the formulation the formulation can optionally contain a petroleum oil or a natural oil such as neutral oil or linseed oil the petroleum oil can have a high flash point and negligible voc content the oil if used can be present in the amount of 1 5 based on the weight of the formulation for example the formulation has at least one nonionic surfactant in the amount of 1 10 optionally 3 7 on a weight basis the nonionic surfactant component can be a single surfactant or a mixture of two or more nonionic surfactants the mixture having appropriate hlb values suitable nonionic surfactants include but are not limited to ethoxylated nonylphenols ethoxylated alcohols ethoxylated castor oil polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters and ethyleneglycol propyleneglycol copolymers the contemplated nonionic surfactants include ethoxylated nonylphenols and polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters having hlb values of greater than 11 alternatively 14 19 alternatively 15 18 when mixtures of nonionic surfactants are used the hlb value of each component surfactant does not have to fall in a stated range as long as the system hlb calculated based on the percentages of the components and their hlb values is within the stated range it was unexpectedly discovered that the emulsions have poor stability in alkaline.