Waste Minimization in the
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Electroplating
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Industry
Technology
Transfer
Primer
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^'-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.
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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
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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.
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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
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• 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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