Laughlin AFB

Year Submitted: 2003

Process: Parts Cleaning

Industry: Military

Wastes Reduced: Wastewater

Equipment: Citrus-Based Cleaners

Location: Del Rio TX

No. of employees: 5000

Contact: 2Lt. Gary Gaulke

Phone: (830) 298-4389

Description:

Laughlin Air Force Base (LAFB) uses a parts washer to clean their aircraft engine parts of hazardous debris and metallic content. As an effort to reduce the amount of hazardous waste, LAFB implemented an innovative closed-loop water recycling system. The Jet Washing unit is an aqueous-based aircraft parts washing unit that utilizes nonhazardous washing media. LAFB is currently using Natural OrangeTM, a citrus based nonhazardous cleaning product.

P2 Application:

The new parts washer is a chemical cleaning water filtration system that filters the spent washwater and restores it to reusable quality. The unit filters spent washwater from the parts washer so that it may be reused without replacement.

Environmental Benefits:

Prior to installing the new system, LAFB disposed of approximately twelve 55-gallon drums of hazardous debris per year. The new process has reduced waste to only two 55-gallon drums of spent filters each year. Water usage has been reduced by 50% and soap consumption by 25%.

Details of Reductions

Additional Information :

LAFB has experienced $12,500 in labor savings and has reduced total hazardous waste disposal by 3,200 lbs (a savings of $3,200).

Source: TCEQ