Page 447 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

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418 Waste Management Practices: Municipal, Hazardous, and Industrial
drums of an aromatic-smelling substance behind an old wooden shed. Weeds grow tall around the
drums, which incidentally have no labels. The inspector states that this situation is a violation of
waste storage regulations. Pop, the company’s health and safety person, however, claims that this is
not waste but is actually product, on hand to be used in future operations.
4. At a degreasing operation, TCE and perchloroethylene (PCE) are routinely used as solvents.
Workers have been encouraged by their supervisors to “extend the lifetime” of company clothing.
At lunch breaks and at the end of the work day, employees place solvent-soaked gloves and lab
coats over a sink in the locker room in order to dry. Once dried, they are reused.
5. An auto manufacturing facility uses spray booths to paint individual auto parts. Solvents, char-
acteristic for ignitability and toxicity (due to the presence of methyl ethyl ketone), are forced under
pressure into the guns periodically to clean out accumulated paint. The paint–solvent mixtures are
collected in a 35 gal “purge pot” situated under the floor. These purge pots are emptied by way of
plumbing, which directs the liquids to a large tank outside the building (Figure A.12.2). The com-
pany claims that the purge pots should not be regulated as hazardous waste tanks; rather, the sol-
vents and purge pots are part of the cleaning process: without removing the solvent–paint mixture
daily, the painting process would cease. Incidentally, the company claims that the plumbing should
not be regulated either.
6. What is wrong with this picture (Figure A.12.3)?
7. Shy Knee Automotive Coatings, Inc., is a LQG of F019 sludge (wastewater treatment sludge
from the chemical conversion coating of aluminum), and F001 and F002 waste solvents and still
bottoms, spent filters, and contaminated rags.

Paint
booths

Purge Purge Purge Purge Purge Purge Purge Purge Purge Purge
pot pot pot pot pot pot pot pot pot pot

Wall

Waste purge
Purge solvent solvent tanks
Paint tanks tank (300 gal) (20,000 gal)

FIGURE A.12.2 Spray booths indicating waste paint and solvent storage.