United States Office of Water (WH 550G) EPA 570/9-91-036G
Environmental Protection January 1992
Agency
4>EPA Best Management Practices
For Protecting Ground Water
For Printed Circuit Board Manufacturers
Using Shallow Industrial Waste
Disposal Wells
(Class V Well BMP Fact Sheet Number 2E)
EPA recognizes that certain industrial waste disposal practices using drainage wells may pose unacceptable
risks to Underground Sources of Drinking Water These operations allow the discharge of various wastes to a
drainage system neither designed for nor capable of treating them. Accordingly, BMPs for Industrial Disposal
Wells focus on well closure and alternative disposal methods. We have also included BMPs for waste minimiza-
tion to help facilities reduce waste disposal costs, regardless of the disposal method they use. In addition local,
county, and State regulations may prohibit use of these wells Note: these practices are recommendations only
For more information, contact the person named below
The BMPs listed below apply to printed circuit board manufacturers. Fact Sheet
Number 2 in this series lists BMPs that are applicable to Industrial Disposal Wells
in general (including those used by printed circuit board manufacturers), particu-
larly for closure and alternative disposal.
Waste Minimization
• Substitute aqueous processable resists for solvent processable resists where
feasible
• Replace chemical board production wrth computer-driven mechanical etching
processes for low-volume board production, such as for prototypes
• Replace chromic-sulfuric acid etchants with ferric chloride or ammonium
persulfate where possible
• Use thinner copper foil to clad laminated boards, where-feasible
• Decant and filter photoresist stripper to extend stripper life
• Extend plating bath life and recover metals and additives through treatment
— For example, use electrolytic dummying to remove excess copper
— Other methods include high surface area electrowinning/electrorefining,
ion exchange, ion transfer, evaporators, and reverse osmosis
• Recycle spent chromic acid using an electrolytic diaphragm cell or other
method
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United States Office of Water (WH 550G) EPA 570/9-91-036G
Environmental Protection January 1992
Agency
v°/EPA Best Management Practices
For Protecting Ground Water
For Printed Circuit Board Manufacturers
Using Shallow Industrial Waste
Disposal Wells
(Class V Well BMP Fact Sheet Number 2E)
EPA recognizes that certain industrial waste disposal practices using drainage wells may pose unacceptable
risks to Underground Sources of Drinking Water These operations allow the discharge of various wastes to a
drainage system neither designed for nor capable of treating them. Accordingly. BMPs for Industrial Disposal
Wells focus on well closure and alternative disposal methods. We have also included BMPs for waste minimiza-
tion to help facilities reduce waste disposal costs, regardless of the disposal method they use In addition local,
county, and State regulations may prohibit use of these wells Note: these practices are recommendations only
For more information, contact the person named below
The BMPs listed below apply to printed circuit board manufacturers. Fact Sheet
Number 2 in this series lists BMPs that are applicable to Industrial Disposal Wells
in general (including those used by printed circuit board manufacturers), particu-
larly for closure and alternative disposal.
Waste Minimization
• Substitute aqueous processable resists for solvent processable resists where
feasible
• Replace chemical board production with computer-driven mechanical etching
processes for low-volume board production, such as for prototypes
• Replace chromic-sulfuric acid etchants with ferric chloride or ammonium
persulfate where possible
• Use thinner copper foil to clad laminated boards, where-feasible
• Decant and filter photoresist stripper to extend stripper life
• Extend plating bath life and recover metals and additives through treatment
— For example, use electrolytic dummying to remove excess copper
— Other methods include high surface area electrowinning/electrorefining,
ion exchange, ion transfer, evaporators, and reverse osmosis
• Recycle spent chromic acid using an electrolytic diaphragm cell or other
method
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