Waste Minimization in the
                         ^
Electroplating
                      •.  »
           Industry
 Technology
 Transfer
 Primer
         !'rr -jntcd I .
         ^'-S- Environmental !Yot<—"on Ag(
         Ollk'e of E-xploratoiy Research

         Great Uikcs and Mld-AdanUc
         llaxardons Sul    search CenU
         Kducational Design Team of the
         University ol Michigan
         School ol Naiiual Kt-sourccs

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In 1976 Congress passed the
Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) to ensure
that hazardous waste Is man-
aged safely In our society.
Regulations under RCRA require
the Identification and tracking of
hazardous waste from its gen-
eration to  its disposal.

In recent years, the  US Environ-
mental Protection Agency fEPA)
has initiated a policy of waste
minimization which redirects the
focus of hazardous waste man-
agement from controlling the
waste after It is generated to not
generating it in the first place.
Waste minimization, then, is
defined as source reduction or
recycling that decreases the
volume or toxlcity of waste.  It
does not include recycling by
means of energy recovery.

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                    This EPA Is strongly committed
                    to waste minimization and to
                    assisting Industry In adopting
                    waste reduction techniques.
                    Accordingly, it recommends a
                    comprehensive training program
                    to ensure an understanding of
                    waste minimization policies. To
                    increase available training, the
                    EPA Office of .Exploratory Re-
                    search administers a national
                    program of research afid tech-
nology transfer which supports five university-based
Hazardous Substance Research Centers (HSRCs).
Each of these HSRCs addresses hazardous substance
issues that are national in scope, however, each center
also directs its efforts In specialized areas.

Assistance in choosing and monitoring projects Is
provided to the centers' directors by separate scientific
and technology transfer advisory committees. These
committees consist of members from:
               • Industry,
               • academla,
               • environmental organizations and
               • government.
                                                2.

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                    The Great Lakes and Mid-
                    Atlantic HSRC serves federal
                    region pair three and five, which
                    are home to one fifth of the
                    nation's population but contain
                    a much larger share of Its
                    contamination problems.  This
                    HSRC Is headed by Dr. Walt
                    Weber of the University of
                    Michigan In partnership with
                    Michigan State University and
                    Howard University. The center
                    focuses its activities on
                    bioremediation research and
                    technology transfer.

                    To achieve these missions, the
                    Center provides a climate of
                    cooperation and excellence
                    that is:

                      • Multldlsclpllnary In scope
                      • State-of-the-Art In character
                       and quality
                      • Problem-focused In selection
                       of topics
                      - Solution-oriented In approach


3.

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                   Specializing In the technology
                   transfer charge of this HSRC is
                   the Educational Design Team
                   (EOT) of the University of Michi-
                   gan. Headed by Dr. Paul Nowak
                   and based In the School of
                   Natural Resources, EDT has
                   developed a number of training
                   programs for the EPA and
                   associated state regulatory
                   agencies.  These programs,
                   which focus on RCRA regula-
                   tions. Include:
                     RCRA Orientation Training
                     RCRA Permit Writers Training
                     RCRA Inspector Training
The training program design consists of a combination
of manuals and videotapes.  Basic information on the
subject is Included in the manual with the corre-
sponding videotapes adding the visual component to
the training program. This pamphlet and its available
videotape were produced by EDT to demonstrate how
this training design can be used to transfer informa-
tion on waste minimization.
                                               4.

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                    Waste minimization programs
                    can be developed for a variety of
                    industries and situations. The
                    electroplating industry is used
                    here as an example of where
                    this type of program can be
                    implemented. There are abun-
                    dant opportunities for reducing
                    waste, and many methods are
                    easy to implement in this situa-
                    tion.  For example, the following
                    techniques have been success-
                    fully Incorporated Into df agout
                    management by many facilities
                    in the electroplating business:
                  i
    •  Increasing the drainage time of the waste;
    •  Using pack ports to maximize the drainage;
    •  Using dralnboards between the tanks;
    •  Using recovery tanks; and
              \     '
    •  Spray rinsing over the plating tank.

The available videotape demonstrates the last two  of
these techniques listed to illustrate two important
advantages of waste minimization:

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        First, effective waste minimization
              techniques can help production
              facilities achieve mandatory compli-
              ance of government regulations.

        Second, effective waste minimization
              techniques can save the facility money
              on production costs and the subse-
              quent costs of treatment storage and
              disposal of the wastes it generates.
This pamphlet and available videotape serve as an
introduction to the training design of the Educational
Design Team. We have experience In developing waste
minimization programs and can work with you to
develop a program for your specific needs — for your
industry — or your facility.  For more Information about
EOT or waste management training programs, contact:

Dr. Paul F. Nowak         Karen E. Vlgmostad
Educational Design Team   Training and Tech. Transfer Program Mgr.
The University of Michigan   GLMA HSRC
2028 Dana Building        C-231 Holden Hall
Ann Arbor, Michigan       East Lansing, Michigan
48109-1115              48824-1206
Phone (313) 763-1312      Phone (517) 353-9718
FAX (313) 936-21 95        FAX (51 7) 355-4603
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