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NPEP Success Story: Embraer
Embraer Eliminates Methylene Chloride, Saves $20,000 Annually
Embraer, located in Brazil, acquired the Nashville, Tennessee location in 2002. The facility is considered a large generator of hazardous waste primarily due to the painting operation and maintenance of aircraft. There are approximately 270 employees at the Nashville location.
Embraer's NPEP Goal
Embraer, an NPEP partner since April 2006, set a goal to eliminate methylene chloride (used as a stripper) by May, 2007. Embraer committed to reducing the annual generation of this waste from 15,000 pounds to zero. We elected to pursue this project because of the environmental concerns and health issues associated with this chemical. Because we used methylene chloride, our employees were required to wear air-supplied respiratory protection.
The use of this chemical also required that an annual pulmonary function test be performed on each employee exposed to this chemical.
The biggest hurdle we faced was finding a more environmentally safe chemical to replace the methylene chloride. We chose a citrus based solution that can be used with little or no respiratory protection and that is safe for the environment.
Waste Minimization Results
We reached our goal ahead of schedule, in March 2007. Eliminating this chemical has saved the company approximately $20,000 annually in disposal and medical related expenses. We have also reduced the number of hazardous waste drums sent to landfills and are using a chemical that is safer for the environment. Lessons Learned
We plan to partner with Tennessee on other environmental programs and are implementing those now. The EPA has been very supportive of our program and provided valuable information to improve our environment.