigger pack your reserve.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[riggerpaul 1]

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Does anybody know how to remove teargas residue from a rig (container, main and reserve)? It was exposed to HIGH levels of teargas (70 canisters). Can this even be done?

Stiff brush, remove as much as possible from the container, think lots of elbow grease. It goes without saying but I will say it, this requires you wear a mask as you will be exposed to the residual teargas coming off the rig so be sure to do it outside. Once that is done, wash the container in a clean garbage can, much in the same way you wash a container after it's been in salt water (do a search , there is a thread here that explains the process). Do that as many times as necessary and allow to air dry(not in direct sunlight). Re-assemble your rig/ have your rigger pack your reserve.

Are you saying that you know for a fact that teargas and/or the residues after the fact will not damage the nylon?

Wikipedia says that are quite a few things that might be known as "tear gas".

Are they all the same with respect to their effects on nylon?

[LouDiamond 1]

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Does anybody know how to remove teargas residue from a rig (container, main and reserve)? It was exposed to HIGH levels of teargas (70 canisters). Can this even be done?

Stiff brush, remove as much as possible from the container, think lots of elbow grease. It goes without saying but I will say it, this requires you wear a mask as you will be exposed to the residual teargas coming off the rig so be sure to do it outside. Once that is done, wash the container in a clean garbage can, much in the same way you wash a container after it's been in salt water (do a search , there is a thread here that explains the process). Do that as many times as necessary and allow to air dry(not in direct sunlight). Re-assemble your rig/ have your rigger pack your reserve.

Are you saying that you know for a fact that teargas and/or the residues after the fact will not damage the nylon?

Wikipedia says that are quite a few things that might be known as "tear gas".

Are they all the same with respect to their effects on nylon?

All the military gear, to include body armor, that has been exposed to "tear gas" that I have worn has been cleaned in the manner I described. Sunlight damages nylon so I would not be surprised if tear gas residue had some sort of an affect at a microscopic level. Can I unequivocally say that it won't affect it? No. Will it prevent it or cause it to become unsafe for use if properly cleaned/removed? I highly doubt it since salt water, which actually leaves crystals in between the fibers if not removed, takes a considerable amount of time before it has any type of negative effect. Clean the rig, inspect it and monitor it for wear afterwards. But YMMV.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[riggerpaul 1]

Fair enough. Sounds like you have some practical experience in the area.

The reason I ask is the decontamination procedures that are mentioned in some of the pages I read.

The decontamination procedures I found involve alkaline solutions.

Since alkaline solutions are used for decontamination, I presume that there is some acidic nature to the original chemicals.

As acids and nylon don't go well together, the whole topic is a b it scary to me.

But, I am no chemist. So my concerns could be completely baseless.

[LouDiamond 1]

I am assuming you read articles on "decon" procedures which would include dealing with NBC type substances. That type of decon kit/procedures contain very strong chemical neutralizers that clean the affected item. Those chemical substances I wouldn't even consider using on a parachute container.

What I suggested is a simple 3 garbage can clean water bath/dunking following the stiff brushing to remove the large surface traces. The fact that the substance is tear gas, and unless it was right next to all 70 of the canisters, it probably has very little residual on it other than it might smell or have a small enough amount of residual on it that causes discomfort when handled. In which case the brushing and dunking would remove what little actual substance is left on the container. I would hesitate to use any type of chemical solution that wasn't known to be nylon/synthetic safe on anything made out of man made materials.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[riggerpaul 1]

I never thought you were suggesting alkaline neutralizing solutions.

My point was that if the neutralizers were alkaline, the substance itself might be acidic, and acids can affect nylon adversely.

One of the articles I read mentioned onions. The thing in onions that makes you cry is sulfuric acid.

So, personally, I am wary of the whole question.

You have added a lot to your original statements, and that's all I was hoping for.

I agree that it is not likely that 70 cans of gas were set off right next to the rig.

The exposure might have been quite minimal.

But I'd rather the OP approach the problem with excessive caution rather than insufficient caution.

I was never my intention to argue, and I apologize if I even sounded argumentative.

[LouDiamond 1]

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I was never my intention to argue, and I apologize if I even sounded argumentative.

No worries, it wasn't mine either, just clarifying.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[g3ninfinite 0]

just wash it. I get it on my boots and uniform all the time.

[sethgray 0]

My concern was specifically the state of the nylon in the actual parachutes; the container I was sure could be cleaned (as they say clothes can be cleaned).

The stuff that got me really concerned was that all the sites say that heat is typically used to inactivate the residues, and solvents/solutions in places where heat couldn't be used (and all of those options sounded like bad ideas for nylon) I had a post at Basejumper and I got everything from toss it out to 'air it out', I'm just hoping for a regulation based rule to see if I can force replacement of the rig due to unrepairable damage if its going to kill me the next time I go jump it.

BASE #958

[LouDiamond 1]

It's fine to jump. Clean it off, if the canopies were not packed and were exposed judge the amount of residue on them and if it's not making you cry, it's good. If it does make you cry, wash it as I described above. Unless the canopies or container have been burned or have holes in them, you should have no worries. It's tear gas not a blood agent or anthrax.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[mcordell 2]

I don't have heaping amounts of skydiving experience, nor am I a rigger, however I have been exposed to gas on several occasions and have worked with it quite a bit when I worked SWAT (SRT) duty. The gas approved for use by police departments is either CS or a mixture of OC and CS. Either way the standard decontamination for exposure to these substances is soap. Washing your rig as detailed above should either eliminate or drastically reduce the effects of the gas residue on your rig. If there is any remaining residue it absolutely should not harm your gear, but may cause mild discomfort if it is placed in direct contact with mucus membranes or sensitive skin, specifically when you are sweating.

I wouldn't use anything other than soapy water to clean your rig. If it makes you feel better, rather than searching on the net for an answer, contact the police department and explain the situation. Ask them what type of gas they use and get a phone number from them for companies that specialize in cleaning up crime scenes involving gas. Contact them and ask them how to clean it and judge the harmful effects of the cleaning procedure from what the experts tell you.

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