NC Division of Highways - Equipment Depot

Year Submitted: 2007

Process: Parts Cleaning

Industry: Automotive Maintenance

Wastes Reduced: Solvent

Location: Raleigh NC

Contact: Tom Martin

Phone: (919) 733-3535

Description:

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P2 Application:

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Video: 1

Details of Reductions

• Solvent
  Comments: The filters installed on the mineral spirit parts washers have significantly reduced waste solvent management costs. Previously, the facility replaced 6.5 gallons of solvent for every gallon of parts washer capacity each year. Since the introduction of the filters, solvent life has been extended to approximately 1 year. Currently, the facility is adding only 2 gallons of solvent for every gallon of parts washer capacity annually to replace for evaporative losses. The total costs have declined 39%, from $18 per gallon of capacity per year for virgin solvent and waste management costs, to $10.96 per gallon of capacity per year in solvent costs for only evaporative losses. By adding filters and modifying parts washers to extend solvent life, the facility has been able to virtually eliminate its hazardous waste generation, and thus terminate the Safety-Kleen Contract, as well as reduce the total number of parts washers on site. Since the filters are keeping the solvent clean and extending solvent life, the waste generated is expected to be a small amount of solid filtrate material, potentially less than 1 drum per year. The liquid loss is expected to be almost all evaporation. The reductions in solvent consumption from the parts washer modifications resulted in the facility being reclassified from a large quantity generator to a small quantity generator for RCRA hazardous waste management.

Additional Information :

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