P2 & E2 Internship Program - Projects

Pollution Prevention Internship Program
1997 Intern Projects

Compiled by Richard J. Reese, Program Coordinator
with program coordination and assistance by Jim Janssen and Brian Rodely

Abbott Labs

Abbott Park

Abbott Laboratories is a major pharmaceutical company headquartered in Lake County, Illinois. Abbott has facilities in over 130 countries and employs over 54,000 people worldwide. They manufacture antibiotics, nutritional supplements, hospital product IV solutions, chemical and agricultural insecticides, and diagnostic testing devices for glucose and blood pressure.

Abbott is heavily involved in research & development for discovering new pharmaceutical products. For projects that are completed or canceled, any miscellaneous lab chemicals should be sent to a chemical stockroom repository for potential reuse. One business unit at Abbott already has a system in place to facilitate this through their Chemical Stockroom Inventory (CSI) system. The CSI system resides on their mainframe and is used to share, order, and track new and returned lab chemicals. The goal of the intern was to optimize and increase awareness of this system.

Results:

The intern investigated several methods to improve the existing CSI system. To increase awareness of the system, informational and promotional meetings were also conducted for research scientists, department managers, and environmental professionals. By increasing chemical reuse activities at the facility, the amount of wastes treated and disposed of will decrease. By averting the purchase of new chemicals and avoiding additional disposal costs, Abbott will save an estimated $180,000 annually. This system could potentially be expanded to other Abbott facilities outside of the Lake County operations.

"The pollution prevention project was great. It allowed my company to put forth a concentrated effort in chemical sharing and waste reduction."...Ed de Lara, Abbott Labs

Abbott Labs
Abbott Diagnostics Division (ADD)

Abbott Park

Abbott Laboratories is a major healthcare manufacturer headquartered in Lake County, Illinois. ADD manufactures a broad line of diagnostic systems and testing devices for infectious diseases, cancer, pregnancy, diabetes, and therapeutic drugs. The company would like to reduce or eliminate the use of thimerosal, a preservative and an antimicrobial agent containing mercury. Approximately 91% of ADD's products are now made without this chemical. The intern student was involved in identifying all costs associated with the use, handling, storage, and disposal of the remaining products made with Thimerosal.

Results:

The scope of the intern's activities was limited to one production building in Abbott Park. An activity based cost accounting (ABCA) methodology was employed to link all of the activities associated with the use of thimerosal to a specific dollar amount. ABCA, when used in conjunction with existing accounting methods, can be a useful tool for assessing the true costs associated to the manufacture of a product. If thimerosal were completely eliminated, the total of the direct and indirect costs saved would amount to greater than $200,000 annually.

Arnold Engineering

Marengo

Arnold Engineering, located in Marengo (45 miles northwest of Chicago), manufactures magnetic components and rolled steel products. One of the many rolled steel products it manufactures is transformer strips that are used in electric motors. A continuous coating line applies insulation to the steel strips to yield the transformer strips. Prior to coating the steel strips, oils are burnt off the strip and are then etched with a hot phosphoric acid bath to remove the surface deposits. The phosphoric acid is circulated between the etch tank and feed tank where carbonaceous materials are filtered. The acid bath is utilized until the iron concentration solubility limit is reached and the bath is dumped. It is neutralized and disposed on-site, with none of it being recovered. The intern investigated acid recovery as a viable source reduction strategy.

Results:

Two significant strategies were determined which will save material costs. First, acid consumption will decrease by adding a second acid feed tank and employing "squeegee" rollers to squeeze acid on the strip back into the etch bath. Though floor space is limited, these simple process changes will result in savings of $13,000 annually. Second, the spent acid could be sent through a nanofiltration reclamation system that would recover 68 % of the acid and drastically reduce the iron concentration. The increase in savings would be $46,000 and has the potential for a 9-16 month payback.

Baxter Healthcare

Round Lake

Baxter Healthcare is a major pharmaceutical company specializing in medical products and services as well as blood and circulatory system related technologies. The largest of Baxter's R&D facilities is located in Round Lake which houses over 200 research and development labs.

A project called the Chemical Inventory Tracking System (CITS) had already been started by the Environmental Health and Safety staff of the IV division. The CITS customized software consists of a computerized database system that will eventually track and inventory all chemicals at the Round Lake site. By searching the database, labs can locate chemicals already on site before placing orders for the same chemical. Approximately half of all lab wastes result from chemicals being disposed of with expired shelf-life. The intern assisted with the continual development and implementation of the CITS at Round Lake.

Results:

The intern worked on the following:

• Defined user needs.
• Evaluated the capabilities of the CITS software.
• Documented current procedures.
• Developed an implementation strategy based upon smaller, more manageable areas.
• Compiled a list of unresolved and foreseeable problems.

When CITS is fully implemented, it has the potential to save up to $45,000 annually and reduce waste by 4,500 pounds.

Baxter Healthcare
Drug Delivery

Round Lake

Baxter Healthcare Corporation is a major pharmaceutical manufacturer. Drug Delivery, one of its manufacturing plants in Round Lake, Illinois, produces frozen ready-to-use I.V. medication. The objective of the internship was to identify alternatives to eliminate isopropanol from their filter integrity testing process at this facility. Filters are utilized in the production processes for sterilization. The filter integrity test, a nondestructive test, is conducted on these filters to ensure that bacterial breakthrough has not occurred.

Results:

An extensive literature search was conducted to identify alternative filter integrity tests. The water intrusion test (WIT), a newly developed water-based procedure, was chosen for further study based upon its comparison to other identified methods. Two automated testing apparatuses, both capable of performing a WIT, will undergo trials in the near future. By use of an activity based accounting matrix, $4,000 in savings could be realized annually at this plant alone. Implementation at other Baxter facilities worldwide may also be implemented if this trial is successful.

Bethalto Groundwater Recharge Area

communities of Bethalto, East Alton and Wood River

The communities of Bethalto, East Alton, and Wood River comprise the region known as the Bethalto Groundwater Recharge Area. The communities' water supply, located in Woodriver, is drawn from the American Bottoms Aquifer, a shallow sandy aquifer that is vulnerable to contamination from releases of hazardous materials and petroleum products. A pollution prevention (P2) waste audit focusing on groundwater protection measures was conducted by the intern at three car dealerships located within this recharge area.

Results:

Based upon the P2 waste audits, the following recommendations were made:

• Housekeeping should be a top priority in the service departments. All containers should have tight fitting lids to eliminate the potential for a spill.
• Parts cleaning should be done in a two stage process to limit the amount of solvent on site at any one time. First, wash with dirty solvent. Then, wash with clean solvent.
• Floor drains need to be kept clean so there is less likelihood of debris ending up in the sewer.
• Emergency spill kits need to be maintained in the event of a spill or leak.
• Paints and primers need to be located in fireproof cabinets.
• Oil filters need to be drained properly, crushed, and sent off-site to a metal reclaimer.
• All waste collection tanks (antifreeze, motor oil, transmission fluid, etc.)should be located in a secondary concrete containment area to contain any spills.
• Antifreeze should be reclaimed on-site.
• A power furnace can be operated in winter with waste oil.
• Motor oil can be purchased in bulk requiring less handling and reducing the chances for a spill. It is also cheaper if purchased in bulk.

Chicago Legal Clinic

Chicago

Many businesses in the Southeast Chicago area do not have the resources to have an environmental manager on staff and oftentimes do not realize that their activities may be polluting the environment. In 1995, Keith Harley, Director of the Environmental Law Program at the Chicago Legal Clinic, wanted to assist these businesses with pollution prevention (P2) by establishing an on-line P2 database repository. Together with the assistance of John Watson with Gardner, Carton, and Douglas, they collected over 500 P2 articles, how-to manuals, and reports on options that companies could utilize to reduce or eliminate waste streams at their facility. The Information Center at the Chicago-Kent College of Law electronically scanned all the articles into a database with bibliographies and created an accessible World Wide Web home page (the Internet address is http://www.infoctr.edu/environ) containing links to other environmental home pages. An intern assisted in further development of the repository and marketed it to local businesses.

Results:

• Annotations were added to several new scanned articles on P2 in the database.
• Presentations were made to local chambers of commerce, community groups, industrial organizations, environmental groups, and some larger industries to promote this database.
• Informational material on the database was mailed out to individual businesses.
• Information pertaining to specific P2 options for automotive repair shops was collected from the database and sent directly to these Southeast Chicago repair shops. Several of the P2 suggestions could be applied to their shops at little or no cost.
• An article summarizing the origination of the P2 database repository was published in Keith Harley's and John Watson's newsletter entitled "Innovative Partnerships for Pollution Solutions". The newsletter deals with new programs and resources available to local industries.

Citizens for a Better Environment (CBE)

Chicago

Founded in 1971, Citizens for a Better Environment (CBE) is an independent not-for-profit environmental groups in the Midwest with offices in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. One of CBE's strategies is to facilitate "good neighbor" dialogue between citizens and neighboring industries that are designed to encourage pollution prevention(P2) and, thus, lead to community and environmental and economic sustainability. The intern analyzed trends in Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting for all reporting facilities in the state and more specifically for 54 southeast Chicago facilities that had been the focus of an earlier CBE study.

Results:

Since 1991, P2 reporting has been mandatory for facilities that fall under the reporting requirements of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Law. TRI and P2 data from 1991 to 1994 was analyzed and the following was noted:

• In 1994, Illinois had the largest number of TRI facilities of any state(1,367); only 28.4% of them (338) reported any source reduction activities. Between 1990 and 1994, the number of companies reporting source reduction actually decreased.
• While releases of TRI chemicals, as well as transfers to treatment and disposal, went down between 1991 and 1994, transfers to recycling and energy recovery went up.
• The source reduction activity utilized most frequently by Illinois companies was good operating practices, followed by process modifications, then spill and leak prevention.
• The in-house methods used to identify potential source reduction opportunities included participative team managements as the most frequently used method, followed by internal opportunity audits. Few companies used state or federal programs to help them identify potential source reduction alternatives. If external advice was used, it was through a vendor, trade/industry group or "other" program.
• Overall releases and transfers for the 54 southeast Chicago facilities varied between 1991 and 1994, as did their use of source reduction activities.

ComEd

Chicago

ComEd (formerly Commonwealth Edison) is one the largest of the electric utilities in the United States, serving more than 3.3 million customers in northern Illinois. ComEd's service territory covers about one-fifth of Illinois and includes about 70 percent of the state's population. Their electric generation capabilities come from nuclear, coal, oil, and natural gas sources.

An Environmental Activity Based Management (EABM) study was performed by the intern at ComEd's Waukegan Station to quantify costs and identify activities of an environmental nature directly or indirectly associated with running a fossil-fueled power plant. The information obtained will be used to create a foundation for justification and ranking of future environmental projects. This will allow more informed decisions regarding upcoming pollution prevention opportunities.

Results:

Data was collected through interviews with employees and plant process analysis. This information and process descriptions will serve as a template for future EABM projects at other ComEd power plants. Approximately 12.5 % of the station budget was environmentally related but does not reflect ash handling and electrical costs. If these costs were added, the total environmental costs would be 17%. The plant's capital costs traced to be environmentally related were around 20.5%.

Dexter Aerospace
Materials Division

Waukegan

Dexter's Aerospace Materials Division manufactures both solvent and waterborne specialty paint and coatings for the aerospace and automotive industries. Since the products are custom formulated and pre-qualified by the customer, any off-spec paint generally cannot be reworked. A waste audit was initially conducted by the intern to determine opportunities for source reduction.

Results:

By increasing the efficiency of the solvent recovery still, the solvent could be reused in manufacturing as virgin solvent. It was demonstrated that by adjusting the procedure for removing still bottoms would increase still efficiency, decrease RCRA wastes by 14,000 gallons and save $6,500 annually.

Alternative methods were tested for filtering oversized particles from the finished product. In a self-cleaning system, products are filtered through a wire screen instead of a bag. Bag purchases would be eliminated and disposal costs could be reduced resulting in a potential savings of $22,000 annually. Equipment tested to filter solvent-based paints worked very well. Further tests are needed to confirm that it would be capable of successfully filtering water-based paints.

"The Internship program was equally positive for both the intern and company. With industry continuing to be streamlined, the program allowed us to focus our attention on waste minimization without taking away from constant manufacturing demands."...Hugh Flack, The Dexter Corp.

Elco Textron Inc.

Rockford

Elco is a subsidiary of Textron Inc. and is part of Textron's Fastening Systems business segment. At Elco's Heat Treat and Plating Division in Rockford, the company electroplates metal fasteners for a wide variety of industries. Source reduction options were considered for the 30-40 cubic yards of lime/metal hydroxide sludge generated per week from the treatment of the rinse water from their electroplating zinc processes. Reduction in sludge would result in lower chemical usage, increased bath lives, and reduced off-site disposal costs.

Results:

A material exchange option was considered but the majority of local industries are currently not willing to accept this waste stream as a raw material. Instead, the intern identified the following process modification options:

• The manual zinc lines should have drain boards installed and dwell time increased between tanks to reduce drag out chemicals. Modify the tank layout for successive tank to tank parts movement and allow for a two-stage counterflow rinse scheme. Deionized water should be used for all plating bath makeup. Investigate the installation of a drag-in/drag-out tank both before and after plating that contains deionized water with 50% plating solution.
• Purchase a sludge drier to reduce sludge volume by a factor of 3:1.

An annual savings of $77,000 could be anticipated. Future waste minimization efforts will evaluate a closed loop system to transform this division into a zero discharge facility.

Garrett Aviation Services

Springfield

Garrett operates an aircraft rework facility at the Capital Airport in Springfield. The facility services airframes, installs and repairs avionics, performs interior and exterior modifications, and sells spare parts and aircraft components. Garrett's environmental consultant, Krueger Engineering & Sciences, had already initiated a program to eliminate methylene chloride products at their main hanger. An audit was conducted to identify other waste streams and source reduction options.

Results:

Suggestions from the waste audit included the following:

• Methylene chloride, a listed hazardous air pollutant (HAP), is used as a paint stripping agent. If an alternative stripper could be found, the HAPs would be reduced by 65%. It was very difficult to find alternatives since both the Federal Aviation Administration and manufacturer's requirements do not allow processes to be altered substantially. Laser paint stripping technology was too expensive. Blast media or mechanical paint removal methods would not be feasible due to adverse effects on the thin aluminum substrate. Several alkaline-based stripping agents appear promising and a testing program is underway to evaluate them.
• Acetone was introduced as a replacement for methyl ethyl ketone, another HAP.
• The use of a high volume, low pressure paint spray gun was investigated. The washer has the potential to save $2,500 annually, reduce HAP emissions by 600 pounds (0.3 tons) per year, and reduce annual volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by 700 pounds (0.33 tons).

Highland Supply Corporation

Highland

Highland Supply is a leading manufacturer of decorative packaging for the floral industry as well as the world's largest producer/supplier of Easter grass and has three manufacturing facilities in Highland, IL. Highland operates both flexographic and rotogravure printing presses utilizing environmentally safe water-based inks and adhesives on a wide variety of substrates. A facility-wide waste audit was conducted at its plants to identify and quantify waste streams and investigate source reduction as well as off-site recycling opportunities.

Results:

The following were results of the intern audit:

• Since the market for shredded office paper had dried up, an arrangement was made with a local foliage farm whereby it could use this material as animal bedding.
• Wooden pallets for raw material rolls are larger than conventional pallets. Since Highland is a rural community located outside normal service areas, a program was established to return pallets to the vendors.

Honeywell
MICRO SWITCH Division

Freeport

MICRO SWITCH, a division of Honeywell's Control Components Group, specializes in manufacturing limit switches, sensors, optoelectronics, fiber optics and manual controls for a variety of applications. The company division headquarters is located in Freeport with Illinois facilities located in Freeport, Warren, and Galena.

In the Freeport metal fabrication plant, raw metal bar stock is cut and shaped into machined component parts. Oil, grease, and accumulated metal chips and fines are removed from the parts after machining by cleaning them in Stoddard solvent, a petroleum distillate. Parts are then washed in an aqueous cleaning system to achieve the required cleanliness standard before being assembled into the final product. The project focused on investigating options to reduce spent Stoddard solvent which is a RCRA hazardous waste.

Results:

An annual savings of $2,000 will result from elimination of the cleaning step in one department. Two possible replacements for Stoddard solvent were found after preliminary trials had been conducted. One is a nonhazardous solvent with a makeup similar to Stoddard, while the other is an aqueous based detergent cleaner containing rust and corrosion inhibitors. The aqueous solution cleaned well but there was concern for tarnishing and rusting of nickel and silver parts. Further testing will need to be carried out before a suitable alternative solvent is found. Solvent distillation for on-site recovery might also be investigated, but there are drawbacks to this procedure as well.

Joseph Behr & Sons

Rockford

Joseph Behr & Sons is a multifaceted facility that recycles iron, steel, and certain precious metals. Behr also refurbishes integrated circuits and other electronic components and is a secondary aluminum smelter. As a result of recommendations made by the Illinois EPA's Clean Break amnesty program in the Rockford area, Behr was asked to sponsor an intern whose goal would be to investigate various means of recycling and reprocessing grinding swarf (a fine metal powder generated from grinders and abrasive machines). An estimated 125 cubic yards of swarf is generated in the Rockford area every month and is disposed of in landfills as a nonhazardous special waste. Presently, most businesses can lower the oil and moisture content to 20% by conventional means. To increase the options for swarf reuse for metal content, the moisture content must be substantially lowered to 5% or below.

Results:

Technology is available that eliminates the generation of swarf by chipping or cutting away metal rather than grinding. This is a very expensive capital cost for small business.

An acceptable water based lubricant instead of petroleum based needs to be researched and trialed.

The use of swarf as a concrete filler was ruled out because of the discoloration effect from the oxidation of the metal. The trial as an asphalt filler has not been conducted.

Steel mills will be the ultimate end product user. They will dictate what shape and form the swarf will need to be in to be reused. Moisture content will be a critical factor. Two treatment options for lowering moisture content below 5% were identified and includes:

• Cold briquetting which applies 30,000 psi of pressure to drive off the remaining lubricant. A unit called the PuckMaster costs around $60,000. An acceptable binding agent pre-approved by the steel mills would have to be used to ensure a solid briquette is produced.
• The Thermal Screw, developed by Industrial By-Products, which uses a heated surface area under a nitrogen blanket to remove the water and oil. This option lowers the moisture content to less than 1% but the cost is close to $1,000,000

Since any viable option would be economically driven, the recycling/reuse effort would need to be conducted locally within the Rockford area to reduce transportation costs.

McHenry County Defenders

Woodstock

The McHenry County Defenders, founded in 1970, is a citizen based organization with over 1,000 members and is dedicated to preserving and improving the environment. The group provides administrative support for environmental concerns of their members and also operates a recycling center with several drop-off sites throughout the county. The Defenders organized a pollution prevention (P2) roundtable for local manufacturers. Hosted by the participating companies, the roundtable meets quarterly to share ideas and actively participate in P2 efforts. The intern assisted the Defenders in staff support for the P2 Roundtable outreach and was available for on-site P2 assistance.

Results:

The following outreach efforts were undertaken:

• Fact sheets were developed to assist industries with storm water permitting requirements and for the recycling of fluorescent light bulbs.
• A report on the land application of wastewater was prepared to educate the general public on the treatment methods employed and the health and safety factors of this issue.
• An office recycling program was developed at a local manufacturer. Implementation will reduce solid waste generation by 25% and reduce pickups from three to two times per week.
• At a solvent based paint shop of a local facility, an economic analysis was performed on options for solvent recovery. The analysis showed that it would be advantageous to reinstall distillation units to reuse spent solvent and reduce the amount of virgin solvents purchased.

"Our summer intern was assigned the P2 Project of Paint and Solvent Recovery Process by Distillation and the Justification for Pollution Prevention. With no previous experience in solvent-based finishing and no formal process documented, she very efficiently analyzed the operation, interfaced with company and department personnel, equipment and chemical suppliers, and produced a very thorough and comprehensive project report."...Michael F. Wirtz, Aubrey Mfg. Inc.

MacLean Fasteners

Mundelein

MacLean Fasteners is a subsidiary of MacLean-Fogg and is North America's largest manufacturer of high performance fastening and component systems supplying a wide variety of industries including aircraft, electronic, marine, and truck and automotive plants. Its present process in Mundelein includes the cold nut forming operations on steel, automated tapping, and assembly. In most instances, the nuts are washed, plated, and waxed during the course of their production. Approximately 3,000 gallons per week of liquid waste consisting primarily of water and oil is collected from the process and is hauled off-site for treatment. The intern conducted a waste audit to identify sources of the liquid waste streams and to propose minimization opportunities.

Results:

The intern identified the major sources of spent liquids and offered the following alternatives:

Used water is generated by the aqueous parts washer. A proposed new parts washer and segregation of this wastestream would result in cleaner parts, reduce the amount of mineral spirits used in tapping and drastically reduce energy losses. This would be costly but would result in savings of $23,000 annually. Nanofiltration would be more effective with a new system to completely recycle the water. Oily emulsions would be removed while retaining cleaning agents.

Used oil is generated by the forming and tapping machines. These machines currently use two types of oil. Oils are still being tested that can be used as both a cutting oil and a lube oil. Reclaiming segregated used oil on-site by an outside oil recycling company is being considered since there are no major capital expenditures associated with this.

"Our intern provided a fresh perspective on old problems, and a dedicated resource for research of alternatives. Although we did not "arrive" at a definitive solution, the research that was done will guide our continued efforts to find the best alternative methodology."....Jean Ross Meehan, MacLean-Fogg Co.

"The intern showed me that there are new ways that can help and save money for the company."...Kenneth Zientarski, MacLean-Fogg Co.

McWhorter Technologies

Carpentersville

McWhorter is one of the leading U.S. manufacturers of resins used in the paint and coating industries. It manufactures resin used in the reinforced fiberglass plastics industry. Through a formal internal audit program, the company identified two potential projects that the intern could concentrate on to substantially reduce wastes at the facility.

Results:

After monitoring wastewater flows, it was revealed that major sources of wastewater included rain water, floor wash water, and process water. The facility is currently repairing roof leaks to address this problem. Activities that need to be minimized to reduce the amount of floor wash water include the cleanup of drips from hoses, spills, and the cleaning of filter presses. Floor wash wastes in one process area has the potential to be recycled. An alternative and less hazardous cleaner was identified and will be tested in the near future.

Another area investigated by the intern was the amount of scrap generated by the frequent sampling of the reactors. Each batch reactor is sampled several times during its cooking cycle to ensure the batch has been properly cooked. Recommendations include installing sampling spigots that take smaller samples. The sample could be recycled back into that same batch. Also, the different types of waste resins could be segregated to allow off-site recycling to occur. If these options can be implemented, approximately $56,000 per year could be saved.

Motorola

Schaumburg

Motorola is one of the leading manufacturers of communication products and electronic components in the world. The 325 acre Motorola Center in Schaumburg includes the corporate offices and the Land Mobile Products Sector (LMPS). The LMPS facility includes offices, radio system manufacturing, and research and development laboratories. The intermediate product boards and crystals are utilized in the production of two-way radios and base station communications equipment. Several hazardous waste streams were analyzed for reduction.

Results:

With approximately $4,000 per year in savings, the following recommendations were made:

An alternative oil-based coolant can be recycled four times longer and will reduce coolant water waste by 87%.

Flux is used to improve the adherence of solder paste on circuit boards. A method to reuse spent flux is being investigated.

Photosensitive chemical bottles are cleaned by immersion in a small container of acetone. If the bottles are spray rinsed instead, this will reduce the acetone waste by 70%.

New ink plotters that use refillable ink cartridges are being purchased and will eliminate this waste stream.

Building services has been instructed to purchase smaller quantities of maintenance chemicals and will store them in a heated room. Several frozen items had to be disposed.

"The program is good for the interns, for the industries and for the Environment."....Jian Lin, Motorola

NORBIC (North Business & Industrial Council)

Chicago

NORBIC, founded in 1975, is an economic development organization located on the north side of Chicago. Its purpose is to assist in the retention, expansion, and development of successful business and industry. NORBIC programs include the following:

• Small Business Development Center with in-depth counseling to small businesses in finance, marketing, employment, and technology
• Procurement Assistance Center for assisting Illinois companies to obtain government contracts
• International Trade Center for assistance in entering the global marketplace
• NAFTA Opportunity Center regarding export opportunities in Mexico and Canada
• Technical Services Program offering limited technical assistance from the Argonne National Lab

NORBIC has approximately 260 member companies which employ 85,000 people. NORBIC is an active participant in the Greater Chicago Pollution Prevention Program (GCP3) which consists of government agencies, citizen groups, and representatives of the business community.

Results:

The intern assisted in the draft of a metal fabricating P2 and compliance guide within an industry focus workgroup composed of NORBIC members. The intern was instrumental in increasing P2 awareness and outreach efforts to GCP3 constituents. Promotional packets were sent out to encourage NORBIC members to participate in the Illinois EPA Clean Break Program, an environmental amnesty program offered to Illinois businesses with 200 or fewer employees. Printers were encouraged to join the Great Printers Program to help them meet compliance regulations while using P2 techniques.

Pierce Chemical Company

Rockford

Pierce Chemical Company manufactures and markets over 2300 high quality, high value chemicals in custom packaging to the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology industries. At its sole location in Rockford, the main areas of manufacturing include organic synthesis, purification and formulations. A waste audit was conducted to identify opportunities for source reduction in the production process areas. Since a majority of chemicals are manufactured in such small quantities on a demand basis, it was challenging to quantify the wastes that were generated annually.

Results:

Mass balances were performed for a number of high throughput organic chemical production processes involving reagents manufactured for gas chromatography and protein solubilization. One process modification to change the order of reactant addition would save $9,500 per batch of final product. Modifications to reduce two halogenated wastestreams would save $8,300 and $13,000 per batch in two separate process areas. A material exchange buyer has been located to reuse/recycle one of their byproducts and could result in a savings of $3,500.

"A very positive experience! This is an excellent program that is mutually beneficial to the intern as well as the company sponsor. I highly recommend it."...Mariann Zanardo, Pierce Chemical Company

Plano Molding Company

Plano

Plano Molding Company, headquartered in Plano, IL, is the world's leading producer of injected molded plastic storage boxes for the fishing industry. Plano also manufactures plastic tool boxes, miscellaneous children's toy organizers, and cosmetic organizers. They have three manufacturing facilities and two warehouses in northeastern Illinois. As a result of a waste audit, options were proposed that would reduce two waste streams, hydraulic oil and plastic pellets/production wastes.

Results:

During the injection molding process, hydraulic oil is used to inject the molten plastic and cycle the mold. The oil is replaced every two years and is sent off-site for conversion to #2 diesel fuel. Reclaiming the oil by filtering it and then chemically washing and replenishing the oil would return it to its original specifications. This could result in a cost savings of $25,000 over a two year period.

Process modification to recover, regrind, and recycle the plastic purge waste from production would save $30,000 annually. Recycle of contaminated parts could not be undertaken.

To reduce storm water runoff, it was recommended the facility should cover gaylord boxes during transport, install catch basins in outdoor storm drains, and pave the rail car transfer area.

Pre Finish Metals, Inc.

Elk Grove Village

Pre Finish Metals, a subsidiary of Material Sciences Corporation, manufactures protective and decorative coatings applied to wide coils of metal in a continuous, high speed roll-to-roll process. It has two continuous coating lines. Each line consists of a primer coater and a finish coater for coating coiled steel or aluminum. The substrate (steel or aluminum) is chemically cleaned and treated in a wet section prior to coating to increase the paint adhesion and durability of the finish prior to coating. The coater then can apply more than twenty different type of thermoset coatings in primer, finish, or ink configurations with an infinite variety of colors.

The intern performed an audit on one of the coaters from the wet section to the wastewater treatment plant. A material balance was formulated using process line flowrates and corresponding chemical constituents and concentrations. By decreasing overflows, sludge buildup, spills, and loadings to the sewer, costs would be lowered.

Results:

The following P2 options were recommended:

• The frequency of process changes should be minimized as much as possible.
• Tank level controls and automatic valves should be maintained to minimize overflows.
• Rinsewater tank overflows should be redesigned as a counterflow system to prevent losses of concentrated chemicals to the wastewater plant.
• Use recycled treated water from the brush operations to cut down fresh water use.
• Properly maintain squeegee roll alignment. This could substantially reduce the drag-out or carryover of chemicals from one rinse tank to the other and avoid cross contamination.
• Install water meters in the wet section to verify water consumption and improvements.

"The IEPA-OPP Pollution Prevention Internship Program is the only program I know of that has resulted in a 1,000 to 1 return on our dollars invested. That's pretty good payback that even accountants can appreciate."...Gary Hayden, Pre Finish Metals

Radiac Abrasives, Inc.

Salem

Radiac Abrasives is a leading manufacturer of grinding wheels in the United States. Radiac manufactures products for the aerospace, automotive, ball-bearing, railway, construction, and machine manufacturing industries. It has the capabilities to batch process grinding wheels from either a vitrified or a resin process. A waste audit conducted by the intern identified opportunities to reduce overall waste at the facility.

Results:

• Wastewater containing grit generated during cleanup can be dewatered and if nonhazardous, sent out as a special waste.
• To reduce spills from the mixing department, the top of the shaker screen apparatus should be redesigned. The Illinois Department of Transportation is currently testing the mixing waste to see if it could be reused as an aggregate in cement or asphalt.
• The amount of refuse can be reduced by purchasing a machine to remove the metal rings from fiber drums and recycle the cardboard. This would have a one year payback.
• Natural gas savings by reusing the flue gas to either heat combustion air or to heat the drying ovens is being considered.

"The intern provided to us demonstrated excellent individual initiative, exceptional analytical abilities, worked extremely well with all levels of our organization (mfg./R&D/QC/Acct. & machine operators) and adapted quickly from an academic environment to a business/mfg. environment bringing a fresh perspective to our operations. The additional time required on our company's part to participate in the intern program was far out-weighed by the positive results."...Denny R. Brinkmeyer, Radiac Abrasives

S&C Electric Company

Chicago

S&C Electric manufactures switches and fuses which are used by utility and large industrial companies. Machined metal parts produced at their facility must be cleaned and degreased before assembly or further process operations such as plating, brazing, soldering, and heat treatment are performed. Degreasing is currently accomplished by using the halogenated organic solvent trichloroethylene (TCE). S&C has decided to eliminate using the solvent and switch to an aqueous cleaning system.

Results:

Due to the longer wash cycle with the aqueous cleaning system, there was a concern that the system would not be able to handle the current production load. By using computer modeling, the intern was able to create a simulation of the new aqueous washer. The simulation has indicated that the new cleaning system will clean parts much faster than the old solvent system with the time savings being generated by improved material handling.

S&C has installed aqueous cleaning equipment throughout their facility and is currently phasing out their solvent degreasers. Although making the process change from solvent to aqueous cleaning was the primary goal, the time and labor saved by improved process efficiency will save the company money and allow them to get parts to assembly faster.

Sundstrand Aerospace, Inc.

Rockford

Sundstrand is a major supplier of component parts for the aerospace and airline industry. In response to the phase out of chlorinated solvents, the facility has implemented a change to aqueous and organic solvent cleaning technologies. This has resulted in the increased generation of organic solvent wastes which are disposed of as a RCRA hazardous waste due to its ignitability characteristic. The feasibility of reducing or even eliminating the current disposal of used solvents was conducted.

Results:

Trials were conducted showing that distillation is a viable treatment option for removing oily contaminants from the solvents. Spent solvents from various cleaning stations within the same facility could be delivered to a centralized distillation unit for reprocessing. Proper design could allow this unit to be exempt from RCRA regulations. The payback period for this system would be less than two years. The economic viability will be compared to off-site recycling and membrane filtration as well as the present off-site fuel blending.

"The P2 intern program provides students an excellent opportunity to initiate new pollution prevention technologies within industry."...Steve Larson, Sundstrand Aerospace

Witco Corporation

Mapleton

Witco's Mapleton facility, located near Peoria, is a specialty chemical manufacturer. At their facility, natural fats (beef tallow) and oils are fractionated or split into fatty acids and glycerine. The fatty acids are reacted with hydrogen to form fatty alcohols or with ammonia to form fatty amines. Additional processing steps produce surface active agents and quaternary ammonium compounds that are intermediates for the manufacture of various consumer and industrial products. Steam jet ejectors to create vacuum conditions are used in conjunction with direct/barometric condensers in many of their processes. During vacuum and condensation, the steam and direct contact cooling water become contaminated due to the fact that the low molecular weight fatty acids and other by-products having low boiling points are condensed. This results in high fatty organic loads to the Greater Peoria Sanitation District (GPSD). The intern was involved in analyzing and making recommendations to reduce the organic load to the GPSD.

Results:

After establishing a mass balance for the organic loadings at the facility, it was determined that an alternative system should be employed. Surface precondensers, direct condensers, a hybrid vacuum system with steam jets in series, an upstream scrubber, and a weir recovery system were all considered. The alternative that looks best is a shell and tube precondenser system with a partial recirculatory liquid pump. Preliminary estimates for capital expenditure are in the process of being formulated. Steam savings, a decrease in waste water loadings, reduced treatment costs, and product recovery could be the result of this project being implemented. The payback for the investment for this project is excellent.

For more information on any of these 1997 intern projects,
contact Rick Reese.