GG490a

Practical ways to manage andminimise hazardous waste

GG

490

This Good Practice Guide was produced by

Envirowise

Enviros Consulting LimitedECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd

Practical ways to manage andminimise hazardous waste

Summary

The way in which the UK disposes of hazardous waste is changing to meet the requirementsof the Landfill Directive. This changes the way that hazardous wastes are classified and howthey can be disposed of. For some businesses, this means they will become hazardous wasteproducers for the first time and for others, disposal costs may rise.

This Good Practice Guide gives tips on how to reduce and re-use hazardous waste, and providesdata on technologies and techniques for managing and treating hazardous waste.

Companies that take a closer look at their site’s hazardous waste arisings can reduce theiroperating costs, improve efficiency and reduce disposal costs.

Effective management of your hazardous waste can help your company to:

� reduce raw material costs;

� reduce waste disposal costs;

� improve environmental performance;

� enhance its image;

� comply with the hazardous waste regulations.

Measuring and monitoring programmes can give you a good understanding of your currentprocesses to help you identify areas where improvements can be made. Solutions need not becomplex or involve large capital outlay - as this Guide shows, savings can often be made throughsimple, low-cost measures.

This Guide considers various options for the treatment of hazardous waste, including:

� elimination;

� redesign;

� reduction;

� re-use;

� recycling.

Free advice on all aspects of hazardous waste treatment and hazardous waste legislation can beobtained from the Environment and Energy Helpline on 0800 585794. Free Envirowisepublications referred to in this Guide, that will assist you to improve your environmentalperformance, can be ordered through the Helpline or via the Envirowise website(www.envirowise.gov.uk).

Contents

Section Page

1 Introduction 11.1 What is hazardous waste? 11.2 Legislation 1

2 Actions to reduce hazardous waste 2

3 Electronics sector 43.1 WEEE and RoHS Directives 43.2 Waste codes for the electronics sector 43.3 Hints and tips 5

4 Engineering sector 94.1 Waste codes for the engineering sector 94.2 Hints and tips 10

5 Furniture sector 175.1 Waste codes for the furniture sector 175.2 Hints and tips 18

6 Metal finishing sector 206.1 Waste codes for the metal finishing sector 206.2 Hints and tips 22

7 Printing sector 327.1 Waste codes for the printing sector 327.2 Hints and tips 32

8 Speciality chemicals sector 388.1 Waste codes for the speciality chemicals sector 388.2 Hints and tips 40

9 Textiles sector 499.1 Waste codes for the textiles sector 499.2 Hints and tips 50

10 Packaging 5310.1 Waste codes for packaging 5510.2 Hints and tips 56

11 Volatile organic compounds 5811.1 Waste codes for waste organic solvents 5811.2 Hints and tips 58

12 Useful contacts 6312.1 Advice 6312.2 Websites 63

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Introduction

This Good Practice Guide collates many hints and tips from a number of Envirowiseguides, all of which help companies to make cost savings by reducing their levels ofhazardous waste.

Effective management of your hazardous waste can help your company to:

� reduce raw material costs;

� reduce waste disposal costs;

� improve environmental performance;

� enhance its image;

� comply with the hazardous waste regulations.

1.1 What is hazardous waste?

Waste is classed as hazardous when it contains properties that might make it harmful to ourhealth or the environment. The European Commission’s directive controlling the management ofsuch waste defines an official hazardous waste list. However, this has recently been revised toincorporate the European Waste Catalogue. The revised list includes a number of waste streamsnot previously considered to be hazardous, for example, fluorescent tubes, television sets,batteries and computer monitors. This means some businesses will become hazardous wasteproducers for the first time.

1.2 Legislation

The way the UK manages hazardous waste is changing. In July 2004, landfill legislation wasamended to implement the Landfill Directive. Landfill operators are now banned from mixinghazardous wastes with other inert or non-hazardous wastes (known as co-disposal) in landfills.Hazardous waste must go to special sites, which dramatically reduces the amount of landfillspace available for its disposal.

In January 2002, changes to the Hazardous Waste List were applied in the EU and incorporatedinto the European Waste Catalogue. The 1996 Special Waste Regulations have provided a systemof control to ensure that hazardous wastes are soundly managed.

New regulations are being developed to replace the Special Waste Regulations. In Scotland,new arrangements came into force on 1st July 2004 under the Special Waste Amendment(Scotland) Regulations 2004. In England, the Hazardous Waste Regulations are expected tocome into force by summer 2005. Separate regulatory arrangements are being prepared forWales and Northern Ireland.

The 30,000 manufacturers and retailers of electrical and electronic goods in the UK will also beimpacted by the introduction of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) andRestriction of Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directives due to come into force instages from 2004 to 2006. These directives are to tackle the UK’s rapidly increasing number ofwaste electrical and electronic items, which use valuable resources and contribute to the volumesof hazardous waste disposed of to landfill. The WEEE Directive reduces this waste by givinghouseholds the opportunity to return their unwanted electrical goods for recycling.

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Actions to reduce hazardous waste

Envirowise Good Practice Guides provide advice to companies on the cost andenvironmental benefits of adopting a systematic waste management programme. Eachprogramme is based largely on an environmental management system and, whereapplicable, the waste management hierarchy (eliminate, reduce, re-use, recycle, dispose).

Sections 3 to 9 of this Guide focus on seven sectors which are covered by Envirowise. For thesesectors, the benefits of reducing hazardous waste are seen as a real opportunity. The sectors are:

Electronics PrintingEngineering Speciality chemicalsFurniture TextilesMetal finishing (including vehicle finishing)

Sections 10 and 11 of this Guide focus on two areas that can apply to all sectors, namely:

PackagingVolatile organic compounds

There are various methods of minimising hazardous waste in the sectors above, for example, byfollowing the principles of the waste hierarchy. Actions that are further up the hierarchy arebetter environmental options and often provide the most cost-effective solutions.

In all sectors, the advice on hazardous material places an emphasis on elimination and reductionat source. Key messages are:

� Eliminate or reduce hazardous materials entering the product or process by choosing non-hazardous or less hazardous alternatives.

Can you eliminate hazardousmaterial at source?

Can you reduce the amountof hazardous material used?

Can you re-use any hazardous material?

Can you recycle/recover thehazardous material?

Calculate the cost of disposal

Implement waste minimisation

no

no

no

no

yes

yes

yes

yes

Fig 1 Flow chart for reducing hazardous material

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� Increase the efficiency of the process to reduce material consumption and waste generation(including minimising the need for cleaning which generates contaminated effluents).

� Recover materials from the process for direct re-use on-site, or recycling off-site followingfurther treatment. The options for this must be investigated prior to resorting to disposal.

The bottom line is: the disposal of hazardous waste is expensive and the cost is rising. This Guidecontains advice on methods to reduce the cost of waste and many of these can be implementedwith little or no extra cost to the company.

By designing out hazardous materials from your product or process you can eliminate the rootcause of hazardous waste. This can be a low-cost option with immediate payback, removing theneed for the disposal of hazardous materials in the future.

Cleaner design considers the choice of materials used in a product. Many materials cannot berecycled and create significant environmental impacts during production. One example is lead,which constitutes a significant proportion of the solder used by the electronics industry. It is oftenpossible to replace this with lead-free solder to reduce the products environmental impact.

A good start is to prepare a list of all the materials used to make a product. Research can thenbe undertaken to find alternatives with lower environmental impacts, for example:

� those containing recycled materials;

� those sourced from environmentally conscious suppliers;

� those that can be recycled at the end-of-life.

Suppliers and customers may be able to suggest alternative materials or potential opportunitiesfor recovery, re-use and recycling.

It may be possible to design out the use of hazardous materials altogether; prevention at sourceshould be a high priority. Also consider how the product will be disposed of, ie will any parts ofit require disposal as hazardous waste? Examination of the current method of disposal couldreveal opportunities for increasing the product’s recycling potential.

� Could the product be re-used or recycled instead of being sent to landfill?

� If products with only minor faults are typically discarded, is it possible to salvage some of thehazardous parts or components?

� Does the product contain hazardous materials or components that can be easily recoveredand recycled?

“Using cleaner design, we were able to reduce the quantity of lead used in the solderby 80%. This reduced the environmental impact and increased the recyclingpotential of our product.”

Crawford Hansford & Kimber Ltd

More information on cleaner design can be found in GG296 Cleaner product design:a practical approach.

Consider how the product is manufactured, ie does the manufacturing processgenerate hazardous materials? Design out where possible.

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Electronics sector

The introduction of new legislation along with existing legislation affects the wayelectronics companies run their business. A significant number of companies havelooked at cleaner design as a method of reducing the environmental impact of theirproducts, from manufacture to end-of-life. This involves reviewing a product’s function,material content and physical organisation, and then examining how these threeaspects give rise to environmental impacts.

Adoption of cleaner design techniques will help to reduce the amount of hazardous materialsrequiring disposal. Cleaner design will also aid compliance with the WEEE and RoHS Directives.

3.1 WEEE and RoHS Directives

The legislation applies to the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment and thebanning of certain hazardous substances. The WEEE Directive requires producers of electrical andelectronic goods to finance collection arrangements for their products at end-of-life. Thisincludes the costs of appropriate treatment and meeting specific targets. The directive does notjust apply to new products. Producers will be made responsible collectively for goods already onthe market. The RoHS Directive restricts the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalentchromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).

3.2 Waste codes for the electronics sector

The table below lists typical examples of waste arisings from the electronics industry as defined in theEuropean Waste Catalogue, including codes. This is not a comprehensive list and further informationcan be found at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/consleg/pdf/2000/en_2000D0532_do_001.pdf

16 Wastes not specified in the list16 02 Wastes from electrical and electronic equipment16 02 09 Transformers and capacitors containing PCBs16 02 10 Discarded equipment containing or contaminated by PCBs other than those

mentioned in 16 02 0916 02 11 Discarded equipment containing chlorofluorocarbons, HCFC, HFC16 02 12 Discarded equipment containing free asbestos16 02 13 Discarded equipment containing hazardous components (2) other than those

mentioned in 16 02 09 to 16 02 1216 02 15 Hazardous components removed from discarded equipment

� GG415 Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) andDirective on the Restriction of Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS): actionsyou need to take.

� GG416 Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Directiveon the Restriction of Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS): a guide to themarketing, product development and manufacturing actions you need to take.

For more information, see:

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3.3 Hints and tips

This section contains various hints and tips that will improve your resource efficiency and reducethe quantities of hazardous waste that may subsequently require disposal. For more detailedinformation, refer to the guides identified.

Nature of hazardous waste: effluent from PCB manufacture -reduction of effluent generation will reduce quantities forhazardous waste disposal.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG303 Reducingwater and effluent costs in PCB manufacture.

Tip Detail Where inthe wastehierarchy

Reduce at Review your upstream operations before considering Reducesource changes to your effluent treatment. Small changes in

operating procedures or process plant can reduce the volume and/or strength of wastewater.

Reduce The volume of process solution ‘dragged out’ when the Reducedrag-out board is removed from the process bath depends on

the shape of the boards and the viscosity, surface tension and temperature of the solution. As the temperature of a process solution is increased, its viscosity and surface tension are reduced and, therefore, the drag-out volume is decreased.

Optimise board The speed with which the board is withdrawn from the Reducewithdrawal rate process bath has a major impact on drag-out volume.(vertical process The faster the board is pulled out of the bath, the lines, VPL) more drag there will be. The speed of board

withdrawal used intuitively by a careful operator on amanual line - about 0.5 metre/second - provides an optimum level of board drainage without compromising the process time.

Allow sufficient Allow sufficient drip time over the process bath to Reducedrip time (VPL) ensure effective drainage of the process solution from

the boards. Studies show that a drip time of 30 secondsis a maximum level beyond which minimal additional benefit is achieved. However, for most PCB manufacturers, a drip time of about 15 seconds providesan optimum level of drainage set against increased process time. If the drip time is again reduced to only 8 seconds, the amount of drag-out increases by 50%.

Reduce Significant reduction in drag-out can be achieved by Reduceentrapment (VPL) improving the design of the board separators and

baskets used to transport boards between process baths. Design the transport equipment to avoid hollows and minimise the amount of surface area. This will minimise the amount of process solution dragged out of the process bath by the basket and separators.

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Agitate boards A careful operator intuitively carries out the agitation Reduceto assist actions needed to minimise drag-out. Others maydrainage (VPL) require training and management to ensure that they

adhere to good practice.

Angle boards to Altering the position of boards as they are withdrawn Reduceassist drainage from a process solution can reduce drag-out. Studies (VPL) show that boards drawn out at an angle to the solution

surface drain faster than those drawn out perpendicular to the surface.

Use squeegee Position two pairs of polyvinylacetate (PVA) squeegee Reducerollers (horizontal pinch rollers directly after each process spray bath. Theprocess lines) sponge surfaces of these squeegee rollers are effective

at removing solution from holes and hollows on the boards.

Use air knives Use an air knife to direct a curtain of low pressure air Reduceagainst the board as it exits from the bath. This causes the drag-out to be blown back into the process spray booth.

Reduce rinse Key to reducing rinse water consumption is effective Reducewater use rinsing. Simply reducing the flow rate in a rinse system

without regard to rinsing effectiveness may reduce theproduct quality or contaminate the next bath in the processing sequence. Often, a dilution ratio of 5 000:1 after a 200 g/litre process solution bath is considered tobe the maximum level beyond which minimal additionalbenefit is achieved. In practice, a dilution ratio of 2 000:1 is commonly used.

Optimise rinse A key objective is the fast and effective removal of Reducetank performance process solution resulting from drag-out from the

board. This reduces the time needed for rinsing, and fora given rinse water flow rate the concentration of contaminants on the board when it leaves the rinse tank is minimised. To maintain optimum performance, operate a preventative maintenance programme for process baths and rinse tanks.

Improve control Use flow restrictors to improve rinse water control. Reduceof rinse water use

Use rinse timer Fit a timer control to regulate the amount of dilution Reducecontrols water added to a rinse tank.

Use conductivity Conductivity coils monitor the concentration of metal Reducecoils ions in the rinse tanks and, thus, control the amount

of dilution water added.

Use alternative Connecting two or more rinse tanks in a counter Reducerinsing current arrangement reduces rinse water consumptionconfigurations significantly.

Use low-flow Two main types of nozzle are applicable to board Reducespray rinsing rinsing operations. Discuss merits with your equipment

suppliers.

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Use dual-purpose Some PCB manufacturers use dual-purpose rinsing on Reducerinsing on vertical VPL to reduce the number of rinse tanks they operate. process lines The technique uses the same static rinse tanks or

recirculating spray rinse for rinsing operations following more than one process tank.

Recirculation and Install a closed-loop system to recirculate cooling water. Re-usere-use Use surplus cooling water from exothermic process

baths in non-critical rinsing applications. Warm rinse water provides more effective rinsing than cold water.

Re-use water in Use a filtration system to remove particles from water Re-usebrushing/surface used in brushing/surface preparation activities so thatpreparation the water can be re-used.

Purify waste water The technologies and treatment processes used to purify Re-usefor re-use wastewater for re-use at a site depend on several

factors, including operating costs, cost savings, payback period and consent requirements. Before installing a water treatment plant it is important to consider first all options to reduce water consumption and effluent generation.

Ion exchange Ion exchange reduces the concentration of ions in Re-usewastewater to a level that enables the water to be re-used in the process. Companies can reduce their consumption of rinse waters by about 70% by introducing ion exchange and recirculating the treatedwater back into the process.

Reverse osmosis Reverse osmosis uses a semi-permeable membrane to Re-use(RO) separate water from dissolved salts. The purified water is

of high quality and can be re-used in the process. The use of RO is likely to become a viable waste minimisation practice for PCB manufacturers in the longer term.

Nature of hazardous waste: materials used during themanufacture of PCBs - utilisation of laminates, chemicals and drills.


Reduce laminate Use panel sizes that use the whole of the sheet of Reducewaste laminate. Use panel sizes appropriate for the boards

being produced. Use larger panel sizes to reduce the percentage of the panel that becomes the tooling margin (trim).

Rationalise Good panelisation will avoid the generation of Reducepanel size excessive laminate waste.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG396 Reducingmaterial costs in PCB manufacture.

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Improve board This technique involves improving the number and Reducelayout and configuration of individual circuit boards on a laminatereduce trim manufacturing panel. Improving board layout involves

making better use of laminate material.

Improve chemical The cost of chemicals used in PCB manufacture is the Reduceutilisation second largest raw material cost after laminates. The

best ways of reducing costs are by good housekeeping, reducing waste at source (eg reducing drag-out loss), improved chemical sourcing, improved process control and improved process technology.

Reduce drag-out One of the largest sources of chemical waste in PCB Reducemanufacture is due to process solution drag-out (see above). It is important to reduce this loss as drag-out has costly implications, eg chemicals are wasted, thus increasing the bill for raw materials, more water is needed and contamination of subsequent baths.

Improve chemical Process chemicals are often selected on purchase price Reducesourcing alone without considering the benefits of using products

that are more expensive but have a higher performance. Differences in composition between process chemicals can have an impact on downstream costs, such as chemical use, solution use, process efficiency, effluent treatment, product quality and energy consumption.

Improve process A poor regime of process control can lead to more Reducecontrol chemicals being used to produce the desired results,

reduced life of the process chemicals and increased scrap.Cost savings can be achieved through measures to extend chemistry life, a programme of planned chemical maintenance and the use of statistical process control.

Extend chemistry Effective chemical control has a significant impact on Reducelife the life of chemicals in process baths. The benefits of

extending chemistry life include more efficient purchase of chemicals, less waste and effluent, and improved process efficiency. To improve chemistry life, analyse chemical baths regularly, discard chemicals on an analytical basis, not a time basis, install self-dosing systems and prevent cross-contamination between baths by reducing drag-out.

Planned chemical A programme of planned chemical maintenance will Reducemaintenance help control processes and ensure that chemical use is

maintained at an optimum. A chemical monitoring regime will reduce the risk of excessive chemical use, unnecessary waste and the generation of scrap board.

Consider installing The installation of a real time monitoring system, such Reducereal time as statistical process control (SPC), is a way of monitoringmonitoring a process during its operation in order to control the

quality of product during production, hence the operator can take action while the process is on-going.

Improve process New and alternative process technologies are available Reducetechnology that can be installed at little or no cost using existing

plant and equipment, eg alternative oxide process system (AOPS), eductors, feed and bleed systems.

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Engineering sector

The engineering industry is large and diverse and manufactures a vast range of productsfrom a wide range of raw materials including metals, plastics and ceramics. Rawmaterials and components may undergo many processes before the final product isformed, each process forming part of a value added chain.

The supply chain is a fundamental characteristic of the industry, with many engineeringcompanies selling their components to other manufacturers. Another important characteristic isthe size distribution of the industry; there are a modest number of large companies (usuallyoperating as a group of separate manufacturing or assembly centres), relatively few medium-sized companies and a large number of small companies.

4.1 Waste codes for the engineering sector

The table below lists typical examples of waste arisings from the engineering sector as defined in theEuropean Waste Catalogue, including codes. This is not a comprehensive list and further informationcan be found at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/consleg/pdf/2000/en_2000D0532_do_001.pdf

12 03 Wastes from water and steam degreasing processes (except 11)12 03 01 Aqueous washing liquids12 03 02 Steam degreasing wastes13 Oil wastes and wastes of liquid fuels (except edible oils, 05, 12 and 19)13 01 Waste hydraulic oils13 01 01 Hydraulic oils, containing PCBs13 01 04 Chlorinated emulsions13 01 05 Non-chlorinated emulsions13 01 09 Mineral-based chlorinated hydraulic oils13 01 10 Mineral based non-chlorinated hydraulic oils13 01 11 Synthetic hydraulic oils13 01 12 Readily biodegradable hydraulic oils13 01 13 Other hydraulic oils13 02 Waste engine, gear and lubricating oils13 02 04 Mineral-based chlorinated engine, gear and lubricating oils13 02 05 Mineral-based non-chlorinated engine, gear and lubricating oils13 02 06 Synthetic engine, gear and lubricating oils13 02 07 Readily biodegradable engine, gear and lubricating oils13 02 08 Other engine, gear and lubricating oils13 03 Waste insulating and heat transmission oils13 03 01 Insulating or heat transmission oils containing PCBs13 03 06 Mineral-based chlorinated insulating and heat transmission oils other than those

mentioned in 13 03 0113 03 07 Mineral-based non-chlorinated insulating and heat transmission oils13 03 08 Synthetic insulating and heat transmission oils13 03 09 Readily biodegradable insulating and heat transmission oils13 03 10 Other insulating and heat transmission oils13 04 Bilge oils13 04 01 Bilge oils from inland navigation13 04 02 Bilge oils from jetty sewers13 04 03 Bilge oils from other navigation13 05 Oil/water separator contents13 05 01 Solids from grit chambers and oil/water separators13 05 02 Sludges from oil/water separators

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13 05 03 Interceptor sludges13 05 06 Oil from oil/water separators13 05 07 Oily water from oil/water separators13 05 08 Mixtures of wastes from grit chambers and oil/water separators14 Waste organic solvents, refrigerants and propellants (except 07 and 08)14 06 Waste organic solvents, refrigerants and foam/aerosol propellants14 06 01 Chlorofluorocarbons, HCFC, HFC14 06 02 Other halogenated solvents and solvent mixtures14 06 03 Other solvents and solvent mixtures14 06 04 Sludges or solid wastes containing halogenated solvents14 06 05 Sludges or solid wastes containing other solvents

4.2 Hints and tips

This section contains various hints and tips that will improve your resource efficiency and reducethe quantities of hazardous waste that may subsequently require disposal. For more detailed

information, refer to the guides identified.

Nature of hazardous waste: metalworking fluids - techniquesto improve fluid management and thereby reduce volumesfor disposal.


Select the correct Metalworking fluids are designed for either general or Reducefluid specific machining applications. Using an unsuitable

fluid for a particular operation and metal will lead to waste raw materials, increased waste disposal costs, poor quality products, lower yields, shorter lifetime of tools, greater machine downtime and wasted effort.

Choose a less The development of metalworking fluids with reduced Reducehazardous fluid environmental impact is becoming increasingly

important. New, less hazardous products include those based on vegetable oils instead of mineral oils. These fluids are more biodegradable and less toxic.

Choose a fluid Bans and anticipated bans on certain hazardous Reducefree of additives chemicals led to the formulation of fluids from

additives, such as short-chain chloroparaffins used as lubricating agents, triazine compounds used as biocides, nitrites and secondary amines used as corrosion inhibitors.

Use low mist Some fluid formulators have developed products with Reduceproducts low misting characteristics.

Spray mist or This technique uses a small quantity of specialised fluid Reduceminimal - as a fine mist spray - for the cutting process. This lubrication to reduces the volume of fluid used. reduce volume

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG199Optimising the use of metalworking fluids.

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Use alternative A system is available which produces a fine spray Reduceminimal without misting that can be used in the workshop lubrication without extraction. Savings of over 85% in fluid use

and a 500% increase in tool life have been reported with this system.

Use dry Dry machining that uses no metalworking fluid is Reducemachining expected to become increasingly popular. Benefits

include cost savings on buying fluids, reduced manufacturing costs, reduced disposal, less impact on the environment and improved conditions for operators in the workshop.

Good Ensure good housekeeping to avoid fluid Reducehousekeeping contamination. This also contributes to more pleasant

and safer working conditions.

Keeping fluid Label all containers, vessels and pipework clearly. Keep Reduceclean fluid contact surfaces clean. Do not add clean fluid to a

dirty machine or return fluid spills to the machine pump.

Mixing fluids Use only freshly diluted fluid at concentrations Reducerecommended by suppliers. Add the fluid concentrate to the water slowly; never add water to the fluid concentrate. Do not mix excessive amounts of diluted fluids.

Stock rotation Use a stock rotation scheme to ensure materials are Reduceused before their use-by date.

Increase fluid Over 90% of fluid-related complaints are due to poor Reducelifetime management. Contamination accelerates fluid

degradation and thus shortens its operational life. The commonest forms are tramp oil leaking from parts of the machine, small metal particles from the cutting process, airborne particles and re-use of fluid recovered from swarf.

Carry out Continuous assessment of the physical and chemical Reducecondition properties of metalworking fluids during use allows monitoring to the appropriate corrective action to be taken on a extend fluid life regular basis to maintain the fluids. Concentration and

pH are the most important parameters to monitor.

Assess monitoring It is important to build a profile of fluid conditions by Reducedata for trends recording monitoring data on a chart. This will help

you identify trends and provide an overall picture of the fluid condition.

Use fluids of the Diluting a fluid to a concentration below the Reducecorrect recommended level is false economy. Typical concentration repercussions are emulsions more susceptible to

degradation, corrosion of the machine tool and reduced tool life, poor surface finish and insufficient lubrication. If the fluid concentration is too high, this can lead to foam formation and spillages. Lubrication and cutting performance are reduced and the cost of the excess fluid is wasted.

Remove tramp oil Tramp oil is unwanted oil introduced into the fluid Reducefrom metalworking system from the machine tool, eg hydraulic or fluid slideways oils.

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Control bacteria Preventing contamination is the best way of keeping Reduceand fungi microbial growth in check. If levels of bacteria or fungi

(yeasts and moulds) are outside specified limits then add biocide to control bacteria and fungicide to control fungi.

Avoid excessive Particulates originate from many sources, but the Reducebuild-up of commonest are the machining process and airborne particulates contamination. Excessive build-up of particulates

provides an ideal environment for other contamination,leading to fluid breakdown.

Employ automatic Where appropriate, these systems with intelligent Reducefluid management sensor technologies and compatible computer systems systems remove the need for subjective judgements in fluid

management.

Ensure fluid is To optimise performance, it is important to get Reduceready for disposal maximum life out of your metalworking fluids. There

is no universal definition of what constitutes a spent fluid and there are many different perceptions of when a fluid is ready for disposal. Testing the fluid condition will provide a more objective basis for the decision to discard the fluid. This will avoid wasting money and effort through disposing of fluid that has not actually reached the end of its working life.

Treatment of Spent fluids can be separated into organic and aqueous Re-usefluid to allow phases by adding chemicals. The separated water re-use phase (if meeting specified consent conditions) can be

discharged to sewer. A sludge will be produced that must be collected by a licensed waste treatment company.

Investigate Alternative fluid disposal options include evaporation, Disposealternative which concentrates spent fluid and produces a residuedisposal with potential as a fuel. Other alternatives includetechnologies biotechnology and hybrid systems.

Produce a check Produce a check sheet for solid waste arisings. This will Reducesheet help you identify typical sources and types generated.

For more information see GG205 Environmental management systems workbook for engineering manufacturers. This practical guide will assist companies to identify, assess and manage the environmental consequences of their operations.

Employ on-site On-site effluent treatment reduces contaminant levels Reduceeffluent to below the consent levels set by your local water treatment company. Rainwater and surface water can also become

contaminated as a result of spills and leaks. Control is essential as contaminated surface water is often discharged directly to controlled waters. For more information see GG109 Choosing cost-effective pollution control.

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Nature of hazardous waste: lubricating and hydraulic oils -techniques to improve oil management and minimiseamounts for disposal.


Improve handling For companies whose plants use large amounts of oil, Reduceequipment and the potential for reducing consumption and rationalisingmonitor use grades is significant. This can be achieved by:

� improving handling of equipment and air pumps in oil storage areas;

� using specifically designed vehicles for transporting and dispensing oil;

� recording and monitoring plant performance;

� installing meters in hydraulic lines to monitor use;

� comparing consumption between similar areas to identify sudden changes in usage;

� ensuring staff are aware of the type of oil and filling required by an item (stickers are useful);

� rationalising the types of oil used.

Use-by dates All oils and greases have a use-by date, normally a code Reduceprovided by the manufacturer. To ensure that the oil performs to its specification, the product should be used before this date. Your oil supplier can inform you of its data code system, so that you can avoid problems associated with out-of-date products.

Assign Before stock control can be tackled, it is important to Reduceresponsibilities establish who is responsible for oil management in yourfor oils organisation. For effective management, oil stock and

use must be controlled, and several approaches can be used, such as: control of the oil store is given to a small number of staff with site-wide responsibility, application of oils is given to a site team, individual manufacturingcells are given responsibility for oil application.

Procurement of Using one supplier for all oils has a number of benefits; Reduceoils it helps to minimise waste, simplifies the control of

stock movements, makes rationalisation more effective, and may lead to discounts for larger orders.

Ensure effective Effective stock control will enable you to produce a Reducestock control balance of the oil dispensed and the waste oil generated.

Records of quantities of oil dispensed, the time and date and the location of use can be used to monitor plant performance and assist in maintenance planning.

Log waste oil Monitoring waste oil generation can be as important Reduceas monitoring fresh oil application. To understand the use of plant items, it is useful to know the quantity of waste oil arisings.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG227 Cost-effective management of lubricating and hydraulic oils.

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Set targets The data gathered for oil movements and usage will Reduceallow you to identify trends and to set some targets for the reduction of oil consumption.

Train staff Reliable data are a vital component of any monitoring Reduceand targeting system and it is important to win the confidence of staff. Written procedures may be needed. Training of relevant staff is important to ensure that they are aware of the procedures and the oils used.

Undertake Condition monitoring involves analysis of oil samples Reducecondition from plant items to identify any problems, such as any monitoring debris within an oil due to wear of machinery and

components, eg bearings.

Consider oil This service offered by many oil suppliers is best applied Reducemanagement to sites that have a considerable use of oil. In manyservices offered cases, the oil supplier will have an employee on-site toby oil suppliers look after the oil store, distribute oils and monitor use.

Oil storage The correct storage and handling of oils will avoid Reducewaste resulting from damage or contamination. Ideally, oils should be stored inside or, at least, under cover. Where drums are stored in their vertical position and exposed to the elements, there is a high chance of contamination, particularly from rainwater.

Fit taps The fitting of taps allows oils to be dispensed into Reducesmaller containers in a controlled manner. Drip trays under each tap are also needed.

Ensure storage in Bunding should be in place and intact around racking. Reducea bunded area

Store waste oil Waste oil should be stored in separate, clearly labelled Reduceseparately containers to avoid any mistaken use of waste oil

instead of fresh. The quantities of waste oil removed from the store should be logged as part of the overall management.

Ensure oil It is important to ensure that all containers are clearly Reducecontainers are labelled so staff can easily identify the oil they require.labelled As oil is moved around, ensure that the contents label

is left in a visible position. Signs next to rows or columns of oil containers will help you to organise the oil store.

Ensure good There are a range of devices for handling drums that Reducehandling allow simple movement. Devices are also available fortechniques to manoeuvring drums from horizontal to vertical positionsavoid spills or vice versa. When selecting devices to handle oils, it

is important to establish the requirement of all staff who handle the oils. Poor handling leads to many spills that waste oil and require expensive clean-ups.

Use IBCs Intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) can hold 1 000 litres Reduceand are easily transported around the site. Once dispensed from larger containers, oil will often be transferred into plant items via a jug or similar container. It is vital to use clean containers to avoid contaminationof fresh oil. Ideally, try to use the same jug for one type of oil and avoid any contact with waste oil.

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Re-use waste oil If oils are to be re-used they must be reclaimed under Re-useas a low-grade controlled conditions to avoid any degradation of theirlubricant quality. The recovery equipment should not contact the

oils for disposal. Pumps and containers for the oil should be free of any contaminants to maintain the quality of the oil that is being reclaimed.

Avoid mixing Ideally, reclaimed oil should be of one type. Mixed oils Re-usedifferent oils cannot be used for their original application. If oil is to

be reclaimed and re-used in the same plant item, it should be kept separately from other reclaimed, waste or virgin oils.

Consider on-site Where only basic filtration and water removal is Re-userecovery kits required to launder oil, on-site recovery may be

possible. Small on-site recovery kits can be bought to clean up oil for re-use.

Recycle waste oil Where oil can be recovered but not used for its original Recycleapplication, there may be opportunities for re-use as lower grade oil. This requires some investigation into the condition of the used oil and the requirements of the secondary application. Failure to investigate the secondary usage could lead to plant problems.

Consider use of Where oils are used on industrial sites, there will often Re-usebelt skimmers be discharges into the drainage system that should

ideally be removed prior to discharge from the site. Belt skimmers are used to remove oil from water in a sump. These are small devices that use a belt which passes into the oil and water mixture, adsorbing oil before lifting it out. The oil is then removed by passing the belt through rollers. A number of companies offer interceptor systems that can be built into a drainage system to separate oil and water.

Collection, When oil cannot be reclaimed and re-used, off-site Recyclelaundering and recycling or disposal is the best option. A number ofreturn service companies offer a collection, laundering and return

service. They normally use a process of filtration, dewatering and then replenishment of the additives, returning oil that is of equal quality to the original.

Disposal of waste Waste oils that cannot be re-used or recycled, need to Disposeoils as a fuel be disposed of in an environmentally responsible

manner. An option is direct burning, which is a form of energy recovery. There are three uses for oil as a direct burn fuel: in cement manufacture, space heaters and municipal/chemical waste incinerators.

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Nature of hazardous waste: cutting oils - techniques to helpmachine shops manage their metal wastes which areconsidered hazardous when contaminated by oil.


Reduce the Reducing the cutting fluid content of swarf has a Reducecutting fluid number of advantages, including the possibility ofcontent of swarf direct sale of swarf to a foundry or recycler (with an

increase in value), a greater likelihood of being able to re-use the swarf in-house, easier and safer swarf storage, and less environmental risk.

Dry machining Dry machining techniques have been developed to Reduceeliminate the need for cutting oils. Dry swarf is produced and the potential hazards associated with handling cutting fluids are removed.

Gravity drainage When swarf is left in a bin or a skip, some of the excess Reducecutting fluid will naturally drain under gravity. Use a bin with a mesh layer above the base and a tap to drainoff the cutting fluid. Shovelling the swarf out of the bin instead of tipping it will keep the swarf drier. Use a skip with drainage holes, taking care to ensure the skip is within a bunded area to avoid polluting the soil or water sources with cutting fluid.

Centrifugation In a centrifuge, the liquid separates from the swarf. ReduceAutomatic machines have a continuous feed from a conveyor and generally deliver the swarf directly to a bin or a skip. The coolant can then be sent for cleaning and recycling.

Magnetic Magnetic separation is only applicable to steel swarf in Reduceseparation systems where the swarf is transported by flowing

cutting fluid. The swarf is removed from the fluid by a strong magnet and then scrapped mechanically from the magnet. Steel swarf has little value, so the technique is mainly used to allow the cutting fluid to be recycled.

Drying in a kiln Swarf can be dried in a kiln to reduce cutting fluid Reducecontamination. Waste heat, eg from a compressor, can be used as a source of energy. This technique is normally only worthwhile for a company re-using the swarf itself.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG264Reducing costs through effective swarf management.

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Furniture sector

The furniture industry in the UK is large, with manufacturing sales estimated at £6billion. Only 4% of companies show a turnover of greater than £5 million. The industryis dominated by small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The UK market is well servedby domestic producers, with imports comprising 25% of the total.

It is estimated that there are 8 500 companies engaged in furniture manufacture. These employapproximately 128 000 staff. About 75% of companies employ fewer than nine staff. The largest300 companies represent 45% of total employment in the industry.

The industry is traditionally segmented into three primary sectors:

� Domestic - serving the public through retail outlets - comprising 58% of the UK market(based on manufacturers’ selling price).

� Office - desks, seating, tables and other items for the office environment - 13%.

� Contract - furniture for public areas such as hotels and airports - 29%.

5.1 Waste codes for the furniture sector

The table below lists typical examples of waste arisings from the furniture sector as defined in theEuropean Waste Catalogue, including codes. This is not a comprehensive list and further informationcan be found at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/consleg/pdf/2000/en_2000D0532_do_001.pdf

08 Wastes from the manufacture, formulation, supply and use (MFSU) of coatings(paints, varnishes and vitreous enamels), adhesives, sealants and printing inks

08 01 Wastes from the MFSU and removal of paint and varnish08 01 11 Waste paint and varnish containing organic solvents or other dangerous

substances08 01 13 Sludges from paint or varnish containing organic solvents or other dangerous

substances08 01 15 Aqueous sludges containing paint or varnish containing organic solvents or other

dangerous substances08 01 17 Wastes from paint or varnish removal containing organic solvents or other

dangerous substances08 01 19 Aqueous suspensions containing paint or varnish containing organic solvents or

other dangerous substances08 01 21 Waste paint or varnish remover12 03 Wastes from water and steam degreasing processes (except 11)12 03 01 Aqueous washing liquids12 03 02 Steam degreasing waste15 Waste packaging: absorbents, wiping cloths, filter materials and protective

clothing not otherwise specified15 02 Absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths and protective clothing15 02 02 Absorbents, filter materials (including oil filters not otherwise specified), wiping

cloths, protective clothing contaminated by dangerous substances

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5.2 Hints and tips

This section contains various hints and tips that will improve your resource efficiencyand reduce the quantities of hazardous waste that may subsequently require disposal.For more detailed information, refer to the guides identified.

Nature of hazardous waste: solvents - improving efficiencyby switching to low solvent coatings.


Prepare a solvent In order to manage solvent use, it is necessary to Reduceinventory measure it. The first step is to identify current solvent

consumption. A solvent inventory quantifies annual solvent use and helps to identify major areas of use and opportunities.

Ensure tins are Coatings are typically delivered in 25-litre tins. Ensuring Reduceempty before that tins are as empty as possible prior to disposal will disposing avoid wasting expensive coating and reduce the

environmental impact of disposal. Larger users may findit cost-effective to switch to 205-litre drums, thus reducinghandling and losses due to residue left in containers.

Ensure two-pack If handled incorrectly, two-pack materials can give rise Reducematerials are to large amounts of waste. Use two-pack mixing systems handled correctly that ensure that the correct proportions and amounts

are mixed, thus minimising wastage.

Reduce use of Thinners are often used liberally. Controls on the issue Reducethinners of thinning solvents can lead to significant savings, as

operators are required to think before using excess.

Use water-borne Water-borne stains typically contain around 10% solids Reducestains and and 10% solvent. They can cost more per litre, butlacquers savings can be made as a significantly smaller volume

is generally needed to coat an area.

Clean spray lines The use of thinners for cleaning can account for up to Reducewith water 70% of total solvent use. However, there is little reason

for a ‘typical’ site to exceed 5% using manual spraying. One of the benefits of converting to a water-borne coating is that the bulk of cleaning can be done with water. Only a small amount of solvent is needed to soften emulsions and prevent scaling by hard water.

Implement a Training is essential to achieve the changes that will Reducetraining secure long-term solvent reduction. A training programme programme will raise awareness of the environmental

impact of solvents and the benefits of reduction.

Use powder Powder coating technology is more traditionally Reducecoatings associated with metal finishing industries, but has now

been adapted to coat timber. Powder coatings are solvent-free and the overspray can be captured and recirculated.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG340 Savingsthrough low solvent wood coatings.

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Improve coating Improving the efficiency of the coating operation by Reduceefficiency improving the equipment will reduce operating costs,

reduce solvent use, increase productivity and improve working conditions.

Hand spraying Hand spraying systems are essential for small volume Reduceusers and companies with a wide variety of products. More efficient transfer uses less material to achieve the desired finish, and less coating and solvent are wasted.

Automated Hand spraying accounts for the bulk of wood coating Reducecoating operations in the UK. However, automated systems are

widespread due to greater process control, increased consistency, potentially high outputs (m2 coated per minute) with reduced labour costs, the ability to apply a wide range of coatings and enclosed working to minimise overspray into the workplace.

Spray lines These systems use atomisation technology similar to Reducethat used in hand spraying. Good for moulded and profiled panels using solvent-borne or water-borne UV-cured coatings.

Curtain coating This traditional system applies high film weights to flat Reducepanels. The workpiece passes through a cascade or curtain of coating material created from a reservoir of coating stored above the workpiece. A variable speed roller releases the coating; the rate of the rotation of the roller determines the density of the curtain and the weight of the resulting film. Excess is collected and recirculated.

Roller coating These systems use a combination of rollers to apply Reducecoating to flat panels. The application roller takes coating from the reservoir and applies it to the workpiece. The second roller, known as the ‘doctor’ roller, alters the amount of lacquer on the application roller.

Vacuum coating In this system, workpieces are passed through a small Reducevacuum unit in which the coating is suspended. The system is suited to a regular flow of consistent components. Transfer efficiencies of up to 98% can be achieved.

Drying systems Forced drying can overcome problems associated with Reducestandard air drying and ensures consistent drying times whatever the weather.

Capture dirty If spray lines and guns are cleaned by spraying solvent Re-usethinners through the system, ensure that the used solvent is

collected and either re-used directly or treated for re-use.

On-site solvent Waste thinners can be sent off-site for re-use or Re-userecovery recovered for re-use. Sites sending more than 1 000

litres/year off-site may find it more cost-effective to clean dirty solvents on-site using a solvent recovery still. This enables cleaning solvent to be re-used a number of times, thus reducing both purchase and disposal costs.

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Metal finishing sector

The metal finishing and surface engineering industry comprises a wide range ofcompanies, sites and processes. The unifying feature of these is that they are concernedwith the surface treatment or coating of metal components to enhance the propertiesof the finished item.

The environmental and commercial issues faced by individual companies in the sector dependvery heavily upon the processes they operate, which may include any of the following, listed in(an approximate) descending order of UK annual turnover:

� vehicle refinishing;

� organic coating (paint and powder);

� electroplating;

� galvanizing;

� heat treatment;

� pre- and post- treatments;

� anodising;

� thermal spraying.

6.1 Waste codes for the metal finishing sector

The table below lists typical examples of waste arisings from the metal finishing sector as defined in theEuropean Waste Catalogue, including codes. This is not a comprehensive list and further informationcan be found at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/consleg/pdf/2000/en_2000D0532_do_001.pdf

08 Wastes from the manufacture, formulation, supply and use (MFSU) of coatings(paints, varnishes and vitreous enamels), adhesives, sealants and printing inks

08 01 Wastes from the MFSU and removal of paint and varnish08 01 11 Waste paint and varnish containing organic solvents or other dangerous substances08 01 13 Sludges from paint or varnish containing organic solvents or other dangerous




other dangerous substances08 01 21 Waste paint or varnish remover08 05 Wastes not otherwise specified08 05 01 Waste isocyanates10 03 Wastes from aluminium thermal metallurgy10 03 04 Primary production slags10 03 08 Salt slags from secondary production10 03 09 Black drosses from secondary production10 03 15 Skimmings that are flammable or emit, upon contact with water, flammable gases

in dangerous quantities10 03 17 Tar-containing wastes from anode manufacture10 03 19 Flue-gas dust containing dangerous substances10 03 21 Other particulates and dust (including ball-mill dust) containing dangerous

substances

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10 03 23 Solid wastes from gas treatment containing dangerous substances10 03 25 Sludges and filter cakes from gas treatment containing dangerous substances10 03 27 Wastes from cooling-water treatment containing oil10 03 29 Wastes from treatment of salt slags and black drosses containing dangerous

substances10 04 Wastes from lead thermal metallurgy10 04 01 Slags from primary and secondary production10 04 02 Dross and skimmings from primary and secondary production10 04 03 Calcium arsenate10 04 04 Flue-gas dust10 04 05 Other particulates and dust10 04 06 Solid wastes from gas treatment10 04 07 Sludges and filter cakes from gas treatment10 04 09 Wastes from cooling-water treatment containing oil10 05 Wastes from zinc thermal metallurgy10 05 01 Slags from primary and secondary production10 05 03 Flue-gas dust10 05 05 Solid waste from gas treatment10 05 06 Sludges and filter cakes from gas treatment10 05 08 Wastes from cooling-water treatment containing oil10 05 10 Dross and skimmings that are flammable or emit, upon contact with water,

flammable gases in dangerous quantities10 06 Wastes from copper thermal metallurgy10 06 03 Flue-gas dust10 06 06 Solid wastes from gas treatment10 06 07 Sludges and filter cakes from gas treatment10 06 09 Wastes from cooling-water treatment containing oil11 Wastes from chemical surface treatment and coating of metals and other

materials: non-ferrous hydrometallurgy11 01 Wastes from chemical surface treatment and coating of metals and other

materials (for example galvanic processes, zinc coating processes, picklingprocesses, etching, phosphating, alkaline degreasing, anodising)

11 01 05 Pickling acids11 01 06 Acids not otherwise specified11 01 07 Pickling bases11 01 08 Phosphatising sludges11 01 09 Sludges and filter cakes containing dangerous substances11 01 11 Aqueous rinsing liquids containing dangerous substances11 01 13 Degreasing wastes containing dangerous substances11 01 15 Eluate and sludges from membrane systems or ion exchange systems containing

dangerous substances11 01 16 Saturated or spent ion exchange resins11 01 98 Other wastes containing dangerous substances11 02 Wastes from non-ferrous hydrometallurgical processes11 02 02 Sludges from zinc hydrometallurgy (including jarosite, goethite)12 03 Wastes from water and steam degreasing processes (except 11)12 03 01 Aqueous washing liquids12 03 02 Steam degreasing wastes14 Waste organic solvents, refrigerants and propellants (except 07 and 08)14 06 Waste organic solvents, refrigerants and foam/aerosol propellants14 06 01 Chlorofluorocarbons, HCFC, HFC14 06 02 Other halogenated solvents and solvent mixtures14 06 03 Other solvents and solvent mixtures14 06 04 Sludges or solid wastes containing halogenated solvents14 06 05 Sludges or solid wastes containing other solvents15 Waste packaging: absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths and protective

clothing not otherwise specified15 02 Absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths and protective clothing

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15 02 02 Absorbents, filter materials (including oil filters not otherwise specified), wipingcloths, protective clothing contaminated by dangerous substances

6.2 Hints and tips

This section contains various hints and tips that will improve your resource efficiency and reducethe quantities of hazardous waste that may subsequently require disposal. For more detailedinformation refer to the guides identified.

Nature of hazardous waste: paint and solvents - ways inwhich a vehicle finisher can reduce costs when repairingvehicles primarily through reducing paint and solventconsumption.


Dry guide coat Many body shops use aerosol paints or thinned paint to Eliminateproduce a guide coat for subsequent wet or dry sanding of body fillers or primers. A novel dry coat system has been developed and is powder-based, thus completely solvent-free. The advantages of this are no solvent emissions, no need to use expensive aerosol paints or thinners to produce a guide coat, no waiting for the coat to dry and no need to mask the job.

Paintless dent Where bodywork is dented but the paint surface Eliminaterepair unharmed, a dent can be repaired without re-spraying

by massaging the dent from the inside. Tools are used to reach awkward areas.

Common colour This is processing paint jobs of the same colour at one Reducescheduling time, or one after the other. It is particularly (CCS) relevant for large dealer franchises. The benefits of

CCS are reduced paint make-up, less wastage at the end of the job, reduced set-up time, increased throughput and less spray gun cleaning time.

Reduced use of The way you use cleaning solvents can have an Reducesolvents during enormous effect on the amount of solvent consumed cleaning by your body shop. The traditional way of dispensing

cleaning solvent is from a 5-litre can tipped onto a cloth. The amount of solvent on the cloth is often many times more than is required and the discarded rag becomes a health and safety risk with solvent evaporating into the workshop. Alternative methods are dip cans or plastic spray bottles. Dip cans are wall or floor mounted; they consist of a solvent reservoir with a plunger pump in the middle, and a measured quantity of solvent is then pumped onto the cloth. Plastic spray bottles allow the solvent to be sprayed onto the item to be cleaned and wiped off with a cloth.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG36Reducing costs in vehicle refinishing.

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Introduce Tests have shown that the introduction of water-based Reducewater-based basecoats for some applications can reduce solvent basecoats emissions by 13%.

Use HVLP spray High volume low pressure (HVLP) spray guns are Reduceguns recognised as being one of the most efficient ways of

applying paint to surfaces. Traditional spray guns achieve transfer efficiencies of between 30 and 50%, whereas efficiencies with HVLP spray guns are between 65 and 85%.

Ensure HVLP HVLP spray gun techniques are different from those Reducespray guns are used with air or airless spray guns. However, the used correctly techniques can be learnt and are very straightforward;

consult guide GG36 or your equipment supplier.

Use gravity paint A good way of avoiding waste is to use gravity paint Reducecups cups. No paint is wasted in this type of cup as long as

the correct amount is mixed for each job. When the gun runs out of paint, the only paint left in the cup will be the small amount that adheres to the side of the cup.

Use spray gun Fully automatic gunwashing machines have a number Reducecleaning of advantages; once the machine is loaded, you can machines leave it while the gun cleans, the correct amount of

solvent is used to clean the spray gun, reducing any wastage, and solvent emissions are significantly reduced thus lowering operator exposure to solvent vapours.

Use high solids High solids paints and primers are proportionally Reducecoatings higher in solids than traditional paints. Less solvent

means the paint is more viscous (so more difficult to apply). The paint builds up faster during application, so fewer coats are needed. The lower solvent content results in lower VOC emissions during application.

Use water-based Water-based coatings are paints and primers in which Reducecoatings a large proportion of the solvent is replaced by water,

while retaining the same solids content as traditional coatings.

Accurately Accurately measure the area to be painted to avoid Reducemeasure the wastage, for example:area to be � mixing too much paint for the job, so wasting moneypainted on paint and paying to get rid of the leftovers;

� mixing too little paint, so wasting time in repeating the process.

In addition, if the mix is incorrect, this will waste paint and may require a complete rework of the job if not detected in time. Use paint manufacturers’ charts and specifications to mix the right quantities.

Use on-site Small solvent recovery machines are available and are Re-usesolvent recovery easy to operate. The machine heats up the waste, boils

off the solvents and collects the cooled vapours in a separate tank. Recovered solvent can then be used as gunwash.

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Pour excess paint To get the most out of your gunwashing machine, Re-useinto a separate keep it clean. Pouring paint into the machine dirties container before the solvent faster. This means more gunwash is needed cleaning the (costing money). Excess paint should be poured into a spray gun separate container before cleaning spray guns. Use a

spatula to scrape out any residue from the cup to reduce contamination of the gunwash.

Nature of hazardous waste: metal finishing effluent -techniques to assist metal finishing companies to identify,assess and manage their environmental responsibilitieswhilst minimising the consumption of chemicals andimproving the end-of-pipe treatment facilities.


Log aqueous Keep a detailed log that identifies major types and Reduceeffluents sources of aqueous effluent, and type of treatment

and monitoring undertaken.

Log solid wastes Log all major sources and types of solid waste, storage Reducemethod, annual amount and current disposal route.

On-site effluent On-site effluent treatment can reduce contaminant Re-usetreatment levels to below the local water company’s consent

levels. Polluted effluents can damage the bacterial beds at the sewage treatment works, contaminate sewage sludges and lead to pollution of controlled waters. Contaminated surface water can discharge directly tocontrolled waters, therefore, careful control of spills and leaks is essential to prevent surface water contamination.

Reduce drag-out Drag-out is a significant cause of chemical loss from Reduceplating and other treatment baths. The quantities of solution lost vary with the shape of pieces being plated, drip time and bath temperature, the latter affecting theviscosity of the solution. Greater drag-out occurs with more concentrated and viscous solutions. Drag-out has costly implications, including contamination of subsequent process baths, chemical waste (which increases raw material requirements), increased water needed to achieve adequate dilution ratios for rinsing, higher effluent treatment plant costs and additional filter cake and sludge generation.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG118Environmental management systems workbook for metal finishers andGG160 Minimising chemical and water waste in the metal finishing industry.

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Extend drip time Extending the drip time allows process solutions to Reducedrain from the items. It can be undertaken either over the process solution before the item is moved, or over drip tanks. Studies show that doubling the drip time from 15 seconds to 30 seconds increases the amount of electrolyte returned to the plating solution by 50%.

Withdraw Rapid extraction of a workpiece from solution Reduceworkpiece slowly generates greater quantities of drag-out than slow

withdrawal.

Reduce Drag-out increases where process solution remains Reduceentrapment trapped in hollows in the workpiece. It can be

reduced by adjusting the positioning, eg by wiring theworkpiece at an angle, plugging holes, or adding additional holes for drainage.

Install drip boards Drip boards between tanks capture the run-off as Reduceworkpieces move between rinse stages and dips. The boards should be tilted so run-off drains back into the tank.

Install a drip tank A drip tank is an additional tank for catching the Reducerun-off. On automated lines these allow one load to drip while others are moved. The solution is then returned to the process bath.

Improve racking Drainage is more efficient when the layers of Reducearrangements workpieces are staggered rather than hanging directly during drainage above one another.

Implement staff Training and management are needed to ensure that Reducetraining recommended drip times are maintained. Staff may

feel that extending drip times reduces productivity, not recognising the cost savings. An idea is to link bonus payments with water, chemical and waste disposal costs.

Review and Good purchasing and stock control is vital in the metal Reducecontrol purchases finishing industry. Chemicals are purchased for

immediate use or stored. Buying too much, or failing to rotate stock, may necessitate their disposal with an expired shelf-life. Reviewing and controlling purchases reduces such wastes. It is good practice to purchase only the quantities needed for processes. Label containers clearly with the date of purchase and use-by date. Keep an inventory and control raw material use so that new solutions are not used before older ones.

Use the minimum The measurement and control of operating conditions Reduceamount of are important in metal finishing. Chemicals are used in chemical in a cleaning, process baths and in wastewater treatment solution units. Use accurate thermostats, pH probes and

measuring devices. This helps to ensure that the minimum amounts of chemicals are used. Consider installing automatic dosing from larger containers. This is a safer and more accurate method of measuring and adding chemicals to baths.

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Install meters on Measure water use as a precursor to control. Install Reduceprocess lines meters on each process line or water inflow point to

identify large users. Do not simply meter water input to a site as a whole. Keep records of water use, so you can review the success of water minimisation practices.

Install flow The volume of water passing through continuous flow Reducerestrictors lines and rinsers can be excessive if not controlled.

Flow restrictors are simple devices controlling water input at source. Flexible orifice valves expand and contract to maintain a constant flow of water into the process, whatever the water pressure.

Countercurrent Rinsing uses either a dilute solution or clean water to Reducerinsing remove excess chemicals remaining after the plating

process. The simplest form is flow rinsing using a continuous stream of water. Large volumes of water are used and chemicals lost as they transfer to the rinse water in drag-out. Countercurrent rinsing uses a series of connected rinsing baths. Water from the bath with the lowest concentration of chemicals flows back into the previous rinse bath and then through the other baths in sequence. The volume of water used is significantly reduced and rinsing is more effective as concentrations of drag-out chemicals in the rinse baths are kept low.

Spray and fog Spray and fog rinsing above the process bath are Reducerinsing effective rinsing techniques and water efficient. Both use

jetting water to mechanically wash drag-out solutions from workpieces. This helps to drain off solutions by reducing the viscosity of the drag-out solution.

Manually There is a temptation to leave hoses running; this Reduceoperated wastes water and creates more effluent. Manually trigger hoses operated trigger hoses overcome this problem by

automatically cutting off the water once hand pressureon the trigger is released.

Pre-programmable Pre-programmable water delivery systems ensure that Reducewater delivery only a specified volume of water is delivered at any system one time.

Precipitation of Conventional methods of wastewater treatment are Re-usemetals generally chemical methods involving the precipitation

of metals through pH adjustment. Many sites use this procedure to treat concentrated baths, thereby avoiding the need to pay for the liquid to be tankered away by a waste disposal company.

Ion exchange Ion exchange can be used for the treatment of cyanide Re-useplating baths, nickel, copper, tin and zinc, and aluminium anodising rinse waters. Ion exchange can be used to recover metals and to clean water for recycling.

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Electrochemical Electrochemical recovery allows metal to be recovered Re-userecovery in either powder or solid form. The metal can then be

melted down, re-used as a soluble anode or regenerated as a concentrated process solution. Electrochemical recovery is a cost-effective method for recovering precious metals from rinse water and exhausted plating baths; it also reduces the amount of metal sludges requiring subsequent disposal.

Evaporation An evaporation unit consists of a pump plus evaporative Recyclepanels with a surface area of up to 1 000 m2. Its main advantage is that it can recover chemicals that would otherwise be lost in rinse waters; more than 96% of drag-out chemicals can be recovered.

Reverse osmosis Reverse osmosis uses a semi-permeable membrane to Recycleseparate water from dissolved salts. The treatment of rinse waters using reverse osmosis generates two products: water and a concentrated liquid consisting of metals and salts. The latter is drawn off for further treatment or returned to the process baths.

Ultrafiltration This is a very fine filtration process used to filter out Recyclemolecules from a contaminated wastewater stream. It is useful for a final cleaning of water before recycling back to the process.

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Nature of hazardous waste: metal finishing solvents - techniques toassist metal finishing companies to reduce operating costs, solventconsumption, VOC emissions and waste by improving themanagement of their pretreatment, surface cleaning processes,materials and paintshop management.


Change working Components are cleaned to remove surface substances Eliminatemethods to that are detrimental to subsequent coating, assembly eliminate the operations, performance or people handling the parts. need to clean There are material, energy, waste disposal and labour

costs associated with all cleaning methods. Reducing oreliminating cleaning without compromising quality willreduce costs. Consider:

� changes to working methods to eliminate the need to clean between processes;

� improvements to handling procedures to prevent soiling between operations;

� application of a temporary protective coating (with the aim of avoiding subsequent cleaning);

� using sealed containers (to control the air in contact with the components);

� using absorbents such as silica gel to remove moisture (thus preventing corrosion occurring);

� protecting components between operations by wrapping them in VPI paper;

� impregnating with chemicals such as amines;� preventing unauthorised cleaning.

Substitute Cleaner technology options are mainly related to Reducehazardous substituting hazardous substances with less hazardoussubstances substances, eg replacing trike with less hazardous

solvents, biocleaners or aqueous cleaning.

Spin-off excess Avoid excessive cleaning by spinning off excess oil Reduceoil prior to prior to degreasing.degreasing

Review levels of Talk to component manufacturers about protective Reduceprotective grease greasing used in shipping. Over-greasing needs more used cleaning and results in higher costs.

Improve Waste reduction can be achieved by optimising Reduceefficiency processes to increase yield, increasing transfer time to

reduce drag-out, using lower solution concentrations, avoiding rework and using countercurrent rinsing.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG354 Surface cleaningand preparation: choosing the best option, GG385 Cost-effective paint and powdercoating: materials management, GG386 Cost-effective paint and powder coating:coating materials, GG387 Cost-effective paint and powder coating: applicationtechnology and GG405 Paint and powder coating: use less, save more.

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Use mechanical Once cleaning has been avoided or minimised, residual Reducecleaning methods contamination can be removed by mechanical methods

such as brushing or blasting.

Install a time Excessive cleaning wastes time, energy and solvent. Reducecontroller/alarm Once load conditions and effective cleaning times are and an idling established, control the process using timers and alarms. cut-out Use appropriate lid designs and fit interlock devices to

prevent poor operation and minimise solvent use.

Aqueous cleaning Aqueous cleaning systems include processes that use Reducewater, water-based cleaners or semi-aqueous cleaners. These may be a good alternative to organic solvents for surface cleaning. Several aqueous cleaning systems are available for washing and drying in the plant or in a washing tunnel.

Biological This well-developed technology removes oils, greases, Reducecleaning paints and solvents from components. Biocleaners are

a cost-effective alternative to conventional cleaners. The substances used are generally less hazardous to human health and the environment.

Conversion Many metal surfaces require treatment with a Reducecoating conversion coating to increase corrosion resistance.

There are many systems in use, but they all have common wastes including rinse water, drag-out of treatment agents and energy losses. Cost savings can be achieved in all these areas and with any type of conversion coating system. See GG354 for more information.

Re-use of waste Waste can be minimised through the re-use of raw Re-usematerials in the cleaning process, eg water used to cool trike can be re-used in rinsing processes; re-use of dry blast media for mechanical cleaning.

Recycling of Recycling can optimise the performance of an existing Recyclewaste plant, eg using spent alkaline cleaners to adjust the pH

of acidic wastewaters prior to treatment; recovering spent solvent and using treated cleaning water on-site.

On-site solvent Solvent in waste can be recovered and recycled on-site Re-userecovery by distilling the sump contents in the degreaser.

Waste disposal If further solvent recovery is not possible, follow the Disposecorrect procedure for disposal: segregate, package and label all spent solvents; allow only trained personnel tohandle and store spent solvent; adopt correct handlingprocedures; document and record movements of both spent solvent for reclaim and final waste.

Employ good Stop the casual waste of materials and energy, which Reducehousekeeping occurs through habit, poor practices and the use of

unsuitable equipment. Employ no-cost measures, such as ensuring cans are fully emptied into the solvent waste before discarding, using a stock rotation system to prevent material becoming out of date and mixing only sufficient paint for the job.

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Improve Scheduling can significantly reduce the amount of Reducescheduling time and materials used for setting up and cleaning

equipment. Scheduling light-to-dark production every day or shift could enable spray guns and paint pots to be used without cleaning as the darker colours may mask the lighter ones. Where various finishes are used, group together large batches of similarly coated objects to reduce time and material losses due to cleaning and set up.

Reduce solvent Reduce solvent use in paints by using high-solids, Reduceuse water-based paints or powder coatings.

On-site solvent Solvent recovery machines heat waste, boil off solvent Re-userecovery and collect the cooled vapours. The recovered solvent

is low quality, but can be used as gunwash or as low grade cleaning solvent.

Improve transfer Transfer efficiency is a measure of how well a Reduceefficiency technology applies a layer of paint, ie how much of

the applied paint ends up on the workpiece. It is defined as the percentage of coating used that becomes attached to the workpiece. Waste can be induced by the properties of the spray gun and the way it is used. Overspray can be reduced by good operator practice.

Dipping Transfer efficiency of dipping is nearly 100%. In its Reducesimplest form, items to be coated are immersed in a reservoir.

Electrodeposition Electrodeposition and autodeposition dipping are Reduceand often found in medium-to-high volume coating autodeposition operations. These systems dip components in special dipping polymer-based coatings. Both systems use water-based

coating materials, with little or no VOC content.

Flow coating Flow coating is suited to large or oddly shaped parts Reducethat are difficult or impossible to dip coat. As in dipping, excess coating material is allowed to drain and is collected for re-use.

Barrelling This is used in coating processes where only a low Reducequality finish is needed. Items are loaded into a mesh or perforated drum/barrel. The barrel is immersed in a bath of coating material and rotated to ensure adequate coverage. The barrel is then withdrawn and allowed to drain. This system results in less waste than spraying and reduces the time taken in conventional dipping to load onto hooks.

Spraying systems There are a number of spray guns on the market. ReduceConventional spray guns have relatively low efficiency when compared to HVLP guns. Even low volume users would save money through reduced wastage of coating materials. See guide GG387 for more information.

Enhancement Electrostatic spraying and hot spraying are two Reducetechniques techniques to help achieve high coating efficiencies.

See guide GG387 for more information.

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Powder coating This is essentially an electrostatic coating process. ReduceThere are a number of powder coating techniques that can be employed, which include corona electrostatic charging, tribo-charging and combination charging. See guide GG387 for more information.

Training operators Poor operator practice can lead to high rework rates Reducein good spray and material consumption even with a good spray gungun techniques system. If a new spray gun technique is introduced, it

is essential for sprayers to be trained and given time to practice the technique before production starts. Many spray gun manufacturers and paint manufacturers operate training courses.

Use alternatives To minimise use of solvents, investigate using Reduceto solvent mechanical or thermal cleaning.cleaning

Use an There are a number of paint delivery systems on the Reduceappropriate paint market. Depending on the paint shop requirements, delivery system try to select a system that will minimise paint

wastage, eg gravity cup feed systems.

Consider There are many approaches to surface preparation, Eliminatealternative for example, mechanical methods such as brushing, approaches to blasting and tumbling to remove dirt or grease and surface provide a better key for coatings. Common chemical preparation pretreatment methods include acid baths and solvent

vapour degreasing. Aqueous/alkaline or water-based degreasing offers equivalent performance, but with much lower environmental and health and safety risks.

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Printing sector

The printing industry is one of the largest of the UK’s manufacturing industries but oneof the least well documented. This is because most official documentation does notclassify it as a separate industry. It is an industry serving all sectors of the economy(public authorities, financial services, publishers, distributive services and manufacturers)and the customers range from major institutions to the smallest business.

The structure of the printing sector reflects the diversity of its products and fragmented natureof its market. There are fewer than 20 printing companies employing more than 500 people andonly around 550 employing between 50 and 499 people. These companies tend to specialise ina narrow range of products in national and international markets. There is a vast army of smallfirms (employing fewer than ten staff), numbered at more than 12 000, which are usuallygeneral printers catering for a local market.

7.1 Waste codes for the printing sector

The table below lists typical examples of waste arisings from the printing sector as defined in theEuropean Waste Catalogue, including codes. This is not a comprehensive list and further informationcan be found at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/consleg/pdf/2000/en_2000D0532_do_001.pdf

08 03 Wastes from the manufacture, formulation, supply and use of printing inks08 03 12 Waste ink containing dangerous substances08 03 14 Ink sludges containing dangerous substances08 03 16 Waste etching solutions08 03 17 Waste printing toner containing dangerous substances08 03 19 Disperse oil09 Wastes from the photographic industry09 01 Wastes from the photographic industry09 01 01 Water-based developer activator solutions09 01 02 Water-based offset plate developer solutions09 01 03 Solvent-based developer solutions09 01 04 Fixer solutions09 01 05 Bleach solutions and bleach fixer solutions09 01 06 Waste containing silver from on-site treatment of photographic waste15 Waste packaging: absorbents, wiping cloths, filter materials and protective



7.2 Hints and tips


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Nature of hazardous waste: solvent based inks -improving ink management.


Measure ink Measuring your ink losses will provide you with the Reducelosses information needed for an effective ink management

programme. A breakdown of your operating costs will help to identify the greatest opportunities to improve performance. There are many benefits from measuring ink losses, including awareness of raw material costs, additional cleaning, downtime and labour costs caused by ink losses, and disposal costs for inky effluent, rags, organic solvents etc.

Implement a Establishing how much ink your company wastes gives Reduceprogramme to you an indication of the scope for improvement. minimise ink Cost-effective ink management is important for all waste printers, because even small amounts of waste ink can

cause significant losses, due to the additional costs of labour, downtime, cleaning materials and spoilage. Therefore, it is advisable to set up a systematic programme to minimise ink waste.

Appoint a waste In large companies, a senior member of staff with the Reducemanager skills and authority to take a waste minimisation

project forward should be appointed as waste manager. The person will be responsible for collecting data and monitoring progress. Even in smaller companies, an ink stock controller should be appointed to take responsibility for ink supplies.

Undertake A key factor in good process control is training: Reducetraining to raise management training; training tailored to key awareness individuals; training technical staff to take

responsibility for waste; health and safety training; and a continuous improvement programme.

Set targets to Once you have determined how much ink-related Reducereduce waste waste your company generates and what it costs, you

can set reduction targets. When setting targets, it is important to distinguish between avoidable waste and to set realistic reduction targets. These targets should be reviewed regularly.

Improve Good housekeeping measures can significantly reduce Reducehousekeeping the amount of waste generated. With minimal cost or

additional effort, this can yield significant savings. To prevent and reduce ink-related waste: keep lids on containers when not in use; reduce the possibility of spills by using pumps when dispensing new materials; store products in locations that will preserve their shelf-life, eg protected from temperature extremes; and avoid mixing wastes together, this may make recycling impossible and make waste disposal more expensive.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included inGG163 Cost-effective ink management for printers.

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Avoid over- The approach adopted for estimating and ordering can Reduceordering have a fundamental effect on both cash flow and the

amount of waste produced. Over-ordering depletes cash reserves and affects cash flow. If the ink is not used and becomes redundant stock, raw materials are wasted and waste disposal costs are incurred.

Ensure good Poor storage of new materials is likely to result in waste Reducehandling and due to deterioration or spillage. In addition to thestorage wasted material, money and effort will be needed to

dispose of the unusable inks and to clean up. Ink storage areas often have little or no space heating. When inks get cold, they become more viscous. This leads to more thinner being added, resulting in too dilute ink being applied, reducing the quality of work. Material lockers located next to the printing areas can hold smaller amounts of solvent-based ink. This allows greater control of ink temperature and a more even application throughout the year.

Use of ready- Ink mixing and matching is crucial to the printing Reducemixed inks process. Buying-in special colours ready-mixed from an

ink manufacturer is an option. However, this can be expensive in terms of paying for the service, further inkmaterial costs and the amount of waste ink produced. When a special colour is mixed-to-order by the supplier,it may not meet the client’s specifications when appliedto the substrate. The entire batch of ink then has to be adjusted by the printer, which uses further raw materials.Waste can also occur when printers are not able to store,re-use or remix special ink colours for another print job.

Use computerised Automated ink mixing systems dispense base colours, Reduceink mixing extender or polymer medium, and varnish according tosystems predetermined formulae. Stock mixtures from ink

returns can be used or incorporated into new colours. The computer printouts also allow you to compare current data with previous jobs.

Choose the most A crucial part of ink management is the transfer of ink Reduceappropriate ink from its delivery container, mixing vessel or other delivery system source to the press. Regardless of the size of your

company, the ink delivery system should be efficient and effective. The majority of small printers do this manually. Compared to automated handling, manual handling generates waste pots requiring disposal, and involves more effort and the use of more cleaning materials. There is also a greater risk of spillages and evaporation. Lids should be kept on at all possible times to prevent loss and when decanting inks to the press, ladle as much as possible out of the tub. Also look to reduce manual handling by using a manually operated conveyancing system such as a trolley or pallet truck. Alternatively, look at using closed pumping systems to provide a continuous delivery of base colour inks. This reduces spillages, employee exposure and contamination risk and gives greater control of ink volume.

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Recycle ink Recycling ink by re-using it on the press saves money and Recyclereduces waste. Identify opportunities for re-use of inksand take steps to ensure that this approach becomes commonplace on the factory floor. Label ink returns andkeep accessible records. Store ink returns appropriately to avoid deterioration or contamination of the ink.

Reclaim solvent Opportunities for solvent recovery depend on the type Recycleof ink and the mixture of solvent used. The recovered solvent can be either re-used in the process as a thinner or sold to an ink manufacturer for recycling. Adsorption,condensation and absorption are the main solvent recovery techniques used by UK industry. Waste solventblends can be recycled without loss of print quality, eg for low-grade cleaning work. Larger printers purify theirwaste solvent blends, eg using an automatic distillationmachine, to produce material suitable for higher gradecleaning duties. Another alternative is to send waste solvent to a specialist recovery and recycling company.

Nature of hazardous waste: solvent, inky washdowneffluents, contaminated inks, cleaning cloths -improving management of cleaning materials.


Quantify cleaning Conduct a full review of cleaning materials used in a Reducematerial use printing operation. With the information from this, it

is easier to implement measures that reduce the use of cleaning materials and target products for possible replacement with lower organic solvent or non-organic solvent alternatives.

Measure stock Once the location of the chemicals and wastes has been Reducelevels identified, the next stage is to undertake stock level

measurement. You should go to each storage locationand note what chemicals are stored. Areas that you willneed to look at include stock rooms, external chemicalstores, pre-press and pressroom cabinets and shelves, pre-press machines, the press and other surfaces, and cleaners’ cupboards. This is a useful exercise, as you will find that many cleaning materials are out-of-date, are part of a completed trial, are no longer used, have no label, or are in need of safe and legal disposal. Once the stocktake is complete, consider a ‘spring clean’. This will remove out-of-date or unknown cleaning materials, make space and record stock levels of commonly used materials, thus avoiding over-ordering.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG231Cost-effective management of cleaning materials for printers.

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Identify where After determining the quantity of materials Reducecleaning materials purchased, determine where the cleaning materials are used are actually used. This helps to identify where

improvements can be made. For each cleaning material your company uses, estimate its use in each cleaning process you operate and compare the amount used with either press or equipment manufacturers’ recommended quantities required for cleaning, or the quantity you have determined is the ‘optimum’ required to carry out the cleaning operation - perhaps by comparing best practice between machines or shifts.

Improve cleaning There are several areas of good practice relating to Reducematerial use cleaning materials operation. They include: reducing

the use of cleaning materials and increasing the efficiency of cleaning material use; recovery of cleaning materials; modification of presses to reduce cleaning requirements; and replacement of conventional cleaning materials with products that have lower environmental impacts.

Plan overall jobs Plan job loads to reduce waste. Planning allows for Reducescheduling of the daily runs to reduce colour changes and to run inks from lighter to darker. Both reduce the need for heavy cleaning.

Press cleaning Simple procedures reduce the amount of solvent used Reducefor press cleaning and the associated VOC emissions. These include: minimising the solvent applied to a cleaning wipe by using plunger cans with a piston type dispenser or squeeze bottles; using press wipes for as long as possible before discarding; and using soiled wipes for the initial pass and clean ones for the last.

Re-use cleaning Cloth cleaning wipes covered in ink and solvent can Re-usewipes be sent to industrial laundry services. Remove the

majority of liquids prior to shipping. The recovered solvent can be used initially for parts washing, recaptured, and then distilled for re-use.

Use squeegees to During cleaning operations, equipment can be Reduceremove excess introduced that will reduce wipe and solvent use. The liquid least technical of these are squeegees to remove

excess liquids from the equipment. This, in turn, will reduce the number of wipes required.

Consider use of Many printers use organic, solvent-based cleaning Reducelow-solvent materials for all cleaning operations irrespective of materials whether or not these properties are required. Less

harmful cleaning products are being developed all the time and many effective alternatives are available. Vegetable oil-based cleaning agents virtually eliminate inhalation hazards, thus the effects on health and the environment are reduced.

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Recover solvents Steps to minimise the amount of solvent used for Re-usefor re-use cleaning should be taken first before solvent recovery

options are considered. On-site recovery is an option that may be available to larger printers. Centrifugal systems are available that recover excess solvent which is then re-used for cleaning operations.

Automated Installing automatic washing equipment on Re-usewashing lithographic presses can increase press efficiency andmachines improve safety. There are several options available for

a variety of presses.

Consider Automatic ink dispensing systems pump ink directly to Re-useautomatic ink the press ink ducts, removing the need for manual dispensing filling. This avoids the cleaning of ancillary equipment systems such as buckets and can reduce spillage. An alternative

(for sheet-fed litho presses) is an ink cartridge dispensing system. Ink is supplied in cardboard or plastic cartridges. This removes the need for cleaning of ancillary equipment such as containers and can reduce spillage and clean-up.

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Speciality chemicals sector

The speciality chemicals industry is very diverse in the types of materials manufactured,scale of manufacture and size of organisation. Speciality chemicals cover the productionof pharmaceutical intermediates, specialised organics, dyes, pigments, varnishes andpaints, toiletries, soaps and detergents, and a range of other specialist intermediatesand products.

8.1 Waste codes for the speciality chemicals sector

The table below lists typical examples of waste arisings from the speciality chemicals sector as defined inthe European Waste Catalogue, including codes. This is not a comprehensive list and further informationcan be found at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/consleg/pdf/2000/en_2000D0532_do_001.pdf

06 Wastes from inorganic chemical processes06 01 Wastes from the manufacture, formulation, supply and use (MFSU) of acids06 01 01 Sulphuric acid and sulphurous acid06 01 02 Hydrochloric acid06 01 03 Hydrofluoric acid06 01 04 Phosphoric and phosphorous acid06 01 05 Nitric acid and nitrous acid06 01 99 Wastes not otherwise specified06 02 Wastes from the MFSU of bases06 02 01 Calcium hydroxide06 02 03 Ammonium hydroxide06 02 04 Sodium and potassium hydroxide06 02 05 Other bases06 02 99 Wastes not otherwise specified06 03 Wastes from the MFSU of salts and their solutions and metallic oxides06 03 11 Solid salts and solutions containing cyanides06 03 13 Solid salts and solutions containing heavy metals06 03 15 Metallic oxides containing heavy metals06 04 Metal-containing wastes other than those mentioned in 06 0306 04 03 Wastes containing arsenic06 04 04 Wastes containing mercury06 04 05 Wastes containing other heavy metals06 05 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment06 05 02 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances06 07 Wastes from the MFSU of halogens and halogen chemical processes06 07 01 Wastes containing asbestos from electrolysis06 07 02 Activated carbon from chlorine production06 07 03 Barium sulphate sludge containing mercury06 07 04 Solutions and acids, for example, contact acid06 13 Wastes from inorganic chemical processes not otherwise specified06 13 01 Inorganic plant protection products, wood-preserving agents and other biocides06 13 02 Spent activated carbon (except 06 07 02)06 13 04 Wastes from asbestos processing06 13 05 Soot07 Wastes from organic chemical processes07 01 Wastes from the MFSU of basic organic chemicals07 01 01 Aqueous washing liquids and mother liquids07 01 03 Organic halogenated solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids

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07 01 04 Other organic solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 01 07 Halogenated still bottoms and reaction residues07 01 08 Other still bottoms and reaction residues07 01 09 Halogenated filter cakes and spent absorbents07 01 10 Other filter cakes and spent absorbents07 01 11 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances07 02 Wastes from the MFSU of plastics, synthetic rubber and man-made fibres07 02 01 Aqueous washing liquids and mother liquids07 02 03 Organic halogenated solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 02 04 Other organic solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 02 07 Halogenated still bottoms and reaction residues07 02 08 Other still bottoms and reaction residues07 02 09 Halogenated filter cakes and spent absorbents07 02 10 Other filter cakes and spent absorbents07 02 11 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances07 03 Wastes from the MFSU of organic dyes and pigments (except 06 11)07 03 01 Aqueous washing liquids and mother liquids07 03 03 Organic halogenated solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 03 04 Other organic solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 03 07 Halogenated still bottoms and reaction residues07 03 08 Other still bottoms and reaction residues07 03 09 Halogenated filter cakes and spent absorbents07 03 10 Other filter cakes and spent absorbents07 03 11 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances07 04 Wastes from the MFSU of organic plant protection products (except 02 01 08 and

02 01 09), wood preserving agents (except 03 02) and other biocides07 04 01 Aqueous washing liquids and mother liquids07 04 03 Organic halogenated solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 04 04 Other organic solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 04 07 Halogenated still bottoms and reaction residues07 04 08 Other still bottoms and reaction residues07 04 09 Halogenated filter cakes and spent absorbents07 04 10 Other filter cakes and spent absorbents07 04 11 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances07 05 Wastes from the MFSU of pharmaceuticals07 05 01 Aqueous washing liquids and mother liquids07 05 03 Organic halogenated solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 05 04 Other organic solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 05 07 Halogenated still bottoms and reaction residues07 05 08 Other still bottoms and reaction residues07 05 09 Halogenated filter cakes and spent absorbents07 05 10 Other filter cakes and spent absorbents07 05 11 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances07 06 Wastes from the MFSU of fats, grease, soaps, detergents, disinfectants and cosmetics07 06 01 Aqueous washing liquids and mother liquids07 06 03 Organic halogenated solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 06 04 Other organic solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 06 07 Halogenated still bottoms and reaction residues07 06 08 Other still bottoms and reaction residues07 06 09 Halogenated filter cakes and spent absorbents07 06 10 Other filter cakes and spent absorbents07 06 11 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances07 07 Wastes from the MFSU of fine chemicals and chemical products not otherwise

specified07 07 01 Aqueous washing liquids and mother liquids07 07 03 Organic halogenated solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids

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07 07 04 Other organic solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 07 07 Halogenated still bottoms and reaction residues07 07 08 Other still bottoms and reaction residues07 07 09 Halogenated filter cakes and spent absorbents07 07 10 Other filter cakes and spent absorbents07 07 11 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances08 Wastes from the MFSU of coatings (paints, varnishes and vitreous enamels),

adhesives, sealants and printing inks08 01 Wastes from the MFSU and removal of paint and varnish08 01 11 Waste paint and varnish containing organic solvents or other dangerous substances08 01 13 Sludges from paint or varnish containing organic solvents or other dangerous




other dangerous substances08 01 21 Waste paint or varnish remover08 03 Wastes from the MFSU of printing inks08 03 12 Waste ink containing dangerous substances08 03 14 Ink sludges containing dangerous substances08 03 16 Waste etching solutions08 03 17 Waste printing toner containing dangerous substances08 03 19 Disperse oil15 Waste packaging: absorbents, wiping cloths, filter material and protective


cloths, protective clothing contaminated by dangerous substances16 08 Spent catalysts16 08 02 Spent catalysts containing dangerous transition metals (scandium, vanadium,

manganese, cobalt, copper, yttrium, niobium, hafnium, tungsten, titanium,chromium, iron, nickel, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, tantalum) or transitionmetal compounds

16 08 05 Spent catalysts containing phosphoric acid16 08 06 Spent liquids used as catalysts16 08 07 Spent catalysts contaminated with dangerous substances

8.2 Hints and tips


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Nature of hazardous waste: chemical effluents, waste oilsand waste scrubbing liquors - optimisation of vacuumsystems to reduce costs and improve environmentalperformance.


Improve The use of vacuum to remove filtrate significantly Reducefiltration rates enhances liquid-solid separation by reducing the need

for filtration and, sometimes, improving the propertiesof the filter cake. Other benefits include less material loss in the filter cake, improved yield of filtrate, improved product or reduced processing to remove contaminants from the filter cake.

Effective use of Efficient operation could reduce running costs by at Reducevacuum system least 10%. Changing the system completely could

produce savings of up to 50%.

Use a dead-end Use a dead-end filling technique to reduce the Reducefilling technique problem of excessive discharges of pollutants when

vacuum is used to charge vessels from drums or transfer between vessels.

Planned/ Vacuum equipment is frequently ignored until its Reducepreventative performance drops or something fails. This ‘breakdownmaintenance maintenance regime’ is inefficient as breakdowns

rarely occur at convenient times. Vacuum equipmentmaintenance should be carried out on a routine basis to identify and repair faults before they become more serious.

Fit solenoid Significant benefits can be achieved by eliminating Reducevalves the unnecessary use of water in liquid ring pumps.

One solution is to fit solenoid valves on the seal and cooling water supplies and interlocking these valves to the main power supply to the pump drive. Water will then flow only when the pump is running.

Convert the Another solution is to convert the pump from a once- Reducepump to a through water seal to a recirculating water seal. The recirculating feasibility of this option will depend on the degree of water seal contamination picked up on each pass of the liquid.

Replace the seal Replace the seal water with an alternative liquid to Reducewater produce waste that is easier to handle and dispose of.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG101Reducing vacuum costs.

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Nature of hazardous waste: chemical effluents -minimising waste and maintaining product qualitythrough effective vessel washing.


Establish a wash In some companies, vessel washing operations are based Reduceprocedure on habit rather than on a proper understanding of the

levels of cleanliness required to avoid contamination.This increases the risk of over-washing, thereby using more wash liquor and generating more effluent than is necessary. To establish when a washing process has achieved the levels of cleanliness required, companies should analyse the contaminant concentrations in the effluent from each wash.

Improve staff The effective management of vessel washing depends Reduceawareness on improving staff awareness of the environmental

and financial implications of these activities. The operator ultimately determines the effectiveness of vessel washing operations. Raising awareness is an effective way of generating practical ideas for improvement. Many cost-effective changes introduced by companies have been identified by operators.

Production Production scheduling to minimise the need for vessel Reducescheduling washing between product batches will reduce the

wash frequency. Generally, the longer the lead-time, the easier it is to schedule.

Enhance Inspection and monitoring are used to identify efficient Reduceinspection and vessel washing practice. Changes need to be based on monitoring accurate data provided by systematic inspection and

monitoring, ie learning by logging.

Redesign Changes to the production process can sometimes Reduceprocess/product reduce or eliminate the need for vessel washing. Various

options include: switching to water-based solvents, thereby reducing the need for washing with organic solvents and minimising the risk of gaseous solvent emissions; adding colours or odorants to the base product outside the main mixing vessel, thereby avoidingthe need for washing after each sub-product; and usingthe same base solvent in a range of different products to enhance their chemical compatibility, thereby reducing the need for washing between products.

Technical Spray nozzles, balls and rotating heads which produce Reduceimprovement dense sprays and jets of wash liquor offer a relatively options simple technique for reducing the amount of wash

liquor used and, when fitted with partial recirculation, they can increase washing efficiency by 90%.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG120Cost-effective vessel washing.

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Recovery and Recovering or re-using vessel washing liquors can bring Re-usere-use of wash significant reductions in effluent volumes and dischargeliquors costs, and can also reduce product loss. Procedures may

involve recovering solvent from the wash liquor, re-using the wash liquor by returning it to the next product and re-using the wash liquor for other purposes, such as general cleaning.

Switching to Using an alternative solvent as wash liquor can have a Re-usealternative wash number of potential benefits. These include a reductionliquors in the costs of washing and effluent disposal, less

damage to the environment and improved health and safety.

Ensure complete The opportunities for using vessel design to enhance Reducevessel drain-down drainage are limited. Such opportunities really arise

only during the design of a new process or during refurbishment. Nevertheless, it is important for companies to be aware of good practice so they can take advantage of opportunities when they arise.

High pressure Increasing wash pressure improves the efficiency of Reducewash systems cleaning and helps to reduce the volume of wash

liquor required.

Automated vessel Automated vessel washing techniques, particularly Reducewashing control when in enclosed vessels, can incorporate remotely systems controlled valves, flow meters, concentration meters

etc. PC-based control suites are used to control these automated systems. The systems can be programmed with pre-tested washing procedures for exact washing performance.

Closed-loop wash Closed-loop vessel washing systems minimise the Re-usesystems release of gaseous emissions, contain any liquid for

disposal, allow recirculation of the solvent to maximise its use and protect the operator from contact with, or inhalation of, the wash liquors.

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Nature of hazardous waste: chemical effluents - reducingthe costs associated with effluent treatment plant,pretreatment techniques, physical/chemical processes,biological processes and sludge management.


Diversion Diversion facilities, to which effluents can be redirected Reducequickly and easily, are essential as a temporary storage facility at most chemical plants. Diversion facilities are used to control occurrences that could put the plant orthe site’s discharge consent at risk.

Equalisation/ Equalisation controls fluctuations in the effluent Reducebalancing characteristics arising from batch manufacturing

processes, thus ensuring optimum conditions for subsequent downstream treatment processes.

Neutralisation Many effluents contain acidic or alkaline materials and Reducerequire the pH to be adjusted either before discharge or prior to treatment by biological processes. At sites with both acidic and alkaline effluents, consider using these streams to neutralise each other in a diversionfacility. This minimises the need for chemical additions for pH control.

Sedimentation Sedimentation is used at both the pretreatment and Reducemain treatment stages to remove suspended solids through gravity settlement in a settlement tank or basin.

Dissolved air Dissolved air flotation is generally used to remove Reduceflotation suspended solids and part of the organic load prior to

biological treatment or other treatment.

Wet air oxidation Pretreatment of certain high COD effluents and Reducesludge can be achieved by oxidation of organic pollutants at high temperature and pressure using air, hydrogen peroxide or oxygen. Depending on the conditions, wet air oxidation can be used to convert organic compounds to carbon dioxide, water and nitrogen, or to break down complex structures into more degradable compounds prior to secondary biological treatment.

Activated sludge The activated sludge process is an aerobic biological Reducetreatment in which bacteria and other micro-organismsfeed on biodegradable organic material in the effluent and degrade it. Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are required to support good growth.

Sludge thickening Sludge thickening and dewatering are mechanical Reduceand dewatering operations used to produce a more concentrated

sludge by reducing the volume. Currently used methods include gravity thickeners, decanters and drum thickeners. Dewatering is typically carried out using a centrifuge, belt press or plate and frame press.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG175Improving the performance of effluent treatment plant.

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Nature of hazardous waste: chemicals and chemicaleffluents - optimising product yield for batch processes,improving yield results and reduced material consumption.


Prepare a mass Preparing a mass balance helps to identify where the Reducebalance greatest losses are occurring and thus the potential for

improvement. It also highlights opportunities to reduce the use of, or recycle, solvents.

Set targets and To ensure adequate standards, it is important to Reducebenchmark compare product yield with a benchmark or reference

point. For existing processes or products, the previous year’s production can be used as the base-line against which to compare performance. Benchmarks for reactor and product yields should be reviewed at specified intervals. If yield values are regularly either above or below the target values, the benchmark may need to be reviewed.

Review materials Although some products require specific active Reduceused ingredients, many processes involve a range of basic

raw materials. Reviewing the number, quality and source of the raw materials can produce significant cost savings and other benefits.

Reduce spillages One way of reducing spillage is to use whole Reducecontainers of material wherever possible, eg by revising formulae to optimise the use of 25 kg sacks of material. Another method is to automate filling. The benefits of using whole containers of material include:

� a full measure is added to the batch and waste is minimised;

� less waste due to deterioration of residual material in a partly filled container;

� less surplus material needs to be stored in a container that requires cleaning prior to return or disposal;

� easier compliance with COSHH.

Optimise Producing small batches in large vessels can be less Reduceproduction of efficient than using a dedicated reactor. For example,small batches the mass loss from a boil-out is the same for both

half-size and full-size batches; the percentage loss is effectively doubled and the yield correspondingly reduced. For small batch quantities of a chemical that is not produced regularly, the sale contract should specify that the customer must take the entire batch. Otherwise, revenue will be lost and the excess stock could become a waste disposal problem.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG216Increasing product output in batch chemical manufacture.

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Train staff in To ensure that optimum conditions are maintained, it Reducenew procedures is vital to explain the reasons for change to operators

and supervisors. Involving staff at an early stage of theyield improvement programme will help to instil a sense of ownership and promote awareness.

Monitor and Having taken action to improve product yield, it is vital Reducecontrol the yield to monitor and control yield to maintain improvement.

Use performance records, waste management records, utility costs and product assays.

Nature of hazardous waste: chemical effluents - improving watermanagement performance by adopting a systematic approach toreducing the costs of water purchase and operational use.


Meter areas Metering individual product areas and setting Reducereduction targets is an effective method of reducing water consumption and can result in savings of 30%.

Improve plant Improvements in plant washdowns and the use of Reducewashdown trigger hoses can reduce water consumption by 50%.

Improve Improvements in housekeeping to avoid cleaning can Reducehousekeeping reduce water savings by 10%.

Use of flow Flow restrictors on vessel cooling lines can reduce Reducerestrictors water use by 5%.

Cooling water Process plant modifications can facilitate the re-use of Re-usecooling water, which can reduce water consumption by 21%.

Re-use of wash Trials have shown that the re-use of wash water for Re-usewater batch dilution can reduce water consumption by 25%.

Installation of Installation of high pressure washers for cleaning Reducehigh pressure blending tanks can reduce water use by 5%.washers

Recirculation of Recirculation of water in liquid ring vacuum pumps Re-usewater can reduce water consumption by 50%.

Replacement of Replacement of water seal vacuum pumps with dry Reducewater seal versions can reduce water consumption by 24%.vacuum pumps

Distribution Reduction of the site distribution pressure can assist in Reducepressure reducing water consumption.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG363 Managingwater use in speciality chemicals’ manufacture: a signposting guide.

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Prepare a mass Water that comes into a process must leave in one Reducebalance way or another, ie inputs must equal outputs.

Knowing this information allows certain ‘unknowns’, typically leaks and evaporative losses, to be estimated.

Employee Staff at all levels can play an important role in Reducetraining reducing water consumption and effluent generation.

Train process operators and supervisors in the correct use of machinery and procedures and the correct handling of materials. Emphasise the cost of wasted water and the impact that improvements can have on profits.

Measure water Monitoring water consumption and effluent volumes Reduceand effluent is essential to control and reduce costs. Where possible,

fit sub-meters to monitor consumption for each production area. Check water use during ‘silent’ periods, such as overnight and during shutdowns. If it is not close to zero, find out why; there may be a leak or plant left running unnecessarily.

Scheduled Set a scheduled maintenance programme involving Reducemaintenance proactive (rather than just reactive) maintenanceprogramme combined with resetting and recalibration of process

equipment, eg flow control valves, metering devices onmixing vessels and thermostats on cooling equipment.

Cleaning Cleaning ‘as you go’ is less intensive and less water is Reducepractices required if residues, spillages etc are cleaned before

they are dry and stick. When cleaning sticky and viscous materials, use mechanical methods such as scrapers, shovels and brushes before hosing down with water. Match the cleaning water quality to the application, ie use slightly contaminated water to wash floors and moderately contaminated water to wash very contaminated areas. Use clean water only for the final rinse. The wash water can be re-used for earlier rinses, this is known as the water use ‘hierarchy’.

Cleaning devices Use spillage kits and squeegees to soak up spillages, Reduceand brushes to sweep spillages down drains. All are preferable to hosing spillages to drain. Pressurised spraying is generally more efficient than merely ‘fillingand swilling’, or boil-outs. High-pressure cleaning systems are usually the best option when dealing withsticky and viscous materials.

Production Plan the sequence of production so that compatible Reducescheduling products follow each other, thus minimising the

washing needed between them. If necessary, extend product storage time slightly.

Vessel washing Using one wash procedure irrespective of the batch Reducematrix sequence is generally inefficient. Identify the levels of

cleanliness required between different products and devise the optimum washing requirements between product batches. You may find that no washing is required or that wash liquor can be re-used. Present this information in a matrix for operators to refer to.

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Re-use of wash Wash liquor can be re-used directly in subsequent Re-useliquor compatible product batches where dilution is required.

Materials Where wash liquors cannot be re-used directly, use Re-userecovery membrane systems to recover high value materials or

product from effluent.

Re-use wash Store and re-use wash liquor for cleaning vessels of Re-useliquor for compatible batches until it becomes too heavilycleaning contaminated.

Vessel design Position valves at the lowest point of the vessel to Reduceimprove drainage. Replace flat-bottomed vessels with vessels with smooth contours and a cone-shaped bottom to assist drainage and cleaning. Use fully enclosed vessels to reduce evaporation and, hence, the need for cleaning. Use polished stainless steel or plastic lined vessels (where appropriate) to make cleaning and maintenance easier.

Closed-loop Make it easier to re-use wash liquor by linking vessels Re-usewash systems and wash/holding tanks to form a closed system.

Closed systems also help to reduce odours, VOCs and other gaseous emissions.

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Textiles sector

Faced with pressure to compete with cheap imports or identify new marketopportunities, the textiles and clothing sector has undergone significant reorganisationover recent years. Many UK firms are successfully repositioning themselves toconcentrate on the UK’s advantages of strong design skills and close relationships withretail and automotive customers.

9.1 Waste codes for the textiles sector

The table below lists typical examples of waste arisings from the textiles sector as defined in theEuropean Waste Catalogue, including codes. This is not a comprehensive list and further informationcan be found at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/consleg/pdf/2000/en_2000D0532_do_001.pdf

04 Wastes from the leather, fur and textile industries04 01 Wastes from the leather and fur industry04 01 03 Degreasing wastes containing solvents without a liquid phase04 02 Wastes from the textile industry04 02 14 Wastes from finishing containing organic solvents04 02 16 Dyestuffs and pigments containing dangerous substances04 02 19 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances07 02 Wastes from the manufacture, formulation, supply and use (MFSU) of plastics,

synthetic rubber and man-made fibres07 02 01 Aqueous washing liquids and mother liquids07 02 03 Organic halogenated solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 02 04 Other organic solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 02 07 Halogenated still bottoms and reaction residues07 02 08 Other still bottoms and reaction residues07 02 09 Halogenated filter cakes and spent absorbents07 02 10 Other filter cakes and spent absorbents07 02 11 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances07 03 Wastes from the MFSU of organic dyes and pigments (except 06 11)07 03 01 Aqueous washing liquids and mother liquids07 03 03 Organic halogenated solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 03 04 Other organic solvents, washing liquids and mother liquids07 03 07 Halogenated still bottoms and reaction residues07 03 08 Other still bottoms and reaction residues07 03 09 Halogenated filter cakes and spent absorbents07 03 10 Other filter cakes and spent absorbents07 03 11 Sludges from on-site effluent treatment containing dangerous substances08 05 Wastes not otherwise specified08 05 01 Waste isocyanates15 Waste packaging: absorbents, wiping cloths, filter materials and protective

clothing not otherwise specified 15 02 Absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths and protective clothing15 02 02 Absorbents, filter materials (including oil filters not otherwise specified), wiping


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9.2 Hints and tips

This section contains various hints and tips that will improve your resource efficiency andreduce the quantities of hazardous waste that may subsequently require disposal. For moredetailed information, refer to the guides identified.

Nature of hazardous waste: textile dyeing and finishing industryeffluents - reducing water and effluent costs.


Use trigger hoses People are often unaware of the cost of leaving taps Reduceand hoses running. Reduce water use by fixing hand trigger hoses.

Reduce process With the continual improvements in chemical Reducesteps performance, processes should be reviewed regularly

to ensure every stage is still necessary. Many firms have dramatically reduced rinse water by reducing the number of process steps involved. Also, one possible option is to reduce rinse water use for lighter shades.

Recycle cooling Many cooling water systems are operated on a once- Recyclewater through basis. The resulting hot water is generally

uncontaminated and can be re-used in the process as make-up or rinse water.

Re-use process It is sometimes possible to re-use certain waste streams, Re-usewater eg dilute wash water in other parts of the process such

as process water in other textile operations with or without the addition of chemicals.

Countercurrent Countercurrent washing/rinsing is an established Reducewashing/rinsing technique common on continuous ranges. This system

can significantly reduce water use.

Reduce chemical Most of the chemicals used in textile processing are Reduceuse not retained on the fibre but are washed off.

Controlling the quantity of each chemical used and replacing more polluting chemicals with less polluting substances can reduce effluent strength and treatment costs.

Recipe The chemical recipes used in wet processing are often Reduceoptimisation fail-safe under the most extreme conditions. This results

in the overuse of chemicals and increased effluent strength. Check whether the recipes are mixed to specification and if the chemical is vital to the process. In some cases, it is possible to achieve a 20 - 50% chemical reduction by reviewing recipes and chemical use.

Dosing control If recipes are mixed manually, check how operators Reducemeasure and control dosing. If automatic dosing systems are used, check whether they are properly calibrated.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG62 Water andchemical use in the textile dyeing and finishing industry.

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Pre-screen Check material safety data sheets, available from Reducechemicals manufacturers, which should contain chemical,

ecotoxicological and environmental information and will help to pre-screen chemicals and select those with the least effect on effluent strength and toxicity.

Pre-screen raw Raw textile fibres can contain a number of toxic Reducematerials substances, which end up in the effluent after

processing. Where possible, select raw materials from countries that ban the use of toxic chemicals, ie choose the least hazardous.

Production The need for machine cleaning between dye and print Reducescheduling runs can be dramatically reduced by careful production

scheduling. By progressing from lighter shades of dye to darker shades (and back again) some companies have eliminated many of the cleaning cycles.

Chemical The objective of chemical substitution is to replace the Reducesubstitution process chemicals that have a high pollutant strength

or toxic properties with others that have less impact oneffluent quality, eg for dye bath acid replace acetic acid(0.64 kg BOD/kg) with formic acid (0.12 kg BOD/kg).

Chemical The recovery and re-use of chemicals have been Re-userecovery and applied successfully in three main areas: the re-use ofre-use dye solutions from the dye bath, the recovery of

caustic after the mercerising process, and the recovery of size cotton processing.

Improved dye Considerable attention is given to the fixation of dyes Reducefixation to yarn and fabric, and new techniques are continually

being developed. Better fixation contributes to lower chemical use and lower effluent contamination. Textile managers should regularly monitor specific dye consumption to ensure that optimum performance is maintained.

Effluent Some companies have to correct the pH of their final Reducetreatment effluent to sewer by dosing with acid or alkali.

Examine the range of waste streams available and consider neutralising one stream with another, thereby eliminating the need for additional chemicals.

Use dyes with Dye manufacturers recognise the environmental impact Reducelower toxicity of using dyes. This has led to the development of new

dyes with a lower toxicity, improved levelling and exhaust characteristics, and narrow quality tolerances.

Use newer fibres A number of man-made fibres are available to the Reducewith a greater textile industry. Check if they have a greater affinity affinity for for dyestuffs and may help to improve exhaust dyeingdyestuffs and reduce the problem of coloured effluent.

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Install new Install new equipment to reduce cleaning loss, such as Reduceequipment to screen printing squeegee wash (wash water use for reduce cleaning squeegee cleaning can be reduced from 100 litres to loss 20 litres per squeegee by replacing manual washing

with automatic high pressure water cleaning) and conveyor belt wash water recycling (older machines use substantial quantities of water to remove lint and dye from the print machine conveyor in a blanket wash at the end of the line). New equipment uses staged rinsing with countercurrent rinse water flow, significantly reducing water use and effluent generation.

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Packaging

Packaging is the term used to describe any material used for the containment,protection, handling, delivery and presentation of goods (from raw materials toprocessed goods) from the producer to the end-user or consumer.

There are three main categories of packaging:

� Primary (sales) packaging around the goods at the point of purchase by the user or consumer;an example of primary packaging is the crisp packet.

� Secondary (grouped) packaging which groups a number of items together until the point ofsale; an example is the box in which packets of crisps are supplied to retailers.

� Tertiary (transit) packaging, which allows handling and transport of a number of groupeditems as one unit; examples are the pallet on which boxes of crisp packets are stacked andany banding or shrink-wrap used to hold them fast.

The two sets of key packaging regulations that businesses should be aware of are:

Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations

&

Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 (As Amended)

The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations aim to encouragecompanies to reduce quantities of packaging and to re-use/recover packaging. The regulationsaffect companies that:

� have an annual turnover of more than £2 million;

� handle more than 50 tonnes/year of packaging.

Companies that meet these criteria are obliged to take responsibility for the recovery andrecycling of their packaging waste. The obligation is evaluated by:

� the amount of obligated packaging a company handles;

� particular activities, ie raw material manufacturer 6%, converter 9%, packer/filler 37%,seller/final retailer 48%;

� UK recovery and recycling targets.

The term ‘packaging handled’ describes the company’s annual throughput (in tonnes) ofpackaging during the last calendar year. This includes packaging that is imported and packagingthat is passed on (whether or not this was imported).

The main exemptions to the obligations are packaging that is:

� discarded on-site unless it was imported packaging, for this you are considered the end-user;

� exported (even by a third party);

� re-used (apart from its first use);

� reconditioned and second-hand (eg pallets);

� leased or owned by others.

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If your company is obligated, you are required to:

1. Register and provide data on the packaging handled to the relevant environment agency by7 April of the year you become obligated.

2. Take responsibility for the recovery (including recycling and energy from waste) and recyclingof your ‘obligation’ amount for particular materials (you can arrange for this to be done onyour behalf).

3. Certify and provide evidence (usually by obtaining Packaging Recovery Notes [PRNs]) that youhave fulfilled your recovery and recycling obligations.

If you join a registered compliance scheme, you pass on your obligations but will have to pay amembership fee and pay for your PRNs.

� For further information on the application of the packaging waste regulations in England,Wales and Scotland, see the User’s Guide available for downloading from the Department forEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs website (www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/packaging/index.htm).

� Separate but similar regulations apply in Northern Ireland. (See www.ehsni.gov.uk/environment/wastemanage/regulations_packaging.shtml) Companies are advised to contactthe Environment and Energy Helpline (0800 585794) or the Environment and HeritageService (www.ehsni.gov.uk).

The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 (As Amended) require certainconditions to be met in relation to the manufacture and composition of packaging and to itsre-usability and recoverability. They complement the packaging waste regulations and areeffectively eco-design regulations. The regulations are enforced by local authority tradingstandards officers and apply to packers/fillers, importers of packaged goods from outside theEuropean Economic Area (EEA) and brand owners (where the brand/trademark is shown). Theseregulations apply regardless of company size and apply only to packaging placed on the EEAmarket (packed/filled packaging) after 31 December 1994.

The three key legal requirements for companies are to:

� comply with the limits on heavy metal content (lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium andmercury combined in packaging and any of its components must be limited to 100 parts permillion);

� keep appropriate records for four years after the packaging was put on the market;

� meet the ‘essential requirements’, which relate to:

- minimising the volume and weight (for a given material/system), subject to ‘fitness forpurpose’ criteria;

- permitting re-use (fulfil a number of trips and meet health and safety requirements) orrecovery;

- allowing at least one of the following recovery options on disposal - materials recycling,composting/biodegradation, or energy from waste;

- minimising the presence of noxious and/or hazardous substances in the packaging andhence the environmental impacts of its disposal.

The main exemptions include:

� re-usable packaging already in use, but not the first time it is put on the market (ierefurbished packaging is not exempt);

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� packaging exported straight out of the EEA without being put on the European market.

Some exemptions on the heavy metal requirements apply to certain types of re-usable plasticboxes and plastic pallets containing recycled material.

The requirement for minimising packaging means that you have to reduce the material weightand pack volume until a ‘fitness for purpose’ limit is reached. This fitness is judged on criteriacalled the critical area, these are:

� product protection;

� packaging manufacturing process;

� packing/filling process;

� logistics - transport, warehousing, handling, etc;

� product presentation and marketing;

� user/consumer acceptance - ease of opening, tamper-free evidence, etc;

� information provision, eg product information, instructions, bar codes and expiry dates;

� safety, eg safe handling requirements, child resistance, hazard warnings and pressure releaseclosures;

� legislation - any requirements from national or international legislation or standards;

� other issues - economic, social, environmental implications not considered above.

The form of records is not specified in the regulations. The following are suggested:

� weight/volume minimisation - critical area and why;

� suitability for re-use and recovery;

� minimisation of hazardous substances and heavy metal content.

Records must be made available at the request of your local trading standards officer. Non-compliance is a criminal offence with the possibility of prosecution in a Magistrates or CrownCourt, with a resulting fine.

For further information about the application of these regulations, see the GovernmentGuidance Notes available for downloading from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)website (www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability/packaging.htm).

For free advice and information on these regulations and other environmental legislation,contact the Environment and Energy Helpline free on 0800 585794.

10.1 Waste codes for packaging

The table below lists typical examples of waste arisings from packaging as defined in the EuropeanWaste Catalogue, including codes. This is not a comprehensive list and further information can befound at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/consleg/pdf/2000/en_2000D0532_do_001.pdf

For more information on packaging, see GG411 Packaging reduction saves money:industry examples and GG482 Cutting costs and waste by optimising packaging use.

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15 Waste packaging: absorbents, wiping cloths, filter materials and protectiveclothing not otherwise specified

15 01 Packaging (including separately collected municipal packaging waste)15 01 10 Packaging containing residues of or contaminated by dangerous substances15 01 11 Metallic packaging containing a dangerous solid porous matrix (for example,

asbestos), including empty pressure containers15 02 Absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths and protective clothing15 02 02 Absorbents, filter materials (including oil filters not otherwise specified), wiping


10.2 Hints and tips

This section contains various hints and tips that will improve your resource efficiency and reducethe quantities of hazardous waste that may subsequently require disposal. For furtherinformation refer to the guides identified.

Nature of hazardous waste: heavy metals, industrial solvents,coatings, adhesives, paper bleaching chemicals - improvingpackaging design with a view to reducing costs and the impacton the environment.


Packaging If possible, eliminate packaging altogether. Eliminate Eliminateelimination unnecessary layers, eg box plus tube, collation trays

and shrink-wrap. Eliminate the use of adhesives and tapes by using only interlocking tabs. Eliminate the need for labels by using in-mould embossing or direct printing wherever possible. Avoid having a leaflet in a cartonboard pack by printing information on the inside of the box or sleeve.

Use less Reduce the thickness of the material used. Strengthen Reducepackaging materials locally to allow an overall reduction in

material use. Use double-walled rather than triple-walled corrugated board where extra strength given by the latter is not necessary. Do not use hollow, double-walled containers (eg plastic tubes) unless these are specifically needed for strength/insulation.

Design packaging There are three key areas of concern regarding Reduceto reduce the use hazardous substances and packaging; they are heavy of hazardous metals, industrial solvents in inks, coatings and substances adhesives, and paper bleaching chemicals. Use

paperboard that is unbleached or uses a chlorine-free or elemental chlorine-free bleaching process. Consider using water-based adhesives and hot-melts instead of solvent-based products. Alternatives to organic solvent-borne inks (which have related VOC issues) are water-borne, ultra-violet (UV) curable and litho inks.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG360R Packagingdesign for the environment: reducing costs and quantities.

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Minimise Minimise the use of inks, adhesives, coatings, labels etc. Reducecontamination

Design packaging Packaging designed for re-use (eg plastic totes) can Re-usefor re-use last for at least 30 trips and often 100 or more.

However, so-called ‘one trip’ packaging is often re-used several times. Where this is the case, the best environmental option may be to encourage re-use by increasing material thickness slightly, rather than opting for an ultra-lightweight one-trip design.

Design packaging Packaging designers should consider recycling and Recyclefor recycling composting, and the ways in which segregation,

collection, sorting and reprocessing will take place. Materials that are likely to create problems in the recycling process or in the quality of the recycled material need to be identified and excluded.

Design packaging Where re-use or recycling is neither environmentally Disposefor final disposal beneficial nor cost-effective, some packaging has to be

disposed of to landfill or, more beneficially, through thermal treatment with energy recovery. The key considerations are, has the use of biodegradable packaging been looked into, has calorific value been considered where incineration/energy recovery is inevitable, and can chlorine content be reduced to minimise emissions to air/ash during incineration.

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Many companies use organic solvents, and improvements in solvent management willreduce solvent use and emissions of volatile organic compounds.

Solvents that evaporate readily at room temperature, escaping into the atmosphere, are knownas volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK),trichloroethylene and white spirit are widely used in industry to degrease, thin and dissolve. Theyare also found in many proprietary paints, inks and adhesives.

Industrial solvents and solvent-based coatings are expensive, costing hundreds or eventhousands of pounds per tonne, while waste solvents, inks and coatings are costly to dispose ofbecause they are classified as hazardous waste. In addition, there are health, safety andenvironmental issues. Many organic solvents can harm human health, acting as irritants and, insome cases, carcinogens. Liquid organic solvents can contaminate the ground or water supplies;1 litre is enough to contaminate about 100 million litres of drinking water - equivalent to 50Olympic-sized swimming pools.

11.1 Waste codes for waste organic solvents

The table below lists typical examples of waste arisings from waste organic solvents as defined in theEuropean Waste Catalogue, including codes. This is not a comprehensive list and further informationcan be found at http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/consleg/pdf/2000/en_2000D0532_do_001.pdf

14 Waste organic solvents, refrigerants and propellants (except 07 and 08)14 06 Waste organic solvents, refrigerants and foam/aerosol propellants14 06 01 Chlorofluorocarbons, HCFC, HFC14 06 02 Other halogenated solvents and solvent mixtures14 06 03 Other solvents and solvent mixtures14 06 04 Sludges or solid wastes containing halogenated solvents14 06 05 Sludges or solid wastes containing other solvents

11.2 Hints and tips


Nature of hazardous waste: solvent use - recovery and re-use oforganic solvents and reducing VOC emissions by bettermanagement.

Detailed information for all the following tips is included in GG12 Solvent capturefor recovery and re-use from solvent-laden gas streams, GG60 Practical measuresto save money in screen printing, GG87 Solvent consumption in dry-cleaning,GG100 Solvent capture and recovery in practice: industry examples, GG124Solvent management in practice: industry examples and GG413 Reducing solventuse by good housekeeping.

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Solvent recovery There are a number of processes for the recovery of Re-usesystems solvents. These include adsorption, desorption,

continuous adsorption-desorption processes, adsorptioncapture systems, condensation and associated recoverytechniques, membrane processes, absorption (scrubbing), plasticiser/solvent recovery systems, adsorbent regeneration and condensation systems.

Re-use of Could recovered solvent mixture be re-used in the Re-userecovered solvent process itself or for other duties? Using recovered

solvent as a cleaning solvent or for thinning paint, ink etc, will offset the cost of new materials.

Measure solvent Measuring to manage is a systematic method of Reduceuse and set analysing and controlling solvent consumption, thus targets enabling companies to save money by producing more

of the product for the same amount of solvent. The essential elements are:

� measuring the solvent consumption of a company, department, or production line over a specified period of time;

� relating consumption to a measure of production and thus defining a solvent consumption standard;

� setting targets for reduced solvent consumption; � regularly comparing actual consumption with the

standard or target consumption level;� reporting changes in consumption and determining

the reasons for the variation;� taking action to correct these changes;� continually aiming to minimise solvent consumption

while maintaining product quality, production efficiency and safety.

Take action to The causes of excessive solvent use and waste must be Reducereduce solvent investigated. These include leaks, equipment consumption malfunction and poor operator practice. Ensure good

maintenance practice and housekeeping, adequate operating procedures and production planning.

Staff training Good equipment and installation are important, but Reducereal improvements in solvent performance and cost reductions are made only if staff operate and maintainthe equipment correctly. Make sure that all staff are aware of the company’s goals in relation to solvent consumption and the associated safety issues, ensure all staff are fully trained in every aspect of machine operation and solvent handling, and that they understand why specific procedures must be followed.

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Minimise spills If solvent is delivered by tanker, make sure that every Reduceduring solvent storage tank is fitted with a reliable means of measuringdelivery its contents. Check that the storage tank has sufficient

room for the quantity of solvent being delivered. Check that all valves are set properly to receive the solvent. Wherever possible, make sure that the storagetanks are positioned so that the delivery tanker can approach the filling point as closely as possible with safety. Make sure that any extended filling pipe is capped off and provided with a valve at the coupling points. The filling pipe should be self-draining; if this is not possible, make safe provision for draining it.

Eliminate/reduce Reducing solvent use in your operations will lead to Eliminate/solvent use as less spent solvent waste requiring disposal, fewer VOC reducepart of a solvent emissions requiring abatement and a reduced risk of management pollution. There are many ways of minimising solvent plan use and waste:

� eliminate the need to use organic solvents;� change to an alternative material with no or less

solvent content; � change to a less volatile or less hazardous

solvent/material;� use recycled solvent where possible;� use low purity or ‘dirty’ solvents for initial rinses;� change working methods and handling procedures

to minimise the need to use solvent, eg for cleaning between processes;

� reduce the amount of solvent used, eg for thinning;� increase staff training;� preventative maintenance and testing;� optimise the process;� on-site recovery of spent solvent.

Avoid over- Ordering too much material at a time and paying Reduceordering inadequate attention to stock rotation can be costly.

In addition to tying up money in stock that is not needed, these practices can lead to stock going out of date or becoming obsolete.

Buy in bulk Buying in bulk by the tanker load or in intermediate Reducebulk containers (IBCs) can significantly reduce costs andwastage in terms of packaging (possibly contaminated)and material residues.

Planned Proper maintenance procedures are important in terms Reducepreventative of preventing vapour release, leakage and spillage.maintenance LAPPC/LAPC guidance requires an effective

preventative maintenance programme to be employed on all aspects of the process/activity concerned with the control of emissions to air.

Avoid over- Avoid over-estimating when decanting from large Reduceestimating when drums or IBCs. Use measures of a known size, eg litredecanting jugs, or mark on the side of the container with set

measures, eg 100, 200 litres, to prevent waste.

Use drip trays Use drip trays to recover spilled solvents for re-use. Re-use

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Use alternative Cleaning operations often use unnecessarily large Reducecleaning products quantities of solvent. Such operations can be avoidedand systems or the process improved to reduce the quantity of

solvent used.

� Examine all cleaning operations to determine whether alternative cleaning solutions are already being used.

� Use only the minimum amount of solvent required for specific cleaning operations.

� Remove deposits as soon as possible following a ‘cleanas you go’ policy, a build-up of coating can become difficult to remove and require a disproportionate amount of effort and cleaning material.

� Use mechanical cleaning methods where possible.� Make sure that cleaning areas and washbasins

have sumps or drains fitted with solvent interceptors/tanks from which solvent can be pumped for recovery or appropriate disposal.

� Where possible, dedicate vessels, pipelines and other equipment to specific formulations/colours to avoid cleaning between batches.

� Consider line pigging for cleaning pipelines for re-use of solvent.

Segregate Segregate hazardous waste from non-hazardous waste Reducehazardous to avoid contamination and reduce volume for disposalwaste as hazardous.

Minimise the Eliminate/minimise the need for degreasing operations Reduceneed for by keeping items well protected (using covers or stretch-degreasing wrap) and free from contamination between processes.

Use mechanical Degreasing of components using organic solvent Reduceand aqueous methods can be a significant source of emissions and cleaning waste. Alternative mechanical methods of cleaning

such as scraping, brushing, blasting and tumbling/vibration can be useful to remove dirt/grease. Aqueous cleaning systems generally have a wash stage combinedwith rinse and hot-air drying stages. Some use alkaline aqueous solutions and some incorporate a conversion dip to provide extra corrosion protection. Such systemsshould eliminate the need for any form of manual preparation such as hand wiping with organic solvent.

Use alternative Many companies have moved from high solvent- Reducecoatings content coatings for reason of cost, quality,

environmental compliance, and health and safety. Alternative coating systems involve medium/high-solids paints, water-based paints, powder coatings and thermal/plasma coatings.

Use better Better application techniques and equipment are Reduceapplication often the key to reducing waste and costs. Application techniques is by dipping or, more generally, by spraying.

Consider using electrophoretic and autophoretic dipping for priming and corrosion resistance coating. Both techniques offer high material yield and quality, and are water-based processes with no VOC emissions.

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Preserve shelf-life Preserve shelf-life of products by avoiding temperature Reduceof products extremes and exposure to light.

Consider For larger items such as screens, print rollers and Reducepurchasing an containers, consider purchasing an enclosed/closed-enclosed/closed- loop wash machine preferably linked to distillation loop wash equipment. This reduces emissions, recovers a large machine proportion of ‘waste’ solvents and reduces waste

storage and disposal problems.

Schedule print Schedule print runs (ie use of same inks/colours on Reduceruns adjacent jobs) to reduce the need for cleaning and the

wastage related to start-ups. When printing separate jobs in more than one colour, complete the run of the first colour before starting the second colour; you may need to store part-finished jobs.

Screen cleaning Screen printers use large quantities of organic solvents Reduce/to clean and reclaim screens. Simple good housekeeping re-usemeasures can produce solvent savings of around 10%. Use squeeze or trigger spray bottles rather than pouringsolvent onto cleaning cloths; collect and re-use screen cleaning and reclaimation materials. Cleaning/reclaiming screens in a tray (with a drain at one end) can achieve this. The collected material can then be re-used for low-grade cleaning work.

Consider Waterless printing is an offset lithographic process that Reduceeliminating the eliminates the water-based dampening system used in use of water- conventional printing. Waterless printing has a number based treatments of inherent benefits, including: no need for IPA and

other solvents; reduced water and energy consumption; shorter make-ready times; and no need for dampening system cleaning.

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Useful contacts

12.1 Advice

Further advice about hazardous waste may be obtained from the Environment and EnergyHelpline on 0800 585794 and from the organisations listed below.

In England and Wales, information can be obtained from the Environment Agency on 08459333111 or [email protected].

In Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) is providing support to companies throughARENA Network. Substantial on-site advice is available. Please call ARENA Network on 01443844001.

In Scotland, contact the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on 01786 457700 or goto www.sepa.org.uk.

In Northern Ireland, contact the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) Special Waste Unit on028 9054 6462 or call Gillian Stewart at Invest NI on 028 9263 3426.

12.2 Websites

www.envirowise.gov.uk/hazwaste - Envirowise’s website for information on hazardous waste.Practical support is available for SMEs through Envirowise site visits (call 0800 585794 for moreinformation).

www.environment-agency.gov.uk/newrulesonwaste - information on hazardous waste and linksto the consolidated version of the European Waste Catalogue and WM2 Technical Guidance onthe definition and classification of hazardous waste.

www.sepa.org.uk/guidance/waste/hazardous/index.htm - the Scottish Environment ProtectionAgency’s website for information on hazardous waste.

www.ehsni.gov.uk/environment/wastemanage/regulations_special.shtml - the Environmentand Heritage Service’s website for information on hazardous waste.

www.netregs.gov.uk - for simple, plain English advice on environmental legislation.

www.defra.gov.uk - the website for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

www.hazardouswaste.org.uk - a new dedicated portal for basic information on hazardouswaste and signposting to all the information, guidance and support you will need regarding theregulations.

Envirowise - Practical Environmental Advice for Business - is a Government programmethat offers free, independent and practical advice to UK businesses to reduce waste atsource and increase profits. It is managed by Momenta, an operating division of AEATechnology plc, and Technology Transfer and Innovation Ltd.

Envirowise offers a range of free services including:

Free advice from Envirowise experts through the Environment and EnergyHelpline.

A variety of publications that provide up-to-date information on wasteminimisation issues, methods and successes.

Free, on-site waste reviews from Envirowise advisors, called FastTrack visits, thathelp businesses identify and realise savings.

Guidance on waste minimisation clubs across the UK that provide a chance forlocal companies to meet regularly and share best practices in waste minimisation.

Best practice seminars and practical workshops that offer an ideal way toexamine waste minimisation issues and discuss opportunities and methodologies.

For further informationplease contact the

Environmentand EnergyHelpline0800 585794© Crown copyright. First printed June 2005. Printed on paper containing a minimum of 75% post-consumer waste.

This material may be freely reproduced in its original form except for sale or advertising purposes.

Harwell International Business Centre | Didcot | Oxfordshire | OX11 0QJE-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.envirowise.gov.uk

Practical Environmental Advice for Business

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