Pollution Prevention for Paint & Body Shops

1. Pollution Preventionfor Paint & Body Shops Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management

2. Types of Waste • Paint • Paint filters • Paint solvents • Masking There is always a better way!

3. Used coolant Used oil Oil filters Spill dry Shop rags Cleaning solvents Spray solvent Washwater Refrigerants Scrap parts Batteries Tires Types of Waste There is always a better way!

4. Transfer Efficiency • How much paint actually coats surface vs. paint sprayed • Benefits • Buy less paint • Replace filter less frequently • Easier and less booth clean-up • Factors: training, equipment, maintenance, geometry There is always a better way!

5. Paint Formulation & Mixing • Solids content • Water-based primers (& topcoats?) • Don’t add excess thinner • Better estimate amount needed • Provide excess as touch-up paint There is always a better way!

6. Paint Equipment • Spray guns • conventional • High-Volume Low-Pressure • air-assisted airless • Electrostatics There is always a better way!

7. Painter Training • Clean and maintain equipment • Minimum air pressure for correct atomization • Perpendicular to surface (no arcs) • Uniform distance,speed, and overlap • Personal Protective Equipment There is always a better way!

8. Paint Booths • Painting and priming in booth • Filter intake air and exhaust air • Keep booth clean • no other work (e.g. sanding) • damp clean • no drain holes to ground • dust off workers entering • Design criteria There is always a better way!

9. Paint Booth Filters • Increase transfer efficiency • Use non-hazardous paint • Use graduated density filters • Use baffles in front of filters • Use Styrofoam filters There is always a better way!

10. Line Cleaning • Schedule painting from light to dark • Use paint cups or shorter lines • Blow paint out of lines and reuse • Use “dirty” solvent for first cleaning • Use recirculating gun washer • Evaluate distillation unit • Water-based formulations There is always a better way!

11. Washwater (from floor cleaning) • Use better housekeeping and spill prevention • Use less water • dry cleanup when possible • mop and bucket • high-pressure low-flow nozzle • Use vacuum floor cleaner • Watch out: emulsifying cleaner There is always a better way!

12. Washwater (from vehicle cleaning) • Wash only when needed • Reuse • recirculating wash system • fresh water rinse as makeup water • old wash water for engine cleaning • Watch out: emulsifying cleaners • Covered collection pad There is always a better way!

13. Hand Washing • Wipe in rags first • Solvents strip natural oils • Are you on septic tank? • Use gloves There is always a better way!

14. Fluid Spills (“spill dry”) • Prevent spills • Practice better housekeeping • Use drip pans • Use absorbent booms ("pigs") • Use reusable absorbents • Investigate peat absorbent • Wipe up as much as possible There is always a better way!

15. Shop rags/towels • Use inventory control • Segregate from liquid wastes • Use industrial laundry There is always a better way!

16. Spray Cleaners (brake, carb...) • Use only when needed • Use inventory control • Try pump sprays • Use alternative cleaners There is always a better way!

17. Refrigerants • Repair A/C leaks • Use recovery / recycle equipment • Technician certification • Use alternative refrigerant There is always a better way!

18. Used and Scrap Parts • Store properly • remove and collect fluids • keep out of the weather • Recycle old parts as scrap metal • brake drums • tire weights • etc. There is always a better way!

19. There is always a better way!