Managing Fats, Oils & Grease in Wastewater
Fats, oils, and grease are problems for the wastewater system. When hot oil is poured down a drain, or greasy wastewater enters the drain from a dishwasher, the oil cools and can coat the inside of drain pipes, causing slow drainage or blocked pipes. Limits are set by wastewater treatment authorities on how much fat, oil, and grease (abbreviated as FOG) wastewater generated by restaurants and food products manufacturers can contain. Building codes also require the installation of grease traps in restaurants. The best way to avoid problems with FOG…
Stormwater Pollution Prevention for Truckers
A stormwater permit and a formal Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan are required for most motor trucking facilities and other manufacturers by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). The deadline for obtaining a stormwater permit has passed for existing facilities. If a company has not yet obtained a permit, EPD should be contacted to begin the permitting process now. A major requirement for obtaining a storm water permit is to create a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan or SWP3. SWP3s use best management practices for materials and facilities to prevent stormwater from…
Health Care Publications
The American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services for the American Hospital Association has several waste reduction resources available for hospitals including: Guidebook for Hospital Waste Reduction Planning and Program Implementation An Ounce of Prevention: Waste Reduction Strategies for Healthcare Facilities To order contact ASHES at (800) AHA-2626. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide (www.geocities.com/rainforest/wetlands/7756) Guide on how to implement an EPP program at a hospital. Created as part of the EPA/AHA’s Hospitals for a Healthy Environment Initiative. Mercury Management Guide (www.masco.org/mercury) This guide is one of the many resources on reducing mercury…
Military Base Case Study
U.S. Army Signal Center – Fort Gordon, Georgia Fort Gordon, located on 56,000 acres near Augusta, Georgia, is home to the United States Army Signal Center. The Fort’s population of 18,300 is composed of 12,800 military personnel, 3,200 civilians, and 2,300 dependents. The primary military mission of the installation is to train soldiers to install, operate, and maintain modern military electronic communication equipment and systems. In addition to their military mission, Executive Order 12873 as of October 20, 1993 directs all federal facilities to make more efficient use of natural…
P2 Through Teamwork at Freudenberg-NOK
Summary Freudenberg-NOK, an automotive parts manufacturer, successfully uses waste reduction teams to identify and implement pollution prevention opportunities throughout their Cleveland, Georgia facility. Background Freudenberg-NOK produces a variety of automotive parts such as oil seals, O-rings, valve stems, and dust covers. Total Quality Management (TQM) plays an important role in the operation. Freudenberg-NOK’s “Growtth” program, which stands for “Get Rid Of Waste Through Team Harmony”, uses Kaizen teams for problem solving and process improvement. Kaizen is the Japanese word for improvement. Kaizen teams are formed monthly at Freudenberg facilities to…
Use of Airless Spray Guns to Apply Heated Coating in a Cabinet Shop
Summary A cabinet manufacturer in Georgia uses an airless spray system to apply lacquers and top coats, reducing coating and volatile organic compound (VOC) usage. Background The airless spray system used by the cabinet manufacturer utilizes a high pressure pump to supply coating to the paint gun at up to 3,000 pounds per square inch. The coating is also heated to reduce viscosity. Coating atomization takes place through an orifice in the gun nozzle without the use of compressed air. The coated cabinet components are then air dried. The coating…
Alternatives to Halogenated Cleaning
January 1, 1996 is the deadline for companies to find alternatives to Class I ozone-depleting chemicals. Many of these chemicals are commonly used cleaning solvents, such as Freon and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. Many companies in Georgia have already begun the transition to non-halogenated solvent alternatives; however, a number have not. Several large manufacturers have stopped producing ozone-depleting chemicals. Production capacity for alternatives may not be adequate to meet demand for companies that procrastinate until the 1996 deadline. As a result of the phase-out and the increasingly restrictive requirements on the use of…