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WASTE MINIMIZATION ASSESSMENT FOR A MANUFACTURER OF PAPER ROLLS, INK ROLLS, INK RIBBONS, AND MAGNETIC AND THERMAL TRANSFER RIBBON
Citation:
Jendrucko, R. J., B. T. Hurst, AND G. P. Looby. WASTE MINIMIZATION ASSESSMENT FOR A MANUFACTURER OF PAPER ROLLS, INK ROLLS, INK RIBBONS, AND MAGNETIC AND THERMAL TRANSFER RIBBON. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/S-95/003, 1995.
Description:
The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has funded a pilot project to assist small and medium-size manufacturers who want to minimize their generation of waste but who lack the expertise to do so. Waste Minimization Assessment Centers (WMACs) were established at selected universities and procedures were adapted from the EPA Waste Minimization Opportunity Assessment Manual(EPA/625/7-88/003, JUly 1988). That document has been superseded by the Facility Pollution Prevention Guide(EPA/600/R-92/088, May 1992).The WMAC team at the University of Tennessee performed an assessment at a plant that manufactures paper rolls, ink rolls, ink ribbons, and magnetic and thermal transfer ribbon. The raw materials required and the process operations used are specific to the product being produced. Production of ink rbbons requires application of ink to fabric ribbon and winding the ribbon into a plastic cassette or onto a reel-to-reel assembly. To produce rubber ink rolls, rubber sheets are kneaded until porous by a series of operations and extruded into rubber cylinders which are then filled with ink. Paper rolls are converted from bolt paper through a series of cutting operations. The remaining products, magnetic and thermal transfer ribbons, are produced by applying proprietary coating mixtures to mylar film. The assessment team's report, detailing findings and recommendations, indicated that the plant generates a great deal of hazardous waste in the coating operations of the magnetic and thermal transfer ribbon production and in the clean-up of production equipment. The greatest cost saving opportunity recommended to the plant involved the reuse of tracer ribbon in the ink ribbon production line in order to reduce raw material purchase costs.