&EPA
            United States
            Environmental Protection
            Agency
            Office of Pollution   EPA 745-K-94-006
            Prevention and Toxics    May 1994
            7408
EPA's 33/50 Program
Company Profile
        Anchor Fence, Inc.
                               Printed on Recycled Paper

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                                       THE 33/50 PROGRAM
     This Company Profile is part of a series of reports being developed by EPA to highlight the accomplishments
 of companies participating in the 33/50 Program.  The 33/50 Program is an EPA voluntary pollution reduction
 initiative that promotes reductions in direct environmental releases and off-site transfers of 17 high-priority toxic
 chemicals. The program derives its name from its overall goals - an interim goal of a 33% reduction by 1992 and
 an ultimate goal of a 50% reduction by 1995. The program uses 1988 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting
 as a baseline. In February, 1991, EPA began  contacting the parent companies of TRI facilities that reported using
 33/50 Program chemicals since 1988 to request their participation in the 33/50 Program.  As of April, 1994, a total
 of 1,216 companies had elected to participate in	__^
 the Program, pledging to reduce emissions of the
 17 target chemicals by more than 355 million
 pounds by 1995.  Companies are encouraged to
 set their own reduction targets, which may vary
 from the Program's national  33%  and  50%
- reduction goals.   Company commitments and
 reduction pledges continue  to be received by EPA
 on a daily basis.
     The 1992  TRI data revealed that releases
 and transfers of 33/50 Program chemicals de-
 clined by 40% between 1988 and 1992, surpass-
 ing the Program's 1992 interim reduction goal by
 more than 100 million pounds. This accomplish-
 ment,  together  with  evidence from analysis of
 facilities' projected releases and transfers of the
 17 priority chemicals, reported to TRI under the
 Pollution Prevention Act, offers strong encourage-
 ment that the 33/50 Program's ultimate goal of a
 50% reduction  by 1995 will be achieved.
17 PRIORITY CHEMICALS TARGETED
       BY THE 33/50 PROGRAM
              BENZENE
      CADMIUM & COMPOUNDS
      CARBON TETRACHLORIDE
            CHLOROFORM
     CHROMIUM & COMPOUNDS
              CYANIDES
        DICHLOROMETHANE*
        LEAD & COMPOUNDS
      MERCURY & COMPOUNDS
      METHYL ETHYL KETONE
     METHYL ISOBUTYL KETONE
       NICKEL & COMPOUNDS
      TETRACHLOROETHYLENE
              TOLUENE
       1,1,1-TRICHLOROETHANE
       TRICHLOROETHYLENE
              XYLENES

    Also referred to as methylene chloride
     EPA is committed to recognizing companies
 for their participation  in the 33/50 Program and
 for the emissions reductions they achieve.  The
 Program  issues periodic Progress Reports, in
 which participating companies are listed and highlighted. In addition, Company Profiles, such as this one, are being
 prepared to provide more detailed information about companies that have written to EPA describing significant
 emissions reduction initiatives.  Information presented in these profiles is drawn primarily from the company's
 written 33/50 Program  communications and the annual TRI reports submitted by their facilities (including Pollution
 Prevention Act data reported to TRI in Section 8 of Form R). All company communications to EPA regarding
 the 33/50 Program are available to the public upon request.

     EPA does not endorse the performance, worker safety, or environmental acceptability of any of the technical
 options discussed in this Profile.   Mention  of any product or procedure in this document is for informational
 purposes only, and does not constitute a recommendation of any such product or procedure, either express or
 implied, by EPA.
    For information on the 33/50 Program, contact the TSCA Hotline at (202) 554-1404 or contact 33/50
    Program staff directly by phone at (202)  260-6907 or by mail at Mail Code 7408, Office of Pollution
    Prevention and Toxics, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, D.C 20460.
 33/50 Program Company Profile:  Anchor Fence, Inc.

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                              Anchor  Fence, Inc.
    Anchor Fence, Inc. reduced releases of 33/50
Program chemicals by 87% from 1988 to 1992, and
98% by 1993, for a total reduction of over 120,000
founds.  This achievement exceeds the company's
goal to the 33/50 Program of 93% by 1995.

      I.  CORPORATE BACKGROUND

    Anchor Fence, Inc. is a manufacturer of high
quality chain link fencing  systems, gates, and
specialty fencing products. The company has one
facility located  in Baltimore, MD,  employing
approximately 85 workers.

    One  of  the company's  primary products is
polyvinyl  chloride  (PVC) coated components for
fences. The company  purchases galvanized steel
pipe, fittings, and  wire, applies the coating, and
delivers  custom-made  components  and fencing
systems.  Prior  to coating,  the components are
typically cleaned and covered with  a water-based
primer. A PVC powder coating is then bonded to
the base material  by heating the powder until its
melts, and allowing it to cool and harden onto the
base material.
Anchor Fence reduced releases of all
33/50 and TRJ chemicals 98% from
1988 to 1993.
    Between 1988 and 1991, the plant used only
one 33/50 Program chemical in quantities report-
able to TRI:  methyl ethyl ketone.  The company
also  uses  six other 33/50 Program chemicals at
levels below the TRI reporting threshold of 10,000
pounds:  dichloromethane, lead and compounds,
methyl isobutyl ketone,  nickel and compounds,
toluene, and xylenes.  In addition, the company
uses small quantities of zinc and compounds.

    Methyl ethyl ketone  was used as the primary
solvent  in primers used on  pipes and fittings.
Dichloromethane was used to strip  PVC from off-
quality products so that the  pipes can be re-used.
The other solvents primarily are used in  routine
cleaning  operations  and during  product  color
changes.  Metals such as  lead, nickel, and zinc are
used as colorants in the PVC coating process, and
are by-products of the galvanized  steel  cleaning
operations.
    Releases of TRI Chemicals Reported by
             Anchor Fence, Inc.
               (1000 pounds)
                           1988    1992
  33/50 Program Chemicals
    Dichloromethane*
    Lead & Compounds*
    Methyl Ethyl Ketone
    Methyl Isobutyl Ketone*
    Nickel & Compounds*
    Toluene*
    Xylenes*
   33/50 Subtotal
               **
  7
 tr
115
<1
 tr
123
  7
 tr
 *8
<1
 tr
 16
  Other TRI Chemicals         < 1     <
  (Zinc and Zinc Compounds)

  * Data from company progress reports
  ** Columns do not sum to totals due to rounding.
  tr = trace, less than one pound
    Table I at the end of this profile shows the
company's releases and  transfers  of  chemicals
reported to  TRI between 1988 and 1992. Because
most of the chemicals are used below TRI report-
ing thresholds, most of the data used in this profile
were provided by the company in progress reports
to the 33/50 Program.  Anchor Fence reported a
total of 122,987 pounds of 33/50 Program chemical
releases in 1988. All of the releases were air emis-
sions.

    II. 33/50 PROGRAM GOALS AND
   POLLUTION REDUCTION ACTIVITIES

    The company joined the 33/50 Program in
February of 1992 and committed to achieve a 93%
reduction in total releases of all TRI chemicals by
1995 using 1988 TRI data as a baseline.  Anchor
Fence's 33/50 Program commitment translates to
a reduction  of 114,378 pounds of air releases from
the 1988 baseline.

    The company has  undertaken  the following
activities to reduce releases  of TRI chemicals:

•   Releases of methyl ethyl ketone have been
    reduced 93% (113,000 pounds) through substi-
 33/50 Program Profile:  Anchor Fence, Inc.

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    tution of water based formulations of primers
    for pipes and fittings. This action accounts for
    all of the observed decrease in releases of this
    chemical.  In addition, all solvent based paint
    applications are being strictly monitored  to
    determine which can be converted to  water
    based products in the future.

    Improvements in the operation of the compa-
    ny's  waste  water treatment system have re-
    sulted in a 50% reduction in releases of lead,
    nickel, and zinc compounds between 1988 and
    1992. These  improvements consist  primarily
    of adjusting the pH  of the system to increase
    efficiency of metals removal.
Anchor Fence relies primarily on source
reduction in its pollution reduction ef-
forts.  If prevention is not feasible,  recy-
cling and waste water treatment are
also used.
•   Eliminating the use of dichloromethane at the
    plant by shifting the PVC stripping process for
    off-quality products  to  an  off-site cleaning
    company that uses a hot salt bath PVC remov-
    al process.  This  change resulted in cost sav-
    ings for the company.

•   Examination of solvent based cleaning process-
    es  using toluene  and methyl ethyl ketone to
    determine where solvent evaporation can be
    reduced.   The company intends to install a
    water-cooled  component cleaning tank  to
    further reduce  releases of the solvents.

     III.  PROGRESS TOWARDS 33/50
            REDUCTION  GOALS

    By 1992, Anchor Fence had reduced release of
33/50 Program chemicals by 87% from 1988 levels.
Virtually all of  this  reduction  was a  result  of
substitution of methyl ethyl  ketone-based primers
with a water-based  formulation.

    According to company progress reports to the
33/50 Program, Anchor  Fence has continued  to
reduce releases  of all 33/50 chemicals.  Total
releases of TRI chemicals  were approximately
2,800 pounds in 1993.  This represents a reduction
of over 120,000  pounds  or  98%, exceeding  the
       Anchor Fence's Progress Towards
             Meeting 33/50 Goals
    140 r
                                                                                          33/50
                                                                                          Goal
         1988  1989  1990  1991  1992  1993
        33/60 Goal: 93% reduction in releases and
        transfers of 33/60 chemicals by 1996
company's 33/50 Program goal of 93% by 1995.
While most of the reductions were achieved prior
to the company's commitment to the 33/50 Pro-
gram, they have continued to significantly reduce
releases  since enrolling in the program, and are
planning even further reductions by 1995.

  TV.   SUMMARY OF ANCHOR FENCE'S
               EXPERIENCE

    Anchor  Fence's participation  in  the 33/50
Program has been outstanding.  The company has
reduced  its  releases of TRI chemicals by 98% by
1993 from 1988 levels through a variety of pollu-
tion prevention methods and  activities.   As  a
result, a reduction of over 120,000 pounds in TRI
chemical releases has  been achieved, and  the
company has exceeded its 1995 33/50 Program goal
of a 93% reduction. As use of TRI chemicals has
dropped below reporting thresholds, the company
no longer reports to TRI.
33/50 Program Profile:  Anchor Fence, Inc.

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                                                Table I
                                        Anchor Fence Company
                                 TR1 Releases and Transfers, 1988-1992
                                (All data from TRI unless otherwise noted)




Chemical
Methyl ethyl ketone
(only chemical reported to TRI)




Percent Change, 1988-1992




Year
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992(2)
1993(2)



Total Air
Emissions
(pounds)
115,000
36,000
24,000
10,159
8,000
2,000
-93%
Transfers
Off-site
for Treatment/
Disposal/Other
(pounds)
6,000
0
2,200
0
NR
NR



Total Releases
and Transfers (1)
(pounds)
121,000
36,000
26,200
10,159
8,000
2,000
-93%
Notes:  (1)  1991 and 1992 Total Releases and Transfers do not include on- or
           off-site recycling or energy recovery.
       (2)  Data from company progress report to the 33/50 Program.
       NR = not reported

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