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GENERAL SECTION
Managing Solvents and
Solvent Wipes: Practical Tips
Most industries use cleaning solvents of some kind, and many industries use organic compound (OC) containing solvents that contribute to airv emissions as well as to waste generation. Furthermore, if wipes are used, the costs for laundering them can be high, and depending on the solvent and the laundry, the laundry may have effluent limitations they need to meet that may be impacted by your materials. Some practical tips may be applied to the use of solvents and solvent wipes that may be used to reduce overall usage and/or create cost savings.
First, it is key to understand what impacts any existing air permits have on solvent usage. Your air permit may specify a low volatile organic compound (VOC) containing solvent, or you may be restricted by other local, state or federal regulations including possible hazardous waste generation.
One of the crucial next steps towards evaluating solvent usage and solvent wipe usage is understanding the manufacturing process and what types of solvent properties are needed. For example, do you need a fast-acting, quick-drying solvent, or one that works more slowly? Do you need an aggressive solvent to get off the caked-on residues or is a milder solvent acceptable? Could you reuse the “used” solvent for a first pass cleaning effort and then use “clean” solvent for the second pass? Your vendor should be able to help you to determine which solvents you can use that will be most appropriate for your process. Don’t assume that one solvent should be used throughout the plant—one solvent may be appropriate in one application but may be more than is needed or inappropriate in another. Where practical, try to use an “environmentally friendly” solvent to help in waste minimization.
Next, consider how you might reduce the amount of solvent that remains in your solvent wipes after use. In an industry example provided by the USEPA, one company used a commercial grade laundry centrifuge to remove excess solvent from their wipes. They reused the solvents that were removed by the centrifuge in parts washers, and greatly reduced their overall solvent usage. The laundry centrifuge was paid for by the cost savings in a year.
Lastly, consider providing incentives to employees to reduce solvent usage. Employees can be an invaluable resource for innovative ideas as they are the ones who deal with the solvents on a regular basis. If a slower acting solvent is being tested for effectiveness, let them know that even if productivity is affected as a result, it will not impact their performance evaluations.
SUMMARY
Managing solvents and solvent wipes effectively, considering what performance characteristics are desired and what the process requires, can lead to reduced air emissions and waste generation, and cost savings for the company. If you require assistance in determining costs associated with solvent usage and emissions and waste attributed to solvent usage, contact Tony Domanico or Emily Rynders at the Payne Firm at (513) 489-2255 or via e-mail at aid@paynefirm.com or ear@paynefirm.com. This and other Environmental Edge topics are available on our website at www.paynefirm.com.
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