Following are a set of P2 options you may wish to implement. No option is perfect for everyone, but sometimes options that have worked at one facility can work at yours. They might also serve as inspiration. |
Reviewed Other Options OptionsOptions below have reviewed by pollution prevention specialists. They are commonly recommended and implemented for facilities. |
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| Returnable tote containers and drums | |
| Use returnable containers for paints, solvents, chemicals, cleaning agents, and lubricating fluids. You can sell cleaned reusable containers to scrap dealers or drum recycling firms or return to the vendor for refilling. | |
| Scrap metal recycling | |
| Consult Recycle Texas by calling 512-239-3100 to order or visit the Web site at www.recycletexasonline.org for a list of scrap metal dealers that work with Texas companies. The recycler may also take clean empty paint cans and punctured aerosol cans as scrap metal. If the volume of scrap is too small to interest scrap dealers, look to other small manufacturers in the area to see if you can pool your scrap. A recycler may do a pick up for all local companies once a month when the collected volume might be enough to make a pick up profitable. | |
| Minimize container waste | |
| Options for minimizing other container waste include: container recycling, cardboard recovery, returning containers for reuse, and solid waste segregation. | |
| Aerosol cans | |
| Consider replacing aerosol cans with simple pump spray bottles. Purchase the liquid material in bulk. If pressurized systems are required, consider reusable cans that can be pressurized with shop air. If you can’t eliminate aerosol cans, empty and depressurize them before recycling them. Once depressurized and emptied, the aerosol cans can be recycled as conventional scrap metal. | |
| Large volume gas compressor speed control | |
| Save up to 25% electrical usage by trimming speed and amperage use of compressor in proportion to gas flow rates. | |
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| Change Lighting | ||
| Upgrade facility via innstalation of motion sensors on outdoor lighting and little/infrequent interior lighting areas such as restrooms and conference rooms.
Use natural light of windows, doors and skylights as much as possible. | ||
| BMPs | ||
| Implement Best Management Practices for improved utilization of material reducing scrap metal. | ||
| Cutting Equipment Replacement | ||
| Replace outdated cutting equipment with more efficient laser and waterject cutters. Newer equipment will increase the yield of parts from sheet metal. | ||
| Purchase Nesting Software | ||
| Implementing nesting software will increase efficiency by placing and cutting more parts on a sheet. | ||
| BMP-Checking Procedures | ||
| Implement an employee procedure in which employees are checking drawings to ensure that they are achieving the maximum amount cut per sheet, even combining multiple jobs to accomplish goal. | ||
| To install energy efficient lighting retrofits | ||
| To install energy efficient lighting retrofits, new energy efficient lighting fixtures, sockets, electronic ballasts, specular reflectors and sensors. This project is the result of a corporate initiative for cost savings. A site survey has been conducted at the plant. With a renegotiated electrical contract, which will reduce our energy consumption by 25% in 2008, this project will add an additional $24M annually in energy savings. | ||
| Oxygen Fired burners on furnace | ||
| inject oxygen into furnace to allow fuel to burn more efficiently. | ||
| Groundwater remediation | ||
| Utilize activated carbon to process groundwater contaminated with an F001 waste | ||
| Change Batch Formulation | ||
| Reformulate input materials to reduce HF and PM | ||
| Energy Conservation | ||
| Initiate a program to ensure that electrical power to lights, computers, machinery, etc., is shut-off during nights, weekends, holidays and other exteneded periods of time when these resources will not be needed. | ||
| Spills | ||
| Capture materials within containment areas and package it for use in future batches. | ||
| Spill Clean-Up Materials | ||
| Processed as Hazardous Waste. | ||
| Filters & Filter Bags | ||
| Dry Filters are disposed to Plant Waste. Wet Filters are disposed to Hazardous Waste. Fixed filters are used where possible where they are cleaned with solvent. The solvent is packaged for use in future batches. | ||
| Manufacturing Package Waste | ||
| Purchase bulk re-usable bags whenever possible. Fiber Drums are disposed of as General Plant Refuse. Cardboard is also General Plant Refuse. Metal Drums are returned to supplier or sent to a Drum Recycler. | ||
| Pallets | ||
| Returnable pallets are returned to supplier for reuse. Non-returnable pallets from suppliers are used for inhouse use or shipping orders. Broken pallets accumulate and are sent to pallet supplier to be refurbished. | ||
| Plant Sweepings | ||
| Sweepings from Plant, Docks, and Parking area. | ||
| Batteries | ||
| All batteries are recycled. | ||
| Reduce Contact Resistance | ||
| Keeping contacts and bus bar connections tight and free of corrosion is a low-cost way to save energy by reducing energy (heat) loss. A slight voltage drop across contacts or increased temperature of the connection area suggests attention is needed. Electrical joint compounds can be helpful in reducing contact corrosion. | ||
| Wood scrap reuse for packaging | ||
| Cut wood scrap into smaller pieces and use for shipping your product. Can keep items from rubbing together, etc. | ||
| Wood Scrap-Allow community to pickup | ||
| Allow non-contaminated wood scrap or wood pallets to be picked up and used by community members. i.e., fire dept. burns pallets and practices putting out the fire. Wood can be used by arts and crafts individuals, etc. | ||
| Segregate Parts being bead blasted | ||
| Segregate parts and machines used to blast parts that have heavy metals on them to minimize the wastestream | ||
| Organize Inventory | ||
| Arrange inventory to reduce energy consumption from transporting ingredients long distances. | ||
| Charitable donation | ||
| Contact city park and recreational facilities to explore the possiblity of need for excess product. | ||
| Asphalt Shingle Manufacturing | ||
| Asphalt Shingle | ||
| Batteries | ||
| Recycle rechargeable batteries. | ||
| Edible Oils and Fats Disposal | ||
| Capturing and disposal of Edible fats and oils from a cip systems and a grease trap. | ||
Unreviewed Other Options Options
Find Options for other processes
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS ARLINGTON
DIVISION FOR ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE
THE ZERO WASTE NETWORK
9390 RESEARCH BLVD, SUITE 300
AUSTIN, TX 78759
PHONE (512) 904-2281 EXT 273
FAX (512) 904-2288
HOURS: MONDAY - THURSDAY: 8AM - 5:30PM
FRIDAY: 8AM - 5PM
SATURDAY/SUNDAY: CLOSED
The Zero Waste Network is a project of the University of Texas at Arlington's Enviornmental Training institute. The tools on this site are presented free of charge to help you find pollution prevention alternatives that work for your facility. They were originally developed throught the support of grant funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and contributions from several state, private and non-governmental entities. If you need assistance implementing these options contact us, or enroll in one of our upcoming classes .
