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ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH BRIEF: WASTE MINIMIZATION FOR A MANUFACTURER OF CAULK
Citation:
Edwards, H., M. Kostrzewa, AND G. Looby. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH BRIEF: WASTE MINIMIZATION FOR A MANUFACTURER OF CAULK. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/S-94/017 (NTIS PB95111969), 1994.
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. n an effort to assist these manufacturers 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). hat document has been superseded by the Facility Pollution Prevention Guide (EPA/600/R-92/088, May 1992). he WMAC team at Colorado State University performed an assessment at a plant that manufactures latex and acrylic caulk. aw materials, such as water, latex, and dry ingredients for latex caulk, and solvents and thermoplastic rubber for acrylic caulk, are blended and mixed. he resulting product is packaged and shipped. he assessment team's report, detailing findings and recommendations, indicated that the greatest quantity of waste was generated by cleaning of equipment. he greatest cost saving opportunity recommended to the plant involved using a solvent recovery unit to recover water from waste cleaning water/caulk. he recovered water can be reused. his Research Brief was developed by the principal investigators and EPA's Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, to announce key findings of an ongoing research project that is fully documented in a separate report of the same title available from University City Science Center.
