P2 & E2 Internship Program - Projects

Pollution Prevention Internship Program
1998 Intern Projects

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

American NTN Bearing Mfg. Corp.
Elgin Plant
Elgin

The Elgin plant of American NTN Bearing Mfg. Corp. manufactures precision bearings and bearing components primarily for the automotive industry. This includes radial ball bearings, tapered roller bearings, hub unit bearings, and steel balls.

In the hub unit bearing operation, the bearing outer rings are drilled and turned to remove stock prior to heat treatment. The rings are drilled and turned in a semi-synthetic aqueous coolant. The rings are then stored in metal parts baskets indoors for a period of 1 day to 3 months. The coolant provides rustproofing for the parts prior to the next operation, induction heat treatment.

In the induction heat treatment operation, the hub units are pre-washed with water, induction hardened, quenched with synthetic aqueous quench fluid, and post-washed with a synthetic aqueous wash fluid. The units are then placed in metal crates that are lined with plastic poly-bag liners. The units sit on dividers with VCI (Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor) paper as corrosion protection. These parts are then stored for a period of 1 day to 3 months while awaiting further processing in the grinding department.

The intern was hired to modify the post-wash operation if needed and find a suitable aqueous post-wash chemical that would provide adequate cleaning and sufficient rust prevention properties to protect the parts while being stored. This would eliminate the VCI paper and the need for the plastic poly-bag liner.

Results:

Extensive bench scale trials were conducted to find a replacement post-wash cleaner. A cheaper, more efficient aqueous alkaline cleaner was found that resulted in cleaner hub units while exhibiting superior rust protection. This eliminated the purchase and disposal of VCI paper and plastic poly-bags making the operators' job easier since they would not need to bend down and place VCI paper and plastic in the metal crates.

The entire existing post-wash system on one of the three induction heat treatment machines was replaced. The life of the wash fluid was extended by purchasing and installing a filtration system to remove particles and other impurities that might lead to bacterial growth. By transferring this improvement to the two other machines, an annual cost savings of over $60,000 could be expected.

Argonne National Laboratories
Argonne

Argonne National Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) research facility located southwest of Chicago. It is operated by the University of Chicago. Argonne National Laboratory has a diverse program of research interests that includes environmental science, biology, computer science, microbiology, physics, engineering, and energy resources.

Currently, DOE pays for the hazardous waste disposal costs at Argonne directly. In the near future, Argonne research programs will be expected to pay for its own disposal costs. To reduce the impact of this change, a pilot surplus chemical exchange program was implemented in 1997. The pilot proved successful, and as a result, a student intern was hired to identify ways to expand the program to the entire facility.

Results:

The intern developed an Intranet web site known as ACES or the Argonne Chemical Exchange System. This site enables staff to browse the list of surplus chemicals and order chemicals on-line. Startup costs are expected to be minimal. Argonne National Laboratory staff estimates the exchange program will save them more than $130,000 in its first year of implementation due to the reduction in the purchase of new chemicals.

BF Goodrich Company
Henry

The BF Goodrich Company, located in Henry, is a specialty chemical manufacturer of antioxidants for the rubber, plastics and lubricants industries and accelerators for the rubber industry. They also manufacture certain water treatment polymers. The student intern was involved in several pollution projects.

Results:

The student identified pollution prevention opportunities in the following areas:

• Antioxidant is manufactured in a batch process using acetonitrile (ACN). ACN is an organic carrier making it a very effective reaction medium. The intern conducted an audit to identify and quantify where emission losses were occurring in the process. If the ACN could be contained or captured, it could be recycled back into the process. It was found that over 50 percent of the losses were attributable to the ACN distillation recovery column. The ACN-water azeotrope is carried over through the cooling/dilution tank to the wastewater. A recommendation was made to replace the cooling tank with a heat exchanger. By cooling the wastewater temperature and keeping it well below the azeotrope's boiling point to prevent further evaporation, the company can save $30,000 per year.

• Tars, or unreacted raw material and by-products from the facility's antioxidant process, are collected and sent off-site for incineration. Filtrate samples taken from the centrifuge indicated that it contained finished product. The intern conducted several lab experiments to determine if temperature and reactant use could be optimized to minimize the amount of tars formed in the process. It was determined that reducing the formation of tars by 25 percent could result in a savings of $20,000 per year. One suggestion was made to recycle the filtrate back through the centrifuge. This would capture smaller particles by using the filter cake as a second layer of filtration.

• The company conducted a wastewater treatability study earlier in the year to determine if it was necessary to pretreat wastewater from one of their processes with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The study evaluated what effect that the process wastewater without H₂O₂ pretreatment would have on biological treatment. The intern conducted a separate study that confirmed that pretreatment would not be necessary at the current production rates of that process. Further studies will be conducted, but the company could realize savings up to $150,000 per year by eliminating the addition of H₂O₂.

Crystal Lake Water Department
(Wellhead Protection)
Crystal Lake

The City of Crystal Lake, a suburb northwest of Chicago, relies on 11 groundwater wells for its drinking water. In 1995, trace amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected in three of these wells. The discovery of the VOCs prompted the development of a wellhead protection ordinance. The goal of the internship was to assist industries in recognizing and reducing the threat of further contamination of the drinking water supply through pollution prevention.

Results:

The intern drafted and compiled pollution prevention (P2) fact sheets for auto body repair, auto repair, automotive service stations, and metal fabrication businesses. The intern was able to accompany the pretreatment inspector on nine separate inspections at sites within the recharge area of the wells. The P2 literature was distributed to each of these business and suggestions made on P2 practices they should consider.

The following industries were assisted with on-site technical assistance:

• A local print shop requested help on recycling issues for waste ink, used photographic film, mixed paper and spent developer and fixer. An application for becoming an Illinois Great Printer was provided to the owner of the company.

• A screen printer was provided with an alternative technology for screen reclamation by the use of a high-pressure water blast system. This would drastically cut down on the use of solvents and also reduce employee exposure to the harmful chemicals. Improving housekeeping in general would also help decrease its chances of contaminating the groundwater.

• Assistance was provided to a manufacturer of twist drills and carbide-tipped tools which is voluntarily cleaning up VOCs in the groundwater through the use of a pump and treat system.

The information obtained on businesses within the recharge areas will lay the groundwork for monitoring compliance with the new wellhead protection ordinance.

DuPage County Public Works Department
Woodridge

The DuPage Co. Public Works Department operates several publicly owned treatment works (POTW) that treat industrial effluent from several businesses. Discharges from industrial users can include restaurant grease, petroleum oils from car care facilities, silver discharges from photo processors and printing inks.

In the past, the County POTWs have received minor shock loadings of toxic or inhibitory substances that have resulted in minor upsets to the treatment plants. This has not been a problem for some time now. However, oils and greases continue to be a nuisance problem at the treatment plants. Even though the sludge is still meeting the USEPA Class A designation, certain heavy metal concentrations are higher than the POTWs would like as well.

Because automotive care facilities have been found to contribute oil, grease, and heavy metals, a pretreatment inspector has been concentrating on these facilities. An intern was hired to assist the inspector in surveying these facilities and educating them about various P2 concepts to ensure compliance with the pretreatment ordinance.

Results:

Over 90 percent of the car care facilities inspected have effluent pretreatment units known as triple basin grease traps. These basins are connected in series, which should allow the oil and grease to separate from the waste water and heavier substances to settle out. If 75 percent of the total operating volume of a catch basin is filled with sludge, the basin needs to be cleaned out. The accumulated sludge, classified as a "special waste," must be hauled off-site by a licensed special waste contractor. The POTW cannot treat this sludge due to its concentration of heavy metals and oil.

The inspections were restricted to the floor drains and pretreatment units at the facilities since they are physically connected to the sewer lines. The following recommendations were provided:

• Each site was made aware of the maintenance and operation of the catch basins.

• Good housekeeping practices were offered to help reduce the amount of waste being generated. This reduces the frequency of cleanup and materials that might wind up in the sediment basins.

• Proper spill containment techniques were recommended to help prevent toxic wastes from entering the sewer system.

• Dry methods of washing shop floors were suggested to reduce the volume of waste water and sludge generated.

Forsheda Engineered Seals
(formerly John Crane Inc.)
Vandalia

Forsheda Engineered Seals manufactures radial and high pressure lip seals, precision molded products, and hydraulic packing at its facility in Vandalia. The intern was assigned several projects dealing with eliminating or reducing waste streams at the facility.

Results:

In one process area, adhesives are sprayed on metal casings for the adhesion of rubber. The solvents that are utilized to thin the adhesives for spraying are considered hazardous air pollutants or HAPs. Evaluations were conducted on a high volume low pressure (HVLP) spray gun to reduce the amount of overspray. A written proposal to purchase new HVLP spray guns and to reduce the spray booth size was sent to management. Once approved and fully implemented, HAP emissions will be reduced by 50 percent and $14,000 saved in disposal costs.

Currently all cured and uncured scrap rubber, generated from batch mixer cleanouts and off-spec materials, is being landfilled as a special waste. Contacts were made with other companies to recycle approximately 100 tons of scrap rubber per year. Listings have been placed with the Industrial Material Exchange Service and on the Internet for potential off-site recycling.

A company was contacted to recycle their waste oil at a fraction of the cost of what they were being charged. This would save them $1,200 per year.

The intern was approached by a company that would rent a cardboard baler to Forsheda for $100 per month and purchase the cardboard bales at a fair market value. This project will be implemented next year as soon as floor space becomes available.

The intern identified another option for recycling fluorescent bulbs, which will save approximately $0.40 per bulb over the current recycling 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. Among the group's many projects, they operate a recycling and reuse center, promote non-toxic home cleaning methods and natural lawn care, all designed to protect their county's vulnerable underground drinking water supplies.

In 1997, the Defenders organized a pollution prevention (P2) roundtable for local manufacturers. The intern provided assistance to member companies.

The intern reviewed a report drafted by high school students and senior volunteers on potential sources of contamination of the wells located in the City of Crystal Lake. The report was done as part of a U.S. EPA pilot program. Businesses located within the recharge area of the community wells would receive assistance on P2 opportunities.

Results:

P2 Roundtable assistance included:

• A small printer that was in the process of expanding its operation in Woodstock was assessed. Recommendations to improve its operation were made in the following areas: shop rags, fountain solution, paper supply, space management, paper size, parts cleaning, and spent fixer. The company was already practicing many P2 measures. The company joined the Illinois Great Printers program.

• A list of fluorescent bulb recyclers including current price quotes and a list of local hazardous waste recyclers was developed for P2 Roundtable members.

The results of the wellhead protection project included:

• A map of the businesses in the capture zone along with a table describing their activities was prepared.

• Fact sheets were prepared for dry cleaners, printers, and metal finishers within the recharge areas. The fact sheets contained sector-specific P2 information. Site visits were made to distribute the fact sheets.

Morton Industrial Coatings
Batavia

The Morton Industrial Coatings facility in Batavia manufactures over two million gallons of industrial coatings annually for the coil coating and drum coating markets. The manufacturing and cleanup of these mostly solvent-based coatings generates 60,000 gallons of liquid hazardous waste (due to its flammability characteristic) and about 30 tons of reportable volatile organic material (VOM) emissions each year.

Cleaning of equipment and floors with organic solvents is a primary source of emissions and liquid waste at the facility. Coating batches are made in tanks ranging from 50 gallons to 6,000 gallons in volume, and each tank is washed and rinsed with solvent before it can be used for another batch. The organic cleaning solvent utilized almost universally within the plant is methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) since it is compatible with and is a common component of the coatings being manufactured. Tanks are spray cleaned with a high-concentration MEK wash. Spent wash is collected and reclaimed on-site for reuse.

Results:

MEK accounts for a significant portion of the VOMs emitted each year. The intern conducted a waste audit to track both reclaim and virgin solvent usage in the process. It was estimated that up to 40 percent of all VOM losses was due to cleanup of floors and general housecleaning with MEK. A suggestion was made to test acetone as an alternative wash solvent. Acetone is less toxic than MEK and is not considered to be a reportable VOM.

Comparison tests were conducted between the two solvents. The observed cleaning effectiveness of acetone matches that of MEK in all the trials. Acetone does evaporate faster than MEK and would need to be kept stored in covered containers at all times to avoid standing solvent loss. By converting to acetone just for floor cleaning, the intern estimated the company could save approximately $38,000 per year.

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. The LMPS implemented a worldwide program in 1994 to identify, track, and reduce waste streams at the source. The intern was hired to assist in the continuing waste reduction and pollution prevention efforts in the areas of landfill waste, hazardous/industrial waste, and process waste.

Results:

Landfill waste reduction opportunities:

• A comprehensive waste audit revealed that over 60 percent of the materials in the collection boxes were not being sorted properly for recycling. The outside contractor, who was responsible for sorting, retrained their personnel. Regular staff was reminded of their recycling responsibilities by a mass e-mail campaign. A follow-up audit concluded that efforts were paying off and projected recycling rates for paper and cardboard alone would increase from 692 tons last year to 960 tons for 1998. Periodic training will continue to improve employee awareness and involvement.

• Cardboard was a major component of landfill waste. Incoming packaging vendors were contacted to assist in future source reduction efforts in this area.

Hazardous material reduction opportunities:

• An acid-recycling system could be modified to filter and reclaim hydrofluoric acid. A trial was being conducted on one vendor’s reclaim system that had claimed to have a 90 percent recycle recovery rate with the potential for a savings of $47,000 per year.

Process industrial waste reduction opportunities:

• Photoresist is a light-sensitive chemical that is applied in excessive amounts to silicon wafers by a high-velocity spin coating process to ensure uniform thickness on the wafer. Pollution prevention options being investigated include utilizing a spray system instead of spin coating, atomizing the chemicals before being applied to the wafers, and possibly using a dark-room setup to recycle the photoresist.

• Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is used to clean solder paste and flux off of individual circuit boards. IPA could be eliminated with a new technology that uses a beam of solder paste to trace the patterns of the various circuit boards. A 90 percent reduction would save $3,400 per year.

Motorola Lighting
Buffalo Grove

Motorola Lighting is an electronic fluorescent ballast manufacturer. At its Buffalo Grove facility, four separate lines manufacture ballasts. The manufacturing lines are highly automated with high-speed robotics technology and are managed by a computer-integrated control system. The ballast manufacturing process follows a typical printed circuit board assembly. Electrical components are first placed on printed circuit boards. The boards are next fluxed and soldered. This is followed by deposition of an epoxy coating on the board for insulation. The boards are finally tested, capped, labeled and packed for shipping.

The intern was directed to focus on reducing the amount of wastes generated by the overspray of the epoxy coating sprayed on the boards for insulation.

Results:

Each board is sprayed with a flame retardant epoxy and then cured in a UV oven. Overspray of the epoxy is collected and sent offsite for hazardous waste disposal because it is an "ignitable" hazardous waste. A filtration system was designed to capture, filter and reuse the overspray. Investing $5,200 to install the filtration system will result in saving the company $90,000 per year. In addition, this technique would eliminate housekeeping issues and reduce material handling.

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's programs include the Procurement Assistance Center, International Trade Center, NAFTA Opportunity Center and the Technical Services Program.

NORBIC is a non-profit organization and has approximately 250 member companies. Since NORBIC provides confidentiality to its clients, the name of the company that the intern assisted will be referred to as Company A.

Results:

Company A is a small electroplating and finishing job shop located on Chicago's north side and employs less than 50 people. The company is currently testing its capabilities to mass electroplate tin products for a prospective new customer. The resulting increase in production would also increase the amount of wastes. The intern analyzed the processes and made the following recommendations to either source reduce or eliminate selected waste streams:

• One aspect of the tin plating involved the blasting of a lead component with glass beads. The glass beads become contaminated with lead and must be disposed of as a hazardous waste. Research was conducted on alternative blasting processes. CO2 pellet blasting was recommended over ceramic bead blasting (ZIRBLAST) or plastic bead blasting. Initially, it is more expensive but would totally eliminate the need for media recycling and recovery.

• It was recommended that the rinsing process should be done in two stages. The first stage would involve the use of a diluted sulfuric acid rinse in a closed loop system to eliminate contaminated rinsewater. The second rinse would consist of pure water. This rinsewater will contain some small amounts of tin and sulfuric acid. Tin is not regulated in water, and if the concentration of the sulfuric acid is low enough, the rinsewater could be drained directly to the sewer.

• Flow restrictors were recommended on the rinsing lines to maintain a constant flow of water under variable water pressures. To feed the rinsewater evenly, flow distributor/sprayers could be utilized. Air agitation with spray rinsing would be used on flat surfaced parts.

• It was recommended that 40 gallon tanks be used on the entire plating line. The water inlet and discharge points of the tank would be located at opposite positions in the tank to avoid short-circuiting.

Rock Island Arsenal
Rock Island

Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) is a U.S. Army installation located in Rock Island. The arsenal occupies 907 acres of the island, which is situated in the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa. Approximately 7,000 people work on the island, with the vast majority being civilian employees. The arsenal currently has three separate functions including:

• manufacturing artillery, gun mounts, recoil mechanisms, small arms, and spare parts

• performing tool set and basic issue items fabrication and assembly

• providing administrative, logistical, and facility support services.

The internship primarily focused on two pollution prevention projects in the development stage at RIA. The internship primarily focused on two pollution prevention projects in the development stage at RIA.

Results:

The RIA plating shop contains a 3,000-gallon hydrochloric acid tank that is used to strip chrome from parts before they are replated. The tank is dumped once or twice per year and refilled with acid. An acid reclaim system was added to the tank to filter the acid and extend its useful life. The reclaim system was on loan to the RIA for trial purposes and the intern continued taking samples and analyzing them to determine the effectiveness of the system. It was recommended that RIA purchase this acid reclaim system upon the availability of funding.

The Hazardous Materials Pharmacy (HAZMART) will be a centrally located issuing point for extremely hazardous chemicals. In conjunction with the HAZMART, is the establishment of an automated hazardous substance tracking system (HSMS). The intern concentrated on the collection and organization of data for each chemical as required by the HSMS software. The system will not be functional until the end of 1998.

Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Department of Commerce and Community Affairs
SIU, Carbondale

The SBDC is located in the Small Business Incubator on the campus at SIU in Carbondale. The Center provides unique assistance to small businesses in southern Illinois. The Center can market a company's services, provide local assistance directly to the business, and host educational and informational seminars specifically for small businesses. The intern was hired as part of a pilot program to offer pollution prevention (P2) technical assistance to businesses on-site.

Results:

The intern was instrumental to the SBDC by:

• Creating a brochure to publicize that the SBDC was now offering free on-site P2 assessments. These brochures were mailed out to all small businesses and affiliated manufacturing organizations in southern Illinois.

• Summarizing Illinois EPA brochures for small businesses into more readable fact sheets.

On-site visits of facilities included:

• Company A: At a custom boat trailer manufacturer, a waste audit determined that the paint booth process could utilize paint heaters to control paint viscosity. This would reduce the amount of paint thinner solvents used. Parts requiring the same color should be scheduled for painting together. Also, the painting sequence should progress from lighter to darker colors to further reduce the clean-up frequency with solvents.

• Company B: This manufacturer produces plastic storage bags for medical disposal, plastic packaging for food storage and air-tight vacuum bags for storage. The majority of plastic scrap could be recycled back into the extrusion process. Material with strength additives such as nylon could not be reused. A paint booth with an electrostatic sprayer should be investigated to increase the coating efficiency of the paint. An inspection system to inspect raw stock of incoming nylon plastics needs to be developed. Also, standard operating procedures for ink and ink container disposal need to be developed.

• Company C: Environmental research was conducted and literature obtained on FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) for a luxury and speed boat custom manufacturer.

Tazewell County Health Dept.
Central Region Groundwater Project
East Peoria

The drinking water for East Peoria is drawn from three groundwater well fields. Some of the wells are located in an area where groundwater has the potential for becoming contaminated. To decrease the threat of contamination, Tazewell County developed a groundwater protection ordinance that became effective August 3, 1998.

An intern was placed at the Tazewell County Health Department to help businesses in the East Peoria groundwater protection area be aware of the potential impact their business may have on the groundwater quality in the area.

Results:

The intern summarized the ordinance in a pamphlet for the business community and also drafted a permit application for the ordinance.

The intern prepared a regional map of the recharge area in the East Peoria area using ArcView GIS, a geographic information system tool. This map illustrates the locations of the water supply wells and the recharge area vulnerable to contamination. Businesses within this area were contacted for pollution prevention (P2) assistance.

The intern was able to conduct P2 opportunity assessments at nine small businesses. Most of the businesses were automotive repair and refinishing shops. A fact sheet covering P2 practices was constructed for this industrial sector and distributed to each shop visited.

Eight sewage treatment plants, including the East Peoria plant, were toured but none were identified as potential threats to the groundwater.

United States Postal Service
Chicago District, Chicago
Northern Illinois District, Carol Stream

The Great Lakes Area of the United States Postal Service encompasses both the Chicago District and the Northern Illinois (NI) District. Both districts have been proactive in developing and implementing pollution prevention (P2) plans. They have just recently reviewed and updated their P2 plans. To assist in implementing recommendations from their plans, one student intern was placed with the Chicago District and another was placed at the NI District.

The Chicago District contains 50 postal stations and branches, 19 finance stations, one Vehicle Maintenance Facility (VMF), three auxiliary garages, and two Processing and Distribution Centers (P&DC). The NI District, with headquarters in Carol Stream, contains 177 postal offices, 34 stations and branches, three VMFs and three P&DCs.

Presently, both districts recycle undeliverable bulk business mail, office paper, magazines, newsprint and computer printouts as mixed paper. They also recycle old corrugated cardboard, aluminum, and glass from the general trash stream.

Results:

At the VMFs, chemical usage was not being tracked or inventoried. A comprehensive spreadsheet was constructed to keep pertinent information about each product utilized and any health or safety issues that might pertain.

At the NI district, the intern organized over 100 environmentally related documents into a small library giving employees improved accessibility. Also, it was recommended that electrical hand-dryers be purchased to replace paper towels. This would be more cost effective and would have a payback of 1-2 years with less waste.

At the Chicago District, it was recommended to replace the solvent-based parts washers with an aqueous-based parts washer at the VMF. Trials will be undertaken in the near future. A new system would pay for itself in 1-2 years.

Research was conducted to find alternative products for any material that contained any of the 17 chemicals that have been targeted for elimination by the USEPA.

Zexel USA Corporation
Decatur

ZEXEL USA Corporation is a Japanese-owned company that manufactures automotive air-conditioning systems and components. The headquarters, located in Decatur, Illinois, is a subsidiary of Zexel Corporation. The Decatur manufacturing plant focused on two P2 projects. One project addressed the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration spike in their wastewater stream. The other project investigated material substitution for trichloroethylene (TCE), which is currently used in their vapor degreasers for cleaning.

Results:

Based upon analyzing past BOD readings, the intern found that the spikes were occurring on a regular basis and were possibly generated from regularly scheduled maintenance or an equipment discharge. The intern constructed a flow diagram of the process wastewater streams. By making use of the flow diagram, two 24-hour composite samplers were used for taking samples from various strategic places within the facility to isolate the spike. The samples were collected and sent off-site for analysis. One BOD test would take five days to complete. It was not out of the ordinary to take up to fourteen days to receive the results of a test. Due to this lengthy turnaround time, the source of the BOD spikes had been narrowed but not actually pinpointed.

TCE is presently used as a vapor degreaser. The company is proposing that an alternative cleaning technology be implemented within one to two years. The intern researched several alternative cleaners and technologies. The possibility of finding a material substitute or suitable technology would be slim due to the intricate shape of the pieces and the cleanliness of the part being cleaned that is required. One alternative that would be technologically feasible is carbon dioxide cleaning, either in liquid form or as a super-critical fluid. Suppliers of this technology were contacted for future testing. The company will be pursuing this option over the next several months.

"I hope James's summer experience has been as beneficial for him as it has been for ZEXEL. With James's efforts we have gained valuable information and progress toward improving our internal environmental controls, obtaining alternatives for our TCE's and improving our Rossiter program to eliminate repetitive motion injuries. Thanks for a job well done." ...Terry R. Klunder, Senior Vice President, ZEXEL USA.

"James's progress at ZEXEL has been amazing in the short three months, in which we were fortunate to have his assistance. He shed new light on our search to find and eliminate sources for BOD, and opened up new avenues for us to pursue for TCE replacement. His presence at ZEXEL will be missed, while his contributions will be admired." ...Ronda Moore, Environmental and Safety Manager ZEXEL USA.

For more information on any of these 1998 intern projects,
contact Rick Reese at (217) 557-8671.