9/12/05
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HEALTHY AIR
A COHMUNITT AMD BUSINESS LEADERS GUIDE
Could your family
be affected?
Ohio EPA's Office of
Pollution Prevention
has published
"Woodworking and
Refinishing Pollution
Prevention
Opportunities," which
provides examples of
how to calculate cost
savings and
environmental benefits.
Any company can insert
their material usage
numbers and calculate
potential cost savings
and environmental
benefits.
Office of Pollution
Prevention,
Ohio Environmental
Protection Agency
EPA has developed an
online pollution
prevention tool for
paints and coatings.
Called The Coatings
Guide, this guide
contains several tools
to help users identify
coatings with low VOC
and hazardous air
pollutant content that
may be suitable for
replacing more toxic
paints or coatings.
U.S. EPA
COMMUNITY INFORMATION SHEET
Reducing Air Pollution from:
Wood Furniture Operations
Why do wood furniture operations
need to reduce air pollution?
People who are exposed to toxic air
pollutants at sufficient concentrations,
for sufficient durations, may increase
their chances of getting cancer or
experiencing other serious health effects,
such as reproductive problems, birth
defects, and aggravated asthma.
Pollution prevention can reduce the
impact of air pollution by using
materials, processes, or practices that
reduce or eliminate air pollution at the
source.
Wood furniture operations
manufacture or finish furniture for
homes, offices, stores, public buildings,
and restaurants. Wood furniture
operations activities include drying,
sawing, waxing, sanding, and finishing,
all of which may release pollutants into
the air and may contribute to health
concerns in the operation and in the
community.
The best wood furniture operations
implement pollution prevention
strategies not only to help comply with
federal, state, local, and Tribal laws but
also to further minimize impacts on
human health and the environment.
Check with your state, local, and Tribal
agencies for existing regulations.
What kinds of air pollutants may
come from wood furniture
operations?
Wood furniture operations can
produce emissions of toxic air
pollutants.
Finishes, stains, and topcoats applied
during the finishing process can
release some toxic air pollutants and
volatile organic compounds (VOC).
Chemicals in these substances can
react in the air to form ground-level
ozone (smog), which has been linked
to a number of respiratory effects.
Other sources of toxic emissions
include adhesives used for gluing and
solvents used during cleanup.
Stripping processes during refinishing
can also emit air pollution.
While federal, state, local, and Tribal
regulations limit the amount of
emissions from wood furniture
operations, dangerous releases of toxic
air pollutants can occur if a wood
furniture operation is not in compliance
with regulations.
How can wood furniture operations
reduce air pollution?
Making changes in operation work
practices can stop pollutants at the source
and increase production efficiency. By
evaluating and improving work practices,
operations can decrease emissions, reduce
production costs, and protect employee and
public health.
Examples of changes in work practices that
help reduce air pollution include:
Substituting Materials
Use alternative coating and adhesive
formulations with lower toxic air
pollutant and VOC content.
Use cleaners with lower toxic air
pollutant and VOC content.
Increasing Application Efficiency
Replace old equipment with new and
efficient equipment, such as high-
volume low-pressure (HVLP) spray,
airless spray, air-assisted airless spray,
or electrostatic spray guns.
Train painters in proper spray
application techniques to reduce
emissions and enhance the quality of
the paint finish.
Use a coating method that does not
require spraying.
Changing Cleaning Procedures
Use cleaning procedures that reduce the
amount of solvent needed.
Schedule production runs to minimize
the amount of cleaning needed between
colors or products.
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COMMUNITY INFORMATION SHEET
Wood Furniture Operations
9/12/05
Recycling Materials
Reuse cleaning solution or solvent by using dirty
solvent for initial cleaning, following with clean
solvent.
Use an on-site distillation unit to recycle dirty
cleaning liquid.
Recover solvents for reuse.
As a community, what can you do to help reduce air
pollution from wood furniture operations?
Make Connections
Get to know local wood furniture operation owners
and operators. They know best about the materials
and processes used in their business and the
regulations with which they must comply.
Keep local media aware of progress by sending them
updates. Publicity can reward success and attract
more public involvement.
Make a Plan
Form a work group that includes area owners and
operators to develop and implement workable
pollution reduction plans.
Locate Resources
Use the "For Further Information" list below to
find governmental and nonprofit contacts who can
provide help with analysis, technical information,
equipment, and funding.
Sponsor Training and Translation
Small operations may need funding in order to
attend or provide training.
Improved skills lead to reduced finishing material
usage and exposure for workers.
Reward Operations
Use media connections to provide coverage for
successful efforts. Positive publicity can mean
increased business.
Visibly displayed awards or certificates may also
increase business.
For Further Information
American Home Furnishings Alliance: www.afma4u.org, (336) 884-5000
EPA Air Toxics Web Site: www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations:
www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/wood/riwood.html
Community-Based Projects: www.epa.gov/air/toxicair/community.html
Community information, regional, state contacts: www.epa.gov/epahome/whereyoulive.htm
Pollution prevention awards: State, local, and Tribal government agencies, universities
Painting technique training opportunities: The American Home Furnishings Alliance, Iowa Waste Reduction Center:
www.iwrc.org/programs/STAR.cfm, (800) 422-3109
Toxicity of paints and solvents: Local wood manufacturing trade associations, Integrated Risk Information Systems
(IRIS) (www.epa.gov/tris), Air Toxics Health Effects Notebooks (www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hapindex.html)
Solvent Alternatives Guide: www.sage.rti.org
The Coatings Guide: www.cage.rti.org
For more information, please see the Resources section of the Owner/Operator Information Sheet.
Switching coating types reduces emissions ofVOC and toxic air pollutants by 25%.
Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center
HEALTHY AIR: A COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS LEADERS GUIDE
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