Pollution Prevention for Auto Maintenance and Repair Shops Kansas State University Pollution Prevention Institute
Auto Maintenance and Repair Shops Automotive repairs and maintenance work can generate problem wastes and regulatory headaches for shop owners. Mechanical repairs usually require cleaning and dismantling of the engine and other heavily soiled components. Maintenance work performed by repair shops consists of fluid changes, repair and rework of fixable components, and replacement of nonfunctional nonrepairable parts. These processes leave shop owners with fluids such as used antifreeze, engine oil, transmission fluids, and cleaning solvents to dispose of, as well as nonrepairable vehicle parts. This fact sheet provides regulatory guidance and recommended pollution prevention (P2) opportunities to help shop owners handle their wastes in cost-effective and environmentally sound ways. Dealerships and aftermarket repair shops must realize it is their responsibility to make hazardous waste determinations on all waste streams from their operations. Shops can use a MSDS, process knowledge, or lab testing (by KDHE-certified labs) to make a hazardous waste determination on these wastes. It is a good practice to document those determinations and keep the paperwork in a folder dedicated to environmental compliance. Repair operations often involve the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous and solid waste regulations, Clean Water Act (CWA) water discharges and oil pollution regulations, and possibly the Clean Air Act (CAA) air regulations for painting or other regulated solvent emissions. It is a business s responsibility to be in compliance with all environmental regulations that apply to it. Sometimes this can be a daunting task. The Kansas Small Business Environmental Assistance Program at K-State provides free, confidential assistance to Kansas businesses to help them understand their regulatory obligations and to reduce their regulatory responsibilities through pollution prevention practices and technologies. What is pollution prevention (P2)? P2 is a more efficient use of materials and resources that eliminates pollution at the source of generation, in order to reduce wastes, air emissions, and contaminants going into the environment. Shop owners may refer to these techniques simply as good business practices or standard operating procedures. P2 is preferred over traditional end-of-pipe controls that deal with pollution after it s been generated, usually at an extra cost to the business. P2 reduces the amounts of pollution generated, reducing hazards to workers, the public, and the environment. P2 may involve the following approaches: substitution of a less hazardous material to do the job improvements in work practices and housekeeping methods that will reduce spills and wastes and conserve natural resources utilization of a new technology or equipment that eliminates use of a hazardous material or an unnecessary process Adopting P2 in auto repair and maintenance shops can reduce raw material purchases, waste-related costs, paperwork, and many of the liabilities associated with hazardous materials use and disposal. Management commitment and employee participation are essential to the success of a pollution prevention program. Major waste streams from auto repair that provide P2 opportunities include the following: vehicle fluids such as motor oil, antifreeze engine coolant, transmission fluid, battery fluid, and brake fluid refrigerants non-repairable parts parts-washers solvents shop cleanup materials from spills and leaks Proper management of these waste streams should include good housekeeping practices to minimize raw material s use and spillage, waste segregation, recycling of materials where possible, and employee and consumer education to reduce unnecessary fluid changes and excessive equipment wear. Pollution prevention methods that reduce waste at the source of generation are mandated by the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 as the preferred method of waste control. By choosing methods of operation that don t create or use a hazardous material, auto repair shop owners will play a significant role in improving the health and environment of the communities they live in. Reducing Waste and Achieving Compliance in the Auto Repair Industry Heavy metals from welds, radiators, and other engine components can become entrained in fluids associated with vehicle operation. If these metals are present above certain concentrations known as threshold limit levels, the fluid is considered hazardous. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, TCLP, is a testing procedure used to evaluate a waste stream s toxicity. An entire TCLP test is not necessary (and is very expensive); operators may use process knowledge to determine which contaminants to test for on the sample they send to the lab. A totals test can also be substituted for a TCLP test for regulated metals testing and it s lower in cost than a TCLP. Lead, chromium, and cadmium are the metals most often associated with contamination of cleaning solutions and waste antifreeze in the auto repair industry. For more information on testing options, see our fact sheet Regulated Metals: The Rule of 20 at http://www.sbeap.org/ppi/publications/ruleof20.pdf. For more assistance with questions on what tests should be run on a sample, call an SBEAP specialist at 800-578-8898.
Used Oil Hazards and Proper Handling: Used oil must be disposed in an environmentally sound manner never in the environment. It is easily recycled, and improperly disposed oil can destroy plants and animal habitat as well as harm aquatic life. Used oil and other auto fluids should never be used for weed control or mixed with a material that would be a hazardous waste, such as a low-flash solvent or gasoline, as it would make the entire mixture a hazardous waste. New oil containers should be drained thoroughly before disposal. Bulk waste containers should be marked used oil, and as a best management practice, be kept closed at all times and kept covered with secondary containment to prevent possible storm water contamination if stored outside. Large quantities of oil products (cumulative amounts more than 1320 gallons stored in containers greater than 55 gallons) and wastes may require secondary containment and other special handling under the Oil Pollution Act (see the SPCC reference below). P2 Opportunities: Used oil can be burned on site in a space heater, recycled, or used for fuel blending. (When sent off site for recycle or fuel blending, the oil should be shipped under a tolling agreement with a KDHE-registered used-oil transporter.) Used-oil burner capacity must be no more than 0.5 million BTU per hour and must be exhausted to the outside of the building. As of late 1998, used-oil burners can now take used oil from other businesses if the used oil is determined through proper testing to be on-spec. This testing is required to protect burners of used oil from receiving an oil/solvent mixture that could blow up the heater or release toxic air pollutants. The generator of the oil or the person receiving the oil must have it tested to verify the following: a minimum flash point of 100º F total halogen content of less than 1000 ppm (parts per million) arsenic content less than 5 ppm cadmium content less than 2 ppm chromium content less than 10 ppm lead content less than 100 ppm The recipient, or burner, of the used oil should have copies of the tests on site for a minimum of three years for each batch of oil received for burning in the heater. Bulk oil is cheaper than quart containers and can significantly reduce the amount of solid waste leaving your shop. Bulk oil is dispensed more efficiently, reducing spills and cleanup wastes associated with individual bottle use. Limited recycling options exist for one-quart used-oil containers. Offer customers high-performance longer-lasting oils: some of these products last up to four times as long as regular oil and have been proven to protect engines better. Fleet operations should explore predictive oil maintenance, which dictates oil changes based on quality parameters instead of a time schedule, to reduce oil purchases and used-oil generation. Use pop-up level indicators or gauge glasses on bulk-oil storage containers to prevent spills from overfilling. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: Used oil is easily recycled or reused, but while in storage it should be stored in leak-proof containers and shipped to reclaiming/recycling facilities; never send used oils or other liquids to a landfill. Used vehicle fluids cannot be poured on the ground, in waterways, or used as a dust control agent for roads or parking lots. Containers and fill pipes must be marked with the words used oil not waste oil. Used oil and bulk oil stored in 55-gallon containers or larger must be counted toward total on-site storage threshold capacity for spill, prevention, control, and countermeasure plans (SPCC). If your shop has the storage capacity to store more than 1320 gallons of oil or oil-related materials above ground, or if you have more than 42,000 gallons of underground storage, your shop must have an SPCC plan. For a copy of the final SPCC regulation go to http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/pdfs/40cfr112.pdf. A sample SPCC plan incorporating changes from the final rule can be found at http://enviro.nfesc.navy.mil/ps/spillprev/. For KDHE s technical guidance documents on used-oil management, go to http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/waste/bwm_tech_guide.html. Oil Filters Hazards and Proper Handling: Used-oil filters should be hot-drained and crushed where possible for complete removal of oil and volume reduction before disposal. P2 Opportunities: Oil filters do have recycle value and should be recycled whenever possible. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: Oil filters can usually be disposed in landfills after they are thoroughly drained and do not contain any free liquid. However, some landfills may prohibit oil filter disposal; check with your receiving landfill to be sure. Oil filters can retain as much as one cup of oil after draining; crushing oil filters will effectively remove all liquid present and reduce the volume going to the landfill. Some household hazardous waste (HHW) facilities will take oil filters for recycle; check with your local HHW before disposal. Transmission Fluid Hazards and Proper Handling: These fluids consist of blended oils. Use drip-proof catch pans to catch fluids and store in bulk containers equipped with secondary containment and level indicators. Used-oil haulers usually allow this fluid to be mixed with used oil. P2 Opportunities: Transmission fluids and other hydraulic fluids should be captured for re-refining or fuel-blending programs. Many fuel-blending facilities will allow these fluids to be mixed with used oil. Always ask your waste hauler if he or she can accept these fluids before mixing. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: Never dispose of in the environment or in landfills.
Brake Fluid Hazards and Proper Handling: Brake fluids can usually be added to used oil for recycle. However, brake fluids can also become contaminated with regulated solvents used to clean brake lines and pads. Nonhazardous brake fluids should be handled as an oil with tightly fitting, leak-proof seals and protected from spills or leaks to the environment. P2 Opportunities: Used brake fluids may be recyclable with used oil if not considered a hazardous waste. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: A waste determination should be made on brake fluid to determine if hazardous ingredients, such as a chlorinated cleaner or other regulated contaminants, are present. KDHE will allow up to 1000 ppm of a halogenated material as a contaminant in used oil before it is classified as a hazardous waste. So brake fluids contaminated with chlorinated cleaning solvents below this level may be recycled with used oil. Brake fluid should never be poured down drains, into sewers, or on the ground. Engine Coolant Hazards and Proper Handling: Antifreeze mixtures for engine coolant usually contain ethylene glycol, a poisonous compound that should be handled carefully to avoid possible ingestion by animals or humans. Engine coolant can also be contaminated with lead, chromium, or cadmium regulated metals that may make it a hazardous waste; it should never be poured on the ground, in storm sewers, or in waterways. P2 Opportunities: Engine coolants can be economically recycled on site or off site and reused in vehicles. This reduces the amount of waste leaving your shop and can drastically reduce raw material purchases to increase your bottom line profits. Recycling efforts such as this enhance your public image as an environmentally conscious shop owner. Filters from coolant recycling machines should be dry and tested for heavy metal contamination before disposal. Testing for heavy metal contamination may be done as a composite sample (piece of each filter) collected over a period of time. This approach offers the most economical way to be sure your filters are safe for landfill disposal. If your filters contain heavy metals above threshold limits, the filters must be disposed of as a hazardous waste. A TCLP or total metals test is acceptable. Antifreeze recyclers start at $2,000 and can be purchased as an on-car filtration unit or as a batch unit that filters or distills pure antifreeze. Some shops may choose to have a recycling service come to their facility; prices vary but may be as high as $1.75 per gallon of antifreeze. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: Antifreeze that is recycled on site or off site does not have to be tested or counted towards monthly hazardous waste generation rates in Kansas and should be labeled antifreeze for recycle. If antifreeze is not recycled, a hazardous waste determination must be made by testing to determine regulated metals content; if hazardous, it must be labeled hazardous waste. In some cities, the public owned treatment works (POTW or wastwater treatment plant) may allow this material to go to the sanitary sewer; however, more and more POTWs are discouraging this practice. Call your local wastewater treatment operator for information on accepted practices in your locality; if discharge of antifreeze is allowed, obtain a letter from them as documentation for your environmental records. Never pour antifreeze on the ground or in waterways. Nonrepairable Automotive Parts Failure of nonrepairable parts generates a large waste stream that is costly as a solid waste. Shops that store enough body or vehicle components to equal 10 vehicles may be considered a salvage yard operation with additional regulatory requirements. Hazards and Proper Handling: Discarded parts should be kept undercover if possible when stored outdoors. These parts may be coated with oil or grease, or as in the case of radiators, may contain lead residues that create harmful storm water runoff endangering fish, wildlife, and public drinking water supplies. P2 Opportunities: When parts do fail due to routine wear, accidental damages, or neglect, they should be recycled to parts re-manufacturers or metal recyclers if feasible. Parts such as asbestos-containing brake shoes and pads may need to be handled as a special waste. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: Many parts can be landfilled if all free liquids are removed from them; however, recycling is preferred to save landfill space. Asbestos brake pads and dusts from brake cleaning and turning are considered a special waste in Kansas and require a special waste authorization from KDHE for landfill disposal. For questions on special waste disposal, call solid waste specialist, Richard Bronaugh, KDHE, at 785-296-1120; or for a special waste disposal application go to http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/waste/download/spec_wd_req_fo RM.pdf. Refrigerants Refrigerants in older motor vehicle air conditioners (MVAC) may be chlorofluorocarbon-12, better known as CFC-12, R-12, or Freon, which is associated with the breakdown of the ozone layer around the earth. The ozone layer is an important layer of the earth s atmosphere that blocks carcinogenic radiation from the earth s surface. All ozone-depleting materials from automobile air-conditioning systems must be captured and reused without being released to the atmosphere. Most air conditioners in vehicles made after 1994 use hydrofluorocarbon-134a, also known as HFC-134a or R-134a.
Hazards and Proper Handling: All shops must have Section 609 certified operators and recycle equipment that can recover the refrigerant and reprocess it through an oil separator, filter, and dryer for reuse. Intentional venting of ozone-depleting refrigerants to the atmosphere is prohibited by law, with fines up to $27,500 per day. P2 Opportunities: Reuse refrigerants in other vehicles or ship off site for recycling. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: Refrigerants are very stable compounds with no economically feasible way to destroy them; all refrigerants should be captured for reuse / recycle / resale. Your operators must be certified technicians if you intend to reuse recycled refrigerant from MVACs, or if you purchase refrigerant recovered from MVACs and will recycle it before recharging into an MVAC. Certified technicians must use EPA-approved recovery/recycling or recovery equipment when working on an air-conditioning unit. For detailed information on specific record keeping and reporting requirements, check out the fact sheet Refrigerants: Common Problem for Salvage Yards, at http://www.sbeap.org/ppi/publications/refrigerants.pdf. Batteries Hazards and Proper Handling: Used lead-acid batteries are not considered hazardous waste as long as they are intact and recycled. Split or broken batteries must be handled as a hazardous waste, due to sulfuric acid and lead contents. Materials used to clean up spills and leaks become hazardous waste and require disposal as such. P2 Opportunities: It is important to store used batteries in a place protected from the weather where they won t freeze. Recycle batteries; use thick cardboard to separate layers if batteries must be stacked to prevent breakage and don t store more than four high; handle properly to avoid unnecessary waste generation. Secondary containment should be used to prevent hazardous material leaks, and baking soda should be kept on hand to neutralize spilled battery acid. Spill cleanup from broken batteries may be a hazardous waste and should be collected and tested for lead and corrosivity. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: If not recycled, lead-acid batteries must be disposed of as hazardous waste. Aerosol Can Products Hazards and Proper Handling: Almost all businesses and industries use chemical products purchased in aerosol cans. These products may range from a nonhazardous window cleaner to a highly toxic pesticide or solvent. Generally, most empty aerosol cans may be recycled as scrap metal or disposed in the trash. However, problems arise when defective, unused, or unwanted cans of product or expired product need to be discarded by businesses that are regulated hazardous waste gener- ators (they generate more than 55 pounds of hazardous waste per calendar month). P2 Opportunities: Minimize the amount of aerosol products used at your facility. Many shops have switched to refillable pressurized containers. This technology allows all the product to be used, whereas aerosol can dispensers may leave as much as 15 25% of the product in the can. Refillable containers also promote the purchase of product in bulk, offering savings in materials purchases, wasted product, and waste cans. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: Like all materials that become waste, each shop is responsible for determining if the material is a hazardous waste at the time when the material will be disposed. Empty nonhazardous aerosol cans may be recycled as scrap metal, disposed of in the trash, or disposed as a hazardous waste. Empty cans that previously contained hazardous products or propellants are conditionally exempt from hazardous waste regulations, if they are recycled as a scrap metal or meet the definition of RCRA empty. Intact, discarded aerosol cans are hazardous waste if the cans still contain a product or propellant that is considered hazardous. For detailed guidance on disposal of aerosol cans, see KDHE s technical guidance document HW02-02, Recycling and Disposal of Aerosol Cans, at http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/waste/guidance/hw02-02.pdf. Parts Washing Most vehicle repair shops use some type of parts washer to clean parts removed from the car prior to repair work. Partswashing processes and waste paint thinner or gun-cleaning solvents are generally the most problematic waste streams and are responsible for most of the hazardous waste generated at repair shops. Soils from parts washing include dirt and sludge, oil residues, and regulated metals. The regulated metal concentrations can build up in parts washers to make them a hazardous waste. Even parts-cleaning solutions that are nonhazardous before use, such as aqueous, detergent-based cleaners and highflash-point solvents (f.p. > 141º F) contaminated with these soils, can become a hazardous waste due to metals buildup. Paint-gun cleaners and low-flash solvents used for parts washing are usually hazardous due to their low flash points and because of ingredients regulated as listed wastes such as toluene, xylene, and acetone for example. Although there are several workable P2 options for these two wastes, shop owners must remember that many times it s the soils cleaned off the parts, not the cleaner itself, that can make the cleaner a hazardous waste. Approaches to reducing pollution from the parts-cleaning processes include the following: Use a less hazardous cleaning system. Use a less hazardous solvent. Recycle used solvent cleaners. Maximize solvent or cleaner life.
The remainder of this fact sheet covers the previously cited P2 opportunities for parts washing in detail and provides regulatory information to help shop owners determine the regulatory responsibility associated with each option. Less Hazardous Cleaning Systems Many water-based cleaning formulations are available for parts cleaning. These cleaners generally contain surfactants or builders with additives like rust inhibitors if needed. Some of the cleaners may contain a solvent additive such as a terpene, glycol ether, or alcohol. Water-based cleaners do not require solvent additives to be effective. In some of the cleaning systems, workers' hands must contact the cleaner; cleaners used in these units must be neutral or only slightly alkaline to avoid skin irritation. Another important aspect of aqueous cleaners is how the cleaner works: does it emulsify the oil and grease or reject it? With certain types of enzyme systems, emulsifying cleaners are appropriate. In nonenzyme systems, however, cleaners that reject oil are more practical. The oil and grease will separate out and float on the surface of the bath where they can be removed with a skimmer. The cleaning formulation will have a much longer bath life and be less costly to operate if it is designed to reject oil and grease. Hot Tanks and Hot Soap Cabinet Washers Hazards and Proper Handling: Hot tanks and hot soap washers are heated systems that contain a hot aqueous detergent or caustic solution to clean the parts. The part is submersed into a tank with air or mechanical agitation, or is jetsprayed with a high-pressure stream within an enclosed washer to remove the soils. Hot soak tanks with strong caustics should be kept covered when not in use, and personal protective equipment must be supplied to employees to prevent contact with the chemical. Both of these cleaning systems can usually be used for long periods of time. P2 Opportunities: These machines reduce employee exposures to hazardous solvents, require less hands-on labor, decrease fire hazard from flammable solvents, and may be associated with less hazardous waste for disposal. Aqueous cleaners pose fewer health risks to employees, eliminate fire hazards, and may be associated with lower operational costs if cleaning solutions are changed before becoming a hazardous waste. However, permission from your publicly owned treatment works (POTW) is required for discharge of any wastewaters, even if they are not a RCRA hazardous waste. Keep in mind that your POTW or wastewater treatment plant s discharge limits are different from hazardous waste constituents, so you must work closely with the POTW that you discharge to in order to establish discharge limits for waste aqueous cleaning solutions. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: A hazardous waste determination must be made on solutions before they are disposed. If regulated metals are below hazardous waste levels, the aqueous solutions may be allowed to go to the sanitary sewers, if acceptable to the local wastewater treatment plant or POTW. Hot tanks are usually a hazardous waste due to ph and heavy metal contamination. Oils should be removed by a skimmer or other method before disposal. Hot soap washer fluid can NOT be discharged to septic systems or storm sewers because it may cause environmental damage to groundwater supplies and storm water discharge areas, respectively. If connection to a city sewer is not possible, the water may need to be collected in a tank and hauled to the local wastewater treatment facility, or an evaporator system may be installed to eliminate the wastewater stream, as long as the wastewater is not considered a hazardous waste. Sludge from these washers should be tested for hazardous constituents before disposal. Units equipped with evaporator units can only be used to evaporate the solution if it is not a hazardous waste or if the evaporator system is totally enclosed with a condenser to recapture the steam from the process. KDHE prefers to pre-approve evaporation units prior to purchase and use. Cost: Small hot soap washers start at $2,500; medium-sized units that will accommodate transmissions and engine blocks start at $5,500. They are available with recirculating systems for maximum water and detergent use, or with evaporator systems to eliminate wastewater from the machine, leaving only a sludge residual. Models with evaporators are usually more expensive and are usually not a totally enclosed system with a condenser. Aqueous Cleaning with Conventional Parts Washers Hazards and Proper Handling: Aqueous systems used with conventional parts washers are fairly inexpensive, economical, free-standing washers that can use common household detergents to effectively remove oily soils. Aqueous cleaning solutions may be used in conventional sink-on-a-drum parts washers with common household detergents, alkaline cleaners, or microbial cleaners, and may require the addition of a rust inhibitor for corrosion control, if needed. P2 Opportunities: Units are available as heated systems to increase cleaning efficiency and can be equipped with a filtering mechanism to prolong the life of the solution, making them very economical to use. Conventional parts washers with aqueous cleaners pose fewer health risks to employees, eliminate fire hazards, and may be associated with lower operational costs if cleaning solutions are changed before becoming a hazardous waste. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: A hazardous waste determination must be made on solutions before they are disposed.if regulated metals are below hazardous waste levels, the aqueous solutions may be allowed to go to the sanitary sewers
with written permission from the wastewater treatment plant operator. Oils that accumulate should be skimmed off the solution daily and combined with the used-oil stream for recycle. Shop operators must obtain approval from their local wastewater treatment plant operator before discharging aqueous wash waters, and should never discharge these fluids to septic systems, storm sewers, or on the ground. A hazardous waste determination should be made on sludge to determine disposal requirements. Cost: Two options exist: the sink-on-a-drum and an immersion unit. The first consists of a sink mounted on a drum that has a fluid capacity ranging from about 15 to 40 gallons. It contains a heater, pump, faucet, and brush applicator. Cost of these units ranges from about $400 to $1,700, depending on construction materials and features. They can contain filters and/or oil skimmers which extend the bath life of the water-based cleaner. The difference between the immersion unit and a sink-on-a-drum is that the immersion system has a false sink that can be removed and a reservoir accessible for cleaning or soaking. This unit also contains a heater and a pump and has a liquid capacity of 30 to 60 gallons. Again, it can be constructed of metal or plastic. Cost of these units is somewhat higher than for the sink-ona-drum, ranging from about $900 to $1,700. Filters and oil skimmers can also be added to these systems to increase their efficiency. Enzyme-Cleaning Systems Hazards and Proper Handling: Replacement of VOC-containing solvents with an enzyme-based parts washer can eliminate most of the hazardous wastes from parts washing. A handwash brush is initially used to remove dirt or grime, using a flow-through nylon bristle design for manual cleaning. The cleaning solution uses a neutral mixture of emulsifiers, surface active agents, and microbes that do not contain VOCs, phosphates, formaldehydes, biocides, or solvents for degreasing and dispersing oil from the small parts. P2 Opportunities: With the combination of the closed-loop parts cleaner and the microbe-impregnated filter, the cleaning solution does not require removal and replacement, so no waste solution is generated. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: A hazardous waste determination must be made on filter bags and sludge from enzyme parts washers. Characterizing a waste stream by testing doesn t have to be done on every filter or every time sludge is removed, as long as the process remains the same. This means if the filter is changed out after the same amount of time, and the numbers and kinds of parts cleaned remain the same during that time period, testing may only need to be repeated yearly or every two years. Cost: Enzyme systems are generally modified sink-on-a-drum units and are commonly made of plastic. They contain a specially formulated surfactant-based emulsifying neutral enzyme cleaner. Microbes are added to the system either through an impregnated filter or directly into the cleaning formulation. The cleaner emulsifies the oil and grease; the microbes break it down to carbon dioxide and water. Like the sink-on-a-drum unit, the enzyme system has a heater and a pump. Units generally have a 15- to 30-gallon liquid capacity. Cost of this type of unit ranges from about $900 to $1,500. Bake-Off Ovens Hazards and Proper Handling: Bake-off ovens provide a very safe alternative to parts cleaning but are limited to parts that are heat tolerant. The oven heats the part to a very high temperature which burns the soils and oils off the parts. P2 Opportunities: Bake-off ovens create little solid waste and are associated with fewer air emissions than solvent cleaning. Disposal and Regulatory Responsibilities: The bake-off ash or residue waste stream should be characterized with a TCLP test for heavy metals to determine if it is a hazardous waste. Cost: Costs for bake-off ovens large enough for engine blocks and transmissions start at $7,500. These ovens operate between 600ºF and 1000 F, use natural gas or propane, and cost approximately $2 4.00 per cycle of operation, depending on local fuel gas costs. Use a Less Hazardous Solvent Parts washing has typically used petroleum-based solvents in the past to remove soils prior to working the part. Many of these solvents are considered hazardous because of their low flash points and may contain compounds considered dangerous to the environment and human health. Compounds that contain chlorine and other halogens have been identified as ozone depleters and are associated with adverse health effects. Using a less-toxic solvent is an important way to reduce pollution and reduce risks to employees. The following list identifies hazardous materials in solvents that should be avoided: carbon tetrachloride methylene chloride trichloroethylene toluene tetrachloroethylene (perc) methyl ethyl ketone xylene If petroleum-based solvents must be used for parts cleaning, always use the least toxic material that will do the job, such as naphtha, mineral spirits, or stoddard solvent. Always ask vendors for a material safety data sheet (MSDS) to inspect before new products are ordered or given to your shop for trial purposes, and make sure the vendor will take back the unused product. This can reduce the amount of hazardous materials you may need to dispose of and keeps your inventory investment to a minimum.
Maximize Solvent Life No matter what type of parts-washer system you use, making the most of your cleaning solution is an integral step in preventing unnecessary material use and waste generation. Longer solution life means less cleaning materials used; the money goes in your pocket, not down the drain. Cleaning solutions and solvent life can be extended by following these easy work practices: Mechanically clean as much soil off the part as possible with a wire brush or reusable rag before putting it into a parts washer. Determine level of cleanliness needed; don t do excessive cleaning it costs your shop time and money. Use cleaning solution until it loses its cleaning power; don t change out solutions on a scheduled basis. Set up a two-stage cleaning system; clean parts in dirtiest solution first, then transfer to a final clean washer. Keep parts washers covered when not in use to reduce evaporative losses. Drain all parts thoroughly to reduce drag-out losses of cleaning fluids; install a drainage shelf if necessary. Filter solution to remove contaminants and prolong life of cleaning solution. Remove sludge and free-floating oil from cleaning systems frequently to extend solution life. Consider a solvent-recycle system to reduce solvent purchases; solvent stills start at approximately $2,000. Some vendors now lease these units. Pollution Prevention Practices for Parts Washing: Use the least hazardous method for cleaning. Reduce aerosol can use; consolidate cleaning jobs and materials used; use refillable, pressurized cleaning systems for on-the-vehicle cleaning needs. Always use the least toxic material check material safety data sheets before products are purchased. Establish sound operating practices to extend solvent/cleaning solution life. Shop Cleanup The amount of waste generated in an auto repair shop is dependent upon the amount of spills or leaks created when workers do their jobs. Wastes consist of floor dry compound, dirty rags, and water used to wash down the area. Good housekeeping is the key to waste reduction. Prevent spills by providing drain pans with pour spouts to catch fluids removed from the vehicle. Bulk waste-fluid receptacles should be equipped with large funnels and a drain-rack system to allow complete fluid removal from catch pans. Small squeegees can be used to remove the remainder of fluids from drain pans if needed. Bulk containers should be equipped with a level gauge or popup level indicator to prevent overfilling, and secondary containment should be provided to catch such spills should they occur. Waste from spills can be drastically reduced by maintaining a sound housekeeping policy with little or no investment of capital. When spills do occur, the following methods of cleanup should be used to decrease the amount of waste generated: Use a large squeegee with an oil-resistant dustpan to get as much liquid off the floor as possible. This simple tool can all but eliminate use of floor dry materials, is reusable, and allows the fluid to be captured for recycle. When all fluid has been removed, biodegradable detergent and water can be used for final cleaning. Wash waters should not be poured on the ground or directed to a septic tank and lateral field system, but sent to a municipal sanitary sewer. For large spills, oil mops are available to use with mop buckets to recapture spilled liquids. Use recyclable rags for cleaning purposes; this will reduce your solid waste stream. Keep all raw materials and fluid recyclables in safe, wellmarked storage areas with sealed floors, to avoid accidental spills and soil contamination. Set up a sound inventory program to reduce excessive purchasing, product use, and generation of outdated products. Vendor information for the services and equipment described in this fact sheet may be obtained by contacting the Small Business Environmental Assistance Program at 800-578-8898. Printed on recycled paper Notice of nondiscrimination Kansas State University is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, sex, national origin, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, or other nonmerit reasons, in admissions, educational programs or activities and employment (including employment of disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam Era), as required by applicable laws and regulations. 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