Tip Sheet #3

WASTE ORIGIN: Solvent Cleaning
WASTE TYPES: Spent Petroleum-based Solvents, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Air Emissions, and Soils

WASTE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING METHODS:

• Create cleaning standards.
• Replace solvent with aqueous cleaning medium.
• Use emulsion cleaners.
• Use mechanical or thermal methods.
• Use a less toxic solvent.
• Standardize solvent use (minimize different types of solvents used).
• Consolidate cleaning operations into one centralized degreasing operation.
• Maintain solvent quality:
  • Avoid contamination (e.g., with moisture);
  • Don't mix solvents;
  • Maintain equipment (e.g., maintain racks and barrels so that corrosion products like rust into solvent are not introduced;
  • Monitor solvent (e.g., test and add only specific components required);
  • Properly add to solvent (e.g., don't cross-contaminate);
  • Promptly remove sludge; use continuous filtering.
• Increase cleaning efficiency:
  • Employ manual brushing;
  • Increase agitation in bath (by use of mechanical agitators; ultrasonic devices, liquid sprays, and liquid jet pump-around arrangements).
• Control evaporative losses:
  • Select proper location for cleaning operations (e.g., free of drafts);
  • Use lids on tanks (roll-type covers on vapor degreasers);
  • Monitor temperature;
  • Avoid using porous items (ropes/bags) for handling parts;
  • Use two-stage cleaning (use dirty solvent for first stage and fresh solvent for second stage);
  • Stage solvent usage depending on level of cleanliness needed (reuse dirty solvent for parts which do not need to get as clean).
• Recycle solvents on-site (e.g., with gravity separation, filtration, batch distillation, fractional distillation, or evaporation).

Sources

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