Best Management Practice Program for the Radiator Industry
IntroductionWaste ReductionEmployee
ParticipationLetter of Participation
Goal
This BMP has been written for the
radiator repair industry. It contains ways to minimize the amount
of waste generated by using good operating practices, process
modifications and material substitution. In turn, this reduces
operating costs.
This industry commonly uses caustic
liquids to clean vehicle radiators. This activity generally
involves dipping items into a tank containing a heated caustic
solution and rinsing them off. Any leaks are located and repaired,
and then the radiator is painted and reinstalled. The wastes
produced from this method may be hazardous because they are caustic
(pH more than 12.5) and because they contain hazardous levels of
lead or other toxic elements.
Typical wastes include:
-
Caustic lead-containing tank solutions
-
Caustic copper, zinc, lead-containing tank sludge
-
Caustic lead-containing rinse water.
-
Used oils
-
Antifreeze
-
Used solder
-
Waste flux
-
Scrap metal/radiators
The keys to waste minimization are to: 1) minimize drag-in and
drag-out (film of chemical solution covering parts and fixtures as
they enter and exit process solutions) to and from the caustic boil
out tank and 2) to reuse water from the test tank as replenishment
in the boil out tank. Zero discharge to the sewer is possible, but
sludge needs to be removed from the tanks regularly.
Good Operating Practice
-
Remove as much oil as possible from the oil cooling section
using compressed air.
-
Remove and recycle antifreeze to minimize drag-in.
-
Allow time for sufficient draining over caustic boil-out
tank. Hang bars could be used for this.
-
Minimize spillage to floor by draining, using drain boards or
other techniques.
Blow out residual caustic solution to tank using compressed air to
minimize drag-out to flushing booth.
-
Maintain and monitor boil-out tank to minimize the need for tank
drainage.
-
Maintenance could include filtering out the solids and anything
that might clear the tank.
-
Upon cleaning of boil-out tank, remove the solids, reuse the
liquid and reconstitute the bath to minimize waste volume. If reuse
is impossible, the waste fluid must be properly disposed of and not
discharged to the sewer system.
-
When possible, don't solder over the test tank to prevent zinc
and lead contamination of test tank.
-
Filter solids and reuse test tank water when bath is cloudy to
minimize tank dump.
Maintain secondary containment for boil-out tank and sludge
storage to prevent spills and leaks.
-
Sewer drains must be protected from potential spills (drain
covers, plugs, stand-pipe or barriers).
-
Use oil dry for oily spills to minimize discharge to sewer.
-
Use pressurized and nozzled water hoses to minimize discharge to
sewer.
-
Compressed air can be sufficient to clean some parts of the
radiator to minimize discharge to the sewer.
-
Documentation (invoices, receipts, etc.) must be maintained
regarding process waste disposal.
Process
Modification
-
Reuse test tank water in boil-out tank to minimize water and
metal discharge to sewer.
-
Use smaller test tanks when possible for efficient operation to
minimize volume of wastewater.
-
Use a separate tank for aluminum/plastic radiators to reduce
water contamination from soldering.
Material
Substitution
-
Reduce use of cleaner or flux that contains metal chelating
compounds to minimize interferences with wastewater treatment.
-
Use a low zinc flux to reduce zinc level in sludge, when
possible.
-
Employees are required to report spills or pollution hazards to
their supervisor.
-
All employees are encouraged to consider and suggest BMPs that
reduce pollution or its potential.
-
Formal yearly training and periodic undocumented informal
training is performed to sharpen housekeeping skills, etc. The
formal yearly and informal training may be held during a safety or
staff meeting, or while on-the-job, and is designed primarily to
increase employee awareness and solicit ideas and participation by
employees.
