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ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH BRIEF: WASTE MINIMIZATION ASSESSMENT FOR A MANUFACTURER OF PRINTED PLASTIC BAGS
Citation:
Kirsch, F. W. AND G. P. Looby. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH BRIEF: WASTE MINIMIZATION ASSESSMENT FOR A MANUFACTURER OF PRINTED PLASTIC BAGS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/M-90/017 (NTIS 91-179036), 1990.
Impact/Purpose:
Information.
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 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 manufacturing printed plastic bags for snack foods—approximately 1.8 million Ib/yr. Plastic stock is ink printed and oven cured. To make single-layer bags, a heat seal process is used, and the bags are then packaged and shipped. For certain products, a plastic or metalized film is laminated to the printed plastic film, the rolls are slit to obtain individual bags, and the bags are packaged and shipped. The team's report, detailing findings and recommendations, indicated the most waste was generated in the lamination process and that the greatest savings could be obtained by installing an automatic adhesive/solvent mixing system to reduce (75%) the waste from the unused metalized film adhesive/solvent mixture.