Abstract

The paints and coatings industry represents a significant source of multimedia pollution through the use of solvent-based process materials and the extensive amounts of wastewater generated by the operations. This manual presents practices for minimizing the generation of pollution in this industry.

Regulations at the federal, state, and local levels emphasizing source reduction of pollutants are driving facility operators to investigate the use of alternative cleaning formulations and paint systems. Aqueous degreasers and powder coatings are examples of efforts to reduce air emissions and control costs associated with the treatment of contaminated wastewater.

Many small and mid-sized facilities cannot take full advantage of technology transfer within the industry. The information in this manual can help operators assess operations and processes for pollution prevention options in using cleaner technologies and more efficient management practices. The technical information contained in this manual can guide improvements in quality and efficiency, influencing prevention by reducing wastes.

The manual includes these sections:

• An overview of the industry and an introduction to pollution prevention for paint and coating operations
• Pollution prevention considerations
• Case studies of approaches for reducing process waste
• Appendices that provide a list of suppliers of aqueous and semi-aqueous degreasers and process equipment, a methodology for specified dilution ratio calculations, and a spreadsheet for factoring transfer efficiency considerations into application processes

The audiences for this document are facility operators and managers, manufacturing process managers, painters, and environmental engineers.

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page.
See EPA's PDF page to learn more.