Reducing energy usage and emissions via a regenerative, dry-filtration method that separates wet paint overspray from spray booth process air. 12 May 2010
Drew Amorosi, managing editor of Metal Finishing, recently caught up with Dr. Manik Roy and Dr. Janet Peace of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change to discuss the climate change legislation making its way through Congress. One fact is clear from the conversation: Whether it’s via Congress, the states, or the EPA, the regulation of greenhouse gasses is very much on the horizon here in the United States, if not already upon us. The question for the business and manufacturing community is by which method and from what source will regulation emerge, and what system will be the least harmful to business conditions? 11 November 2009
In June of 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established national reactivity-based emission standards for 170 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) used in aerosol coating products. This aerosol coatings reactivity rule aims to encourage reformulation of aerosol coatings to reduce ground-level ozone formation. The rule specifies reactivity limits for 36 aerosol product categories. The 170 VOCs are ranked by their reactivity factor (RF, units in grams of ozone per gram of VOC). VOCs with a high RF are more likely to form ozone, an air pollutant, than VOCs with a lower RF. 05 November 2009
Bernie Tucker, owner of Tucker Industrial Liquid Coatings, saw a niche opportunity—and he seized it. 01 September 2009
Because traditional methods like sweeping and compressed air hardly combat fine dust, powder coating facilities often meet OSHA standards with shop-style vacuums. Although these vacuums might be acceptable for general cleaning of dust and debris outside of coating booths, using them to collect combustible metal dust can not only be deadly, but it may also violate the requirements set forth in OSHA’s Combustible Dust NEP, which calls for electrical vacuums used in dusty areas to be approved for the hazard-classified location. 31 May 2009
Surface finishers nationwide were recently provided an opportunity to exhale a great sigh of relief—at least, for shop owners and managers to be certain. On Feb. 23, the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the revised hexavalent chromium permissible exposure limit established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in 2006. The suit was brought forth by, among others, interest group Public Citizen, which sought an even lower PEL for operations subject to hexavalent chromium exposure. The plaintiffs in this case contended that the OSHA PEL established in 2006 did not go far enough in limiting workers’ exposure to hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen. 15 May 2009
Zirconization, an alternative, phosphate-free, eco-friendly coating pretreatment procedure, addresses energy and chemical consumption while improving product quality. 21 January 2009
Environmental regulations regarding surface coating operations have existed since the 1970s. The early years of surface coating regulations primarily consisted of federal New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and state and local agency standards. These standards typically restricted the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a coating (e.g., pounds of VOC per gallon of coating) and often prescribed add-on air pollution control technology requirements (e.g., thermal oxidizers) to reduce VOC emissions. 24 October 2008
Alan Ensign, vice president and general manager of Wyandotte, Mich.–based Cadon Plating & Coatings, is no stranger to trying times. When the company abandoned the commodity-driven rack plating business years ago, revenues took a 30% hit. Then in in 1994, government regs forced its exodus from the cadmium plating market and, much later, the olive-drab business. As a result of that move, 25% of sales vaporized—just like that. If those setbacks weren’t enough, the company lost once-steady business when the U-bolt suppliers for several major auto suppliers installed their own paint lines, essentially cutting out Cadon completely. 15 May 2007
Controlling and minimizing pollutant emissions is critical for meeting air quality regulations. This article provides a basic primer on an important pollutant emission referred to as nitric oxides, or NOx. This regulated contaminant is formed in nearly all combustion reactions. This includes fired equipment such as heaters, dryers, and furnaces. 10 November 2006
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