United States Environmental Protection Agency Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 Research and Development EPA/600/SR-95/011 June 1996 EPA Project Summary Solvent-Based to Waterbased Adhesive-Coated Substrate Retrofit Beth W. McMinn, W. Scott Snow, and Dan T. Bowman The coated and laminated substrate manufacturing industry was selected as part of the National Risk Manage- ment Research Laboratory's (NRMRL's) support of the U.S. Environmental Pro- tection Agency's (EPA's) 33/50 Program because of its significant air emissions of toluene and methyl ethyl ketone. NRMRL reviewed the potential equip- ment cleaning benefits of retrofitting equipment for the use of waterbased adhesives. During the investigation, it became apparent that retrofitting sol- vent-based equipment to accept waterbased adhesives can be very com- plicated. This report gives results of a review of the issues and obstacles as- sociated with retrofitting. This Project Summary was developed by EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Research Tri- angle Park, NC, to announce key find- ings of the research project that is fully documented in a separate report of the same title (see Project Report ordering information at back). Background As a result of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, the U.S. Environmental Pro- tection Agency (EPA) established the 337 50 Program, which calls for voluntary in- dustry reductions in releases of 17 high- priority toxic chemicals, listed by mass of emissions: Toluene Xylenes 1,1,1-Trichloroethane Methyl Ethyl Ketone Dichloromethane Chromium and Compounds Lead and Compounds Trichloroethylene Methyl Isobutyl Ketone Tetrachloroethylene Benzene Chloroform Nickel and Compounds Cyanide and Compounds Carbon Tetrachloride Cadmium and Compounds Mercury and Compounds The goal of the 33/50 Program is to re- duce the total amount of these chemicals released into the environment and trans- ferred off-site by 33% by the end of 1992 and by 50% by the end of 1995. These reductions will be based on the Toxic Chemicals Release Inventory (TRI), with 1988 as the base year. In support of the 33/50 Program and EPA's pollution prevention goals, EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) is investigating ways to reduce air emissions of these 17 chemi- cals through pollution prevention. The Pol- lution Prevention Act of 1990 defines pol- lution prevention as source reduction, or "any practice which reduces the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant entering the waste stream or otherwise released to the environment (in- cluding fugitive emissions) prior to recy- cling, treatment, or disposal; and reduces the hazards to public health and the envi- ronment associated with the release of such substances, pollutants, or contami- nants." Pollution prevention offers eco- nomic and reduced health and ecological risk benefits to many sectors of society that may not be available through tradi- tional pollution control methods. ------- In 1991, NRMRL representatives met with industry, academia, and state envi- ronmental agency representatives to iden- tify several source categories deserving of pollution prevention research. Two cri- teria were used to select the industrial categories for study: annual toxics emis- sions and the potential for pollution pre- vention opportunities. First, the TRI was reviewed to identify categories with the greatest mass emissions of the 33/50 chemicals. Categories with the greatest emissions were then ranked according to the potential for successful pollution pre- vention projects resulting in significant re- ductions of 33/50 chemical releases. One of the industries identified during the 1991 meeting was the adhesives-coated and laminated paper manufacturing industry [Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2672]. This industry was chosen because of significant air emissions of 33/50 Pro- gram chemicals methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and toluene as reported through the TRI. In October 1991, a focus group meeting was held during which NRMRL, pollution prevention experts, and representatives of the adhesives-coated and laminated pa- per manufacturing industry discussed pol- lution prevention projects that would sup- port the 33/50 Program. Meeting partici- pants indicated that the coatings and coat- ing application steps are the largest source of toluene and MEK emissions; therefore, retrofitting equipment for the use of waterbased adhesives would present a good opportunity to implement pollution prevention techniques. As a result of this meeting and preliminary industry inquir- ies, the scope of the industry investigation was later expanded to include other coat- ing and substrate varieties (such as those included in SIC 2671-Coated and Lami- nated Packaging Paper and Plastics Film) whose manufacturing methods are simi- lar, thus expanding technology transfer over a wider range of industries. The ret- rofit research project fulfills part of EPA's goal to stimulate the development and use of products and processes that result in reduced pollution. Objectives As part of the original scope of work for Improved Equipment Cleaning in the Coated and Laminated Substrate Manu- facturing Facilities (Phase I), the potential equipment cleaning benefits of retrofitting equipment for the use of waterbased ad- hesives were reviewed. During the review, it became apparent that the conversion of solvent-based adhesive-coated products to waterbased adhesives can be very com- plicated. Therefore, EPA invested re- sources in documenting this conversion. The results of this study are presented in four volumes entitled Solvent-Based to Waterbased Adhesive-Coated Substrate Retrofit— Volume I: Comparative Analysis Volume II: Process Overview Volume III: Label Manufacturing Case Study: Nashua Corporation Volume IV: Film and Label Manu- facturing Case Study: FLEXcon Corporation Volume I details results of a compre- hensive study to identify the issues and barriers associated with retrofitting exist- ing solvent-based equipment to accept waterbased adhesives, and compares the compatibility of waterbased adhesive per- formance levels with current solvent-based adhesive applications. Using Volume I, NRMRL is examining the technology trans- fer potential of documenting requirements for several coated and laminated substrate manufacturers who have converted some or all of their coating capacity from sol- vent-based to waterbased adhesives so that other manufacturers can consider the benefits of retrofitting. Volume II gives results of an initial study to identify the issues and barriers associ- ated with retrofitting existing solvent-based equipment to accept waterbased adhe- sives. This report is intended only as an introduction to the technical, economic, and environmental issues associated with converting from solvent-based to waterbased adhesive coating processes. Its purpose is to define the terms com- monly used within the industry, introduce retrofit concepts, and identify issues re- quiring further investigation. Volume III is a case study of the waterbased retrofit of Nashua Corporation's Omaha, Ne- braska, facility (Nashua). Nashua is a label and label stock manufacturing facility that completed a total conversion from solvent-based to waterbased adhesives in late 1993. This conversion formally started in 1987. Nashua's products are generally aimed at high-volume commod- ity uses, such as food and consumer prod- uct packaging labels. Nashua converted to waterbased adhesives primarily to avoid escalating regulatory costs associated with solvent-based adhesives. Equipment, cost, performance, environmental, and market- ing issues pertaining to Nashua's conver- sion are explained in Volume III. Volume IV describes the implications of and barriers associated with waterbased adhesive use at FLEXcon Company's Spen- cer, Massachusetts, facility (FLEXcon). FLEXcon produces a variety of films and labels for use in a multitude of applica- tions that fall into six main categories: graphic films, packaging labels, electronic printing labels, microembossed films, medi- cal films and labels, and custom-perfor- mance products. FLEXcon currently pro- cesses approximately 30% of their prod- ucts with waterbased adhesives and the remainder with solvent-based adhesives. FLEXcon's usage level of solvent-based adhesives has remained static for a num- ber of years, and they currently have no plans to change it. However, FLEXcon's use of waterbased adhesives has steadily increased since their introduction to the facility in the early 1970s. FLEXcon antici- pates that future growth in their adhesive manufacturing will be in waterbased and other non-solvent adhesive technologies. FLEXcon officials also believe that im- provements in waterbased and other non- solvent adhesive technologies may allow them to convert solvent-based products in the future. ------- B. McMinn, S. Snow, and D. Bowman are with TRC Environmental Corp., Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Chester A. Vogel (Volumes I, III, and IV) and Michael Kosusko (Volume II) are the EPA Project Officers (see below). The complete report, entitled "Solvent-Based to Waterbased Adhesive-Coated Substrate Retrofit," consists of four volumes: "Volume I, Comparative Analysis" (Order No. PB96-180435; Cost: $31.00, subject to change) "Volume II, Process Overview" (Order No. PB96-180443; Cost: $21.50, subject to change) "Volume III, Label Manufacturing Case Study: Nashua Corporation" (Order No. PB96-180450; Cost: $21.50, subject to change) "Volume IV, Film and Label Manufacturing Case Study: FLEXcon Corporation" (Order No. PB96-180468; Cost: $19.50, subject to change) The complete set of fourvolumes (Order No. PB96-180427; Cost: $49.00, subject to change). The above reports will be available only from National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone: 703-487-4650 The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at National Risk Management Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 United States Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Research Information Cincinnati, OH 45268 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 BULK RATE POSTAGE & FEES PAID EPA PERMIT No. G-35 EPA/600/SR-95/011 ------- |