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ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH BRIEF: WASTE REDUCTION ACTIVITIES AND OPTIONS FOR A MANUFACTURER OF ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANTS
Citation:
Ulbrecht, A. AND D. Watts. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH BRIEF: WASTE REDUCTION ACTIVITIES AND OPTIONS FOR A MANUFACTURER OF ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANTS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/S-92/064.
Description:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded a project with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy (NJDEPE) to assist in conducting waste minimization assessments at thirty small- to medium-sized businesses in the state of New Jersey. ne of the sites selected was facility that manufactures orthopedic implants for use by the health care industry. he parts are produced in a molding operation using stainless steel or cobalt chromium alloy. omputer-controlled cutting is used to produce the bearings for the implants according to precise specifications. ite visit was made in 1990 during which several opportunities for waste minimization were identified. ptions identified include on-site distillation and reuse of solvent, alternative degreasing techniques, and reuse of metal cutting fluids. mplementation of the identified waste minimization opportunities was not part of the program. ercent waste reduction, net annual savings, implementation costs and payback periods were estimated.