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Septic Tank
EPA Announces New Regulatory Requirements for Certain Class V Injection Wells We're outside of town and using a septic tank, any news we need to be aware of?

Solder
Benchmark Electronics, in Winona, initiated a lead-free surface mount technology assembly option for its customers, with funding through a state pollution prevention grant.

Solid Waste
Solid Waste GreenGuardian has information on reducing solid waste, including shipping materials and office paper.

U.S. Distilled Products Intern Project : Reduced packaging and product losses, and wastewater generation from the production lines.

Solvents
Air Quality Rules Affecting Shops with Paint Spray Equipment I operate a body shop, what about air regulations for me?

Alternative Solvent Degreasers These degreasing and cleaning solvents are marketed as alternatives to halgonated solvents, especially chlorinated solvents. In some cases, these solvents require more time or stronger physical action for cleaning surfaces. All have lower rates of evaporation and drying than the chlorinated solvents they replace.

Anagram Saves Over $68,600 through Waste Reduction A MnTAP intern helped Anagram International in Eden Prairie, adopt a multiple stage cleaning system and other cost saving process improvements.

Aqueous Parts Cleaning Mineral spirits is a solvent commonly used for part cleaning. Although it is effective for cleaning, mineral spirits raise significant environmental and health concerns.

Aqueous Parts Washers for Small Operations Because aqueous parts washers use waterbased chemistries, they can be less hazardous to operate than petroleum solvent parts washers. This fact sheet describes the options available and has a list of suppliers.

Cleaners Bolger Printing switches to bio-based solvents for press cleanup.

CleanerSolutions Database Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute's online database is a tool for solvent substitution in surface cleaning. It links performance evaluations to specific testing parameters and environmental assessments based on the testing performed at the lab.

Endocardial Solutions to Save $35,000 by Reducing the Use of Supply Materials A MnTAP intern helped ESI reduce costs associated with the use of non-value added materials in the manufacture of medical devices.

Evaluating Paint & Ink Wastes Use this fact sheet to learn how to evaluate your paint and ink wastes to determine if they are hazardous.

Floor Drain Systems Basic utilities usually are not thought about until a problem arises. Plumbing systems typically function for many years without needing attention. This fact sheet gives tips on preventing plumbing problems. It covers basic information about floor drain systems and separators and includes simple maintenance ideas.

Managing Aqueous Parts Washers This fact sheet discusses aqueous parts washer wastes from units used for washing oily materials.

Managing Solvent-Based Parts Washers This fact sheet discusses petroleum and other organic-based parts washer wastes from units used for washing oily materials.

Petroleum Solvents and Production Changes Replace Chlorinated Cleaning Solvents To eliminate 1,1,1-trichloroethane and CFC-113, Windings, Inc. converted two vapor degreasers to cold solvent dip tanks, constructed two stands for drying parts and changed operating procedures to eliminate the final stator cleaning step on 85 percent of the units it made. Note: Although production of both 1,1,1-trichloroethane and CFC-113 was banned in 1995, these process changes apply to other chlorinated solvents like trichloroethylene (TCE), methylene chloride and perchloroethylene (perc).

Printech Archive: Flexographic - Specific Discussion Explore information about inks, plates, solvents, air emissions calculations, permitting and other topics.

Reducing Solvent Emissions from Vapor Degreasers Reducing solvent emissions can benefit your company in many ways. This fact sheet outlines strategies for reducing emissions from drag-out, drafts, diffusion and sprays.

Safer Stripping and Cleaning Chemicals for Coatings and Polymers MnTAP maintains this list of alternative stripping and cleaning chemicals for coatings and polymers solely as a service to Minnesota companies.

Screenprinters and Environmental Questions An introduction to regulatory information and requirements for screenprinters in Minnesota.

Selecting a Still for On-site Solvent Recycling Become better prepared to select the right still for your on-site solvent recycling.

Soak Step Reduces Solvent Waste from Cleaning Paint Straining Equipment Crenlo, Inc. of Rochester, Minnesota, found that it was possible to reduce their solvent waste by 55 percent by adding a presoak step to an equipment cleaning process.

Solvent Recycling Equipment Many solvents can be reprocessed and recycled for reuse. Distillation is the most common method, but filtration can also be used. MnTAP maintains this list of solvent recycling equipment suppliers solely as a service to Minnesota companies.

Solvent Waste Cut with Spray Nozzle Selection when Cleaning Paint Straining Equipment Crenlo, Inc. reduced solvent waste by 80 percent or 11,000 gallons per year and saved approximately $13,000 per year on solvent purchase and disposal costs.

Wood Finishing: Reducing Waste and Cost Saving ideas Through the use of alternative coatings, such as waterborne finishes, and by switching to higher transfer efficiency spray equipment, some companies are seeing significant reductions in air emissions and seeing savings on disposal and raw material costs.

Sorbents
Managing Used Oil and Related Wastes Used oil, filters and used oil-contaminated sorbet materials often contain hazardous contaminants. This fact sheet describes how businesses can properly manage used oil and related wastes.

Spills
Hibbing Taconite Company Saves $260,000 by Reducing Ore Spills A MnTAP intern helped HTC reduce costs by making equipment and maintenance changes to prevent spills.

Prevent Losses from Spills Don’t cry over spilled milk—or other raw materials—figure out why it spilled then take steps to prevent future spills!

Stain
Inks Agri-based inks predominately use soybean oil, a non-toxic and renewable resource, as part of or all of the solvent instead of petrochemicals. This reduces volatile organic compound emissions and creates a safer work environment for printshop employees.

Managing Paint Booth Filters Use the information in this fact sheet to get maximum performance from spray booth filters, evaluate filters to determine if they are hazardous and properly manage them.

Paint There are a number of ways to reduce paint waste. Use the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide when purchasing paint for your business.

Stormwater
Storm-Water Program for Industrial Activity The objective of this permitting program, which is a part of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, is to reduce the amount of pollution that enters surface and ground water from industrial facilities in the form of storm water runoff.

Stripping Chemicals
Paint Stripping: Reducing Waste & Hazardous Materials This fact sheet helps evaluate paint stripping methods, hazardous material alternatives and waste reduction options.

Safer Stripping and Cleaning Chemicals for Coatings and Polymers MnTAP maintains this list of alternative stripping and cleaning chemicals for coatings and polymers solely as a service to Minnesota companies.

Styrene
Controlled Spraying and LaserTouch in the Fiber Reinforced Plastics Industry Controlled spraying significantly reduces styrene emissions from open mold fiber reinforced application processes, benefiting employee health, the manufacturing operation and the natural environment by increasing materials transfer efficiency. The improved accuracy and consistency provided by proper training and the use of the Laser Touch ensures material placement, also maximizing transfer efficiency.

Expressing Styrene Emissions The use of Control Efficiency to express emissions places the emphasis on the fact that styrene emissions are in reality a small portion of the gross amount of material used. This method allows a more realistic overview of emissions in relation to the overall process.

Fiber Reinforced Plastics Shop Complies with New Air Permit Regulations Sunrise Fiberglass Company replaced spray equipment with nonatomized equipment in open mold process. Low styrene resin replaced traditional resin. The company reduced its styrene emissions by 43 percent, meeting the requirements of its new air permit without lost production time or excess capital costs.

Fiber Reinforced Plastics Shop Implements Light RTM to Produce Parts Phoenix Industries converted 60 percent of its molded part production to closed molding. The company reduced 80,000 pounds of styrene emissions over two years. 20,000 of this was due to the use of Light RTM technology.

Fiberglas Fabricators Upgrades Open Mold Processing Equipment This FRP shop adopted nonatomized equipment to replace spray equipment in open mold process and added raw material monitoring equipment. Styrene emissions were reduced by 50,400 pounds annually, meeting the NESHAP requirements.

MN Governor’s Award for Excellence 1999 Larson Boats developed a closed molding technology for producing their boat decks, significantly reducing the amount of styrene emitted to the air.

Overview of Controlled Spraying Techniques The recently completed CFA Open Molding Styrene Emissions Test Project provides a mass of information on emissions, including the factors which effect emissions, the development of emissions during the process and emissions mitigation techniques.

Reducing Emissions with Styrene Suppressants By working closely with your resin supplier, you can take maximum advantage of specifying a vapor suppressant that has the required adhesion characteristics, and is effective in reducing emissions. While styrene suppressants are not suitable for all applications, they can offer real emissions reduction benefits in a wide range on molding situations.

Reducing Volatile Emissions in the Fiber Reinforced Plastics Industry Most FRP processing facilities are major sources of volatile emissions. Their emissions include styrene, the volatile component of polyester resin and gelcoat; and acetone, a solvent used to clean tools and other surfaces contaminated with resin. This fact sheet discusses opportunities for reducing these emissions.

Spray Gun Pressure & Styrene Emissions A guide on how decreasing spray gun pressure can decrease styrene emissions.

The New CFA Open Molding Emissions Model The CFA Styrene Emissions Test Project has produced the most comprehensive body of information on emissions from open molding. During the course of the project, the project identified four types of variables, which effect the measurement process, or the determination of emissions.

Suction Canisters
Suction Canister Waste Reduction A study found that about 40 percent of the infectious waste from hospital operating rooms is suction canister waste. To help facilities reduce suction canister waste, MnTAP maintains this list of canister-free and reusable canister vacuum systems.