Fact Sheet: Eco-Efficiency and Paint Management
Introduction
Numerous businesses purchase, use, and dispose paint as part of their day-to-day operations. Industrial parks are also home to many companies that fall into the paint and coatings sector. These include manufacturers, distributors and large-scale users of paint and coating products, and range in size from small local companies to large branch offices. Some types of businesses that use paint and coating products are: • Wood or furniture manufacturers • Automotive repair • Construction operations • Metal finishing • Professional commercial painters • Paint distributors Any company using paint products should be aware of the appropriate practices around purchasing, storage, use and disposal of those products. Hazardous wastes are the biggest problem facing the painting industry. Paint and coatings are recognized as being a significant source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In fact, the US EPA estimates that the second largest source of VOCs after motor vehicles, are operations that use solvents. Environmental issues that are of concern in the industry include: • Use of toxic chemicals • Hazardous waste disposal • Spills • Employee safety • Air quality • Contaminated rags/absorbents • Waste paint • Empty paint cans
Eco-Efficiency
What is Eco-Efficiency? Eco-efficiency is a practical and systematic approach that businesses can adopt in setting and achieving environmental and business performance objectives. It is very closely associated with and complementary to other concepts such as Occupational, Health and Safety (OHS), Total Quality Management (TQM), and Pollution Prevention (also known as source reduction). It involves changing processes, finding alternatives, and reducing or eliminating the generation of toxic wastes instead of dealing with problems of cleanup or disposal after the fact. It also includes extending product liability, enhancing material recyclability and maximizing the use of renewable resources. Eco-efficiency means doing more with less, creating and providing quality products and services while reducing resource use, waste and pollution along the entire value chain. It is not only about managing waste after it is created, but strives towards preventing and minimizing waste in the first place. This fact sheet was prepared by the Eco-Efficiency Centre - a non-profit, non-government educational and environmental management support centre for small and medium-sized enterprises in Nova Scotia. The EcoEfficiency Centre was established in 1998 as a partnership between Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Power Inc., and is supported by private corporations, governments and foundations. The Centre assists companies to achieve better environmental and economic performance through resource conservation, pollution prevention, recycling, reuse, and general good environmental practices.
Waste Minimization Opportunities
An important part of pollution prevention is waste minimization. The basic steps to waste minimization are often low-cost, low-risk alternatives to the disposal of wastes (end-of-pipe solutions). Most options do not involve sophisticated technology or large investments and are suitable for small businesses.
Reduce Toxic Chemical Risks
Purchasing Paint Products • Buy products in non-aerosol containers. If aerosols must be used, buy products with a low VOC content. • Reduce the use of oil-based paints and solvents that release VOCs. Purchase water-based paints that have little or no VOCs, and that require no VOCs for thinning and cleaning up. • Purchase longer lasting, high solid content paints. Low solid paints have as much as 80% VOCs, while high solid paints contain less than 40%. • Ask suppliers for less toxic products. Buy paints with lower amounts of hazardous metal pigments (i.e. arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, mercury, selenium). • Look for Eco-logo certified paint products. • Reduce the number of solvents used. Consider buying an all-purpose solvent. Storage/Inventory • Keep containers closed to prevent evaporation. • Label and date materials properly. Process • Eliminate contamination of the pavement or soils by capturing all spills and run-off with drip pans or trays. • Powder paints are preferred to liquid. • Consider pigment substitution. • Use pigments in slurry or paste form. Clean-up • Rinse used plastic solvent containers and reuse the rinse water for cleaning brushes, etc. • Use multi-stage techniques for cleaning with solvents. Set up 3 or 4 containers of solvents ranging from dirty to clean. Wash dirty brushes in dirty solvent, and then move from container to container until clean solvent is used for the final stage of cleaning. As the solvent becomes dirty, move it down the cleaning line. • Let the sludge in dirty solvents settle, then pour off the remaining solvent for reuse. Seal sludge in containers for disposal with a hazardous waste management company. Did You Know? Waste paint has been banned from landfills and incinerators in Nova Scotia since March 31, 1997. The province's definition of waste paint includes latex and oil/solvent based paints, but does not include dried paint or empty paint cans. Waste paint should not be dumped into sewers or discharged directly into the environment. There are many opportunities to give your used/leftover paint and paint cans a "second life".
Storage/Inventory • Keep shop clean and orderly to eliminate spills and leaks. • Prevent obsolescence of raw materials. Use a "firstin, first-out" inventory system. • Label and date materials properly. • Store paints in low traffic area to prevent spills. Process • Train employees on proper hazardous materials management and waste minimization. • Use reusable canvas sheets for cover up. If using plastic, use the longer lasting heavier plastic. • Dedicate brushes, rollers, and sprayers to specific paint products. • Estimate and use only the amount of paint necessary for a job in order to reduce waste paint. • Use small containers for mixing colors to minimize waste paint and clean up. Measure portions carefully to improve quality control and minimize customer returns. • Test a batch in a lab before full-scale production. • Do light tint work before dark tints to minimize cleanup. • Production schedule should go from light to dark. • Rework spilled materials and wastes into usable products. • Separate thinners from paint sludge by gravity separation and use over again. • Mix leftover paint for use as a primer. Clean-up • Use rags to wipe spilled paints. • Wash and air-dry rags or use a rag recycler/contact a laundry service. • Store cleaned brushes by hanging them up, to avoid damaging bristles. • Use brushes as dusters when they can no longer be used for painting. • Wash and dry filter bags used in air-spray painting prior to disposal. • Scrape paint cans dry before washing. • Wash and reuse empty drums. If drums have no use, then return washed, empty drums to suppliers or inquire if other companies would be interested in exchange. Beyond the Garbage Bin Consider the environmental (and economic) impact of all of your decisions and actions. Where do your wastes go when they are trucked from your facility? Is the company servicing your vehicles, appropriately handling waste oils, lubricants, paints? What types of packaging wastes are your suppliers requiring you to dispose of? The Eco-Efficiency Centre has resources to help you address these issues, including a general survey that you can ask your suppliers to complete. Give us a call for more information.
Reduce Solid and Hazardous Wastes
Purchasing Paint Products • Order products in refillable bulk containers to reduce packaging waste and hazardous waste disposal costs. • Attempt to purchase pre-weighed materials in soluble bags for air-spray painting operations. • Make an effort to purchase recyclable/washable drums. • Inspect raw materials, packages, and containers before accepting them from suppliers; return damaged goods so they do not become waste.
Solvents
Opportunities to minimize solvent use and waste
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Use water based cleaners instead of organic for general cleanup. Use a multipurpose solvent that is low in VOCs. Use manual processes to reduce the amount of solvent needed for cleaning, such as surface treatment with wire brushes. In process, as an alternative to solvents, use aqueous (detergent based), or semi-aqueous solutions. Use high-pressure sprays, steam or hot water cleaners as an alternative to solvent cleaners. Substitute non-chlorinated/petroleum for chlorinated. Substitute non-halogenated for halogenated. Segregate solvent waste from sludge that has settled for reuse. Label and store solvents in closed bottles or drums in a protected storage area. Read Material Safety Data Sheets and have them posted in a prominent place where they are easily accessible. Return obsolete solvents to your supplier or contact a hazardous waste hauler. Did You Know? Recycling of solvents, either on-site or off-site by contracted companies can result in reuse of 80-90% by volume. Solvent recovery equipment can be purchased for distillation, filtration, or decanting. Centrifuges can be bought to recover solvents from rags. If leasing or buying equipment is not an option, have a company come in and pick up your solvents for recycling off-site.
SYSTEM EFFICIENCY Conventional air-atomized spray 30-60% Conventional pressure-atomized spray 65-70% Electrostatic air-atomized spray 85-90% Roller/flow coating machines 90-98% Electro-coating systems 90-99%
Good Air Spray Painting Techniques
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Spray slowly and evenly (250 ft/min). Maintain correct distance from surface (6-8 inches or 15-20 centimetres). Use suitable air pressure (can increase efficiency by 30-60%). When using a paint gun, keep it perpendicular to a surface. Prevent spraying into the air. Use reusable filters. Use Teflon-lined paint cans, this will prevent paint from sticking and make cleanup easier. Use gun-cleaning station to recover solvent and clean paint gun. Reuse masking material. Larger pieces can be cut to cover smaller areas if necessary.
Sewer Watch Keep all flammable, corrosive and toxic materials out of the sewers. Source control to regulate hazardous and toxic waste discharges is coming, in the form of legislative and enforcement tools. Nova Scotia businesses have an opportunity to comply through voluntary programs now.
Paint Stripping Alternatives
Removing deteriorated paint from a surface may involve the use of abrasive tools, heat, or chemicals. Processes to remove paint can pose threats to employees and the environment. New technologies have been created to reduce the risk to people and the environment. These new technologies include: • New paint removing formulations. • New paints that can coat over existing finishes. • Plastic Media Blasting (uses plastic granules instead of sand). Existing mechanical practices are always a good alternative to chemical stripping. Two options are: • Using steel wool/sand paper. • Sand blasting.
Reuse/Re-blending/Recycling/ Remanufacturing Opportunities
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Paint Systems Alternatives
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Use high volume, low pressure spray guns. Use enclosed spray equipment cleaning systems. Investigate electrostatic painting systems to reduce the amount of over-spraying waste. Use mechanical (i.e. cryogenic) paint stripping method eliminating liquid waste. Use non-phenol strippers that will reduce toxicity associated with phenol and acid additives.
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Talk to your paint suppliers, or head office, about accepting obsolete or miss-tinted paints and paint containers. Donate leftover paint to schools or community centers. You can donate leftover paint (in excess of 1 gallon) to the United Way's "Gift in Kind" Program. Contact 902-422-1505 for more information. Send old paint to a company that remanufactures waste paint. Watch for opportunities to recycle or give away plastic containers/pails. Local recycling companies are starting to accept more grades of plastics. Talk to your hauler about options. Consider offering a paint/paint can return policy for your customers. A return policy will increase customer satisfaction and your business' public image. Give customers any small amount of excess paint generated by the manufacturing process.
Turn Trash into Cash!
Now that the environment has become more highly valued, waste is increasingly being viewed as a resource. The Nova Scotia Materials Exchange (NSMEx) is a province-wide, web-based database for businesses to submit and browse listings of unwanted waste materials and post notices of materials needed. This may be just the tool your business needs to help you conserve resources, reduce waste, and save money! To list, visit www.nsmaterials.com or call the Eco-Efficiency Centre for details.
Paint Recycling Program Nova Scotia launched a paint-recycling program offering opportunities for businesses as well as residents to return leftover latex and oil-based paints to one of the province's Enviro-Depots® at no charge. The leftover paint will be recycled into new paint products. Acceptable paints include interior and exterior latex; alkyd, enamel and oilbased paints; interior and exterior varnishes and urethanes; primers, undercoats, block fillers and sealers; wood finishing oils and stains; porch, floor and deck paints; fence and barn paints; and the following paint aerosols - latex, alkyds and varathanes. Anti-fouling paints (paints containing pesticides are not accepted). For more information, contact your local Enviro-Depot® or visit, www.rrfb.com.
Eco-Efficiency Centre Tel - 902-461-6704 Website - www.dal.ca/eco-burnside Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Tel - 902-426-6743 Website - www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca/e/index.shtml Atlantic Region, Environment Canada, P2 Tel - 902-426-7231 Website - www.atl.ec.gc.ca/epb/pollprev/ NS Dept of Environment & Labour Tel - 902-424-5300 Website - www.gov.ns.ca/enla NS Materials Exchange Website - www.nsmaterials.com RRFB Nova Scotia Tel - 1-877-313-7732 (toll-free) Website - www.rrfb.com Directory of Solid Waste, Reuse, Recycling and Composting Contacts in Nova Scotia http://www.gov.ns.ca/enla/emc/wasteman/contents.htm
For more information, contact: The Eco-Efficiency Centre Burnside Industrial Park Dartmouth, NS B3B 1P9 902-461-6704 (telephone) 902-461-6703 (fax) eecentre@dal.ca (email) http://www.dal.ca/eco-burnside (website)
References and Resources
We have used and referred to publications, fact sheets and web-sites from a number of sources to compile this fact sheet. We would like to acknowledge those organizations, agencies and individuals: • Canadian Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse - www.ec.gc.ca/cppic/en/index.cfm • Finishing.com • Illinois Waste Management and Research Center - http://ness2.uic.edu/UIService/programs/UIUC415.html • Paints and Coatings Resource Center www.paintcenter.org/ • Solvent Alternatives Guide http://www.epa.gov/oppt/library/pubs/archive/solvents /finltext.htm • StripMasters Inc. http://www.stripmasterspor15.com/ • US EPA - http://www.epa.gov/ • Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. www.deq.state.va.us/
Last updated Jan 2008
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