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 hazardous 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). The WMAC team at the University of Tennessee performed an assessment at a plant producing printed labels--approximately 14 billion labels/yr. Steel printing cylinders are nickel and copper plated, etched with the label patterns to be printed, chromium plated, and then used with ink applied to print the labels. About 75 percent of the cylinders are chemically etched, and the remainder are mechanically etched. Solvents used with ink concentrate and for cleaning press parts are recovered and sold to reclaimers. Spent reagents, filters, cleaning rags, and sludge are shipped offsite for disposal. Process wastewater and rinse water are treated by ion exchange and distillation. The team's report, detailing findings and recommendations, indicated that most waste other than water and paper consists of spent solvents, and that the greatest savings could be obtained by using recovered solvent instead of virgin solvents for cleaning at press side.

Caption title. Shipping list no.: 91-0740-P. "Oct. 1991." "EPA/600-M-91-047."