INSTEAD OF USING SOLVENT-BASED 'WET' PAINT STRIPPERS, NORTHROP Grumman Corp. blast-cleans the composite surfaces of the B-2 stealth bombers with wheat starch. This dry alternative reduces hazardous waste, yet removes paint without damaging the composite. Processed to develop a crystalline texture, the starch, called EnviroStrip, removes paint by cutting rather than by fracturing the coating (as sand would).
Northrop Grumman Corp. uses EnviroStrip (which is made out of wheat starch, the product is marketed by CAE Electronics Ltd.)