Waste Reduction Guidelines for the Composite Industry
A Step-by-step Approach to Developing a Comprehensive Waste Reduction Program
funded by the Missou fl' Department of Natural Resources
This manual was developed by Environmental Technical Services (ETS), 18846 Highwood Estates Drive, Pacific, MO 63069 in consultation with Bridging The Gap, Inc., 435 Westport Road. Kansas City, MO 641 11 For more information on services available, contact John Unser, ETS, (3 14) 273-6687, email ets@inlink com or Mad Crabtree, BTG, (816) 561-1087, email eec@bridgingthegap org
Table of Contents Introduction ...... 1 The Composite Industry...... 1 Manufacturing Methods ...... 2 Waste Generation in Missouri Composite Industry ...... 3 Benefits of Waste Reduction ...... 3 Industry Success Stories ...... 5 Developing a Waste Reduction Plan for your Company ...... 6 Phase One: Start-up ...... 7 Phase Two: Waste Assessment...... 10 Phase Three: Develop a Waste Reduction Plan ...... 18 Phase Four: Implementation ...... 23 Conclusion ...... 27 References...... 28
List of Figures
Figure 1 - Composite Shipments Since 1991 ...... 1 Figure 2 - Distribution of Solid Waste Stream ...... 3 Figure 3 - Development of a Waste Reduction Program ...... 6 Figure 4 - Sample Kick-off Memorandum ...... 10 Figure 5 - Sample Start-up Memorandum ......
List of Tables
Table 1 - Composite Manufacturing Methods ...... 2
List of Appendices
Appendix A - Step-by-step Worksheets Appendix B - Case Study - Company ABC Appendix C - Waste Reduction Ideas for the Composite Industry Appendix D - Recycling in the Composite Industry Appendix E - Companies Supporting Waste Reduction and Recycling Appendix F - Other Resources
i
Introduction
The Composite Industry
Composite materials offer many superior properties that have enabled composites' manufacturers to gain significant market share in a variety of industries. Benefits such as high strength to weight ratios and excellent resistance to environmental exposures provide significant advantages over conventional materials. A composite material contains a reinforcement (such as fibers) supported by a binder (matrix) material. Examples of the products manufactured with composites include bathtubs, vanities, recreational boats, truck hoods, automobile parts, small appliances, storage tanks, and aircraft parts. Composite use has grown continuously since its introduction in the 1960's Figure 1 graphically shows the increase since 199 1. The Society of Plastic Industries (SPI) Composite Institute has predicted a record high of 3.22 billion pounds of composite materials will be shipped in 1996.
hcraft/Aerospace/Mihtary
0th I
AppCance/BLlsmxs Eqqment
Consumr Products
ElectmaL'Ekctrom
h4aX-m
CorroslowReslstant Equpment
ComtnctPn
Transportatmn
Figure 1 - Composite Shipments Since 1991
Many types of materials are used in the fabrication of composite structures. Carbon, aramid, glass, or ceramic fibers may comprise the reinforcement component. Examples of fiber forms are: chopped, unidirectional tape, cloth, roving, and performs The matrix or resin material can be a polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy, polymide, or bismaliamide just to mention a few. The composite industry's most dominant matrix and reinforcement combination is polyester resin and glass fibers, known more commonly as Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics (FRP). In the aerospace industry the most common material combination is carbodepoxy. These two materials make up roughly 90% of the composite market.
1 Manufacturing Methods
Many manufacturing methods are used to produce composite structures. Examples of processing methods include: filament winding, pultrusion, resin transfer molding (RTM), injection molding, compression molding, wet lay-up, spray-up, resin infusion, and hand lay-up using prepreg and autoclave cure. Table 1 compares the pro2esses. FRP is typically fabricated using wet lay-up or spray-up. Aerospace structures are primarily fabricated using hand lay-up of prepreg and autoclave cure. This process is expensive, and due to defense cutbacks, the aerospace industry is investigating lower cost fabrication.
The waste generated by each of the manufacturing methods varies and each method may generate several waste streams. A waste steam is defined as a unique discarded material that must be handled separately. A recent study done for the Air Force ranked several composite manufacturing methods based on the amount of waste generated. The processes were ranked in the following order, from most wasteful to least wasteful: hand lay-up using prepreg and autoclave cure, filament winding, compression molding, RTM, and pultrusion. The study did not include wet lay-up, spray-up or resin ihsion. Considering their ranking methodology, these methods would fall between the methods of filament winding and compression molding. The rankings for the processes are included in Table 1. A high negative number represents less generated waste
Table 1 - Composite Manufacturing Methods
Waste Manufacturing Method Fiber Relative Cost Generation Unique Waste Streams Volume Ranking' Pultrusion 4555% LOW -30 Excess resin, scrapped parts, cured trimming Resin transfer molding 4560% Moderate -1 8 Flashing, scrapped parts, curec trimming Wet lay-up 40-50% LOW -1 3 Cured trimming, cured excess resin Compression mdding 40-50% LOW -1 1 Flashing, scrapped parts, outdated materials Resin infusion 50-60Yo LOW -9 Vacuum bagging material, cured trimming Spray-up 4040% LOW -9 Overspray, cured trimming, cured excess resin, scrapped Pa* Filament winding 50-60% Moderate -7 Excess resin, scrapped parts, cured trimming Autoclave cure - hand lay-up 5560% High 0 Scrap prepreg, cured trimming, vacuum bagging material, prepreg backing, outdated materials, scrapped parts
2 Waste Generation in Missouri Composite Industry
In 1997 Environmental Technical Services (ETS) conducted a survey limited to the companies that fabricated composite structures in Missouri. A total of 155 surveys were mailed and 32 were returned. Survey results indicate spray-up to be the dominant manufacturing process. Cured trimmings and overspray represent over 60% of the solid waste stream as seen in Figure 2. These two types of waste should be the primary focus of most industry waste reduction strategies
Wooden Used Scrapped
waste
Part trimming 55.9% Cardboard 15.1%
Figure 2 - Distribution of Solid Waste Stream
The ETS survey determined the amount of waste generated by the Missouri Composite Industry Survey results indicated that each employee would generate an average of 7,345 pounds or 3 7 tons of waste per year The total waste generated by the Missouri Composite Industry would then be 85 9 million pounds or 42,968 tons per year This calculation is based on the average of seventy-eight employees per company and a total of 1 50 composite manufacturers. Considering these figures, an impressive 58.8 million pounds or 29,433 tons of scrap composites could be available for recycling each year
Benefits of Waste Reduction
Companies across the country report significant success with waste reduction campaigns, and many have saved thousands of dollars a year by implementing procedures such as ones described in this manual By reducing the waste generated in your manufacturing process, your company can save money, increase productivity, attract customers, and help protect the environment.
3 Economic Advantages
0 Waste reduction can reduce material and supply costs and increase efficiency through cost effective work practices.
0 Hauling and waste disposal costs are slashed when waste volume is reduced
0 According to a survey by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, companies that prepared waste reduction plans projected savings of $7.40 for every $1 .OO invested.
Enhanced Corporate Image
Environmentally conscious companies attract customers. Many consumers consider a company’s environmental record when making purchase decisions.
0 Environmentally conscious companies enjoy an enhanced public image in the local community.
0 Companies conducting waste reduction programs receive favorable publicity and media exposure
Increased Employee Morale
0 Employees appreciate company efforts to reduce waste and become more environmentally conscious
0 Employees benefit from the information and training received as part of the waste reduction campaign
0 Your employees will feel like a valuable part of the effort as they are encouraged to contribute and participate; especially if they are rewarded for their participation through incentive programs
Positive Environmental Effects
Waste reduction eliminates waste sent to landfills.
Waste reduction decreases long-term liability risks associated with cradle-to-grave responsibility for material use and disposal
Reduction in solid waste may in some cases reduce air emissions; for example, reduction in overspray also enhances air quality.
4 Industry Success Stories
The following company profiles illustrate how actual businesses have successfblly implemented waste reduction programs and realized many of these benefits.
Omega Protrusions of Aurora, Ohio, a company that employs about 120 people in fiberglass protrusion, implemented a fairly simple, yet highly effective waste reduction program. When company managers asked employees for waste reduction strategies, their number one concern was in the area of training. Employees were not uniformly using production equipment resulting in significant scrap waste. Waste reduction training manuals were developed for each piece of production equipment and the employees were retrained to handle raw materials more efficiently. The managers also gave employees power to inspect their own work, creating hrther incentive to follow new procedures. These changes enabled Omega’s scrap rate to decline dramatically, from 14 percent in 1989 to 5 percent in 1993, resulting in a 400,000 pound reduction in the amount of scrai, sent to landfills.*
The Composite Manufacturing Area (CMA), part of Lockheed Missile & Space Company’s Missile Systems Division, produces lightweight fiberglass and carbon fiber composite structures. In 1992 they replaced the die/clicker press used in their cut-and-ht operation with an automatic ultrasonic composite prepreg cutting machine. The automated system improved their utilization of raw material to 80% from 50%. This change eliminated over 12,000 pounds of waste per year and saved the company approximately $540,000 in raw material costs per year. Additional savings of $67,500 per year were gained by reducing hazardous waste disposal fees (California considers prepreg hazardous waste).’
5 Developing a Waste Reduction Plan for your Company
The process of developing and implementing a waste reduction plan can be divided into four phases: start-up, waste assessment, development, and implementation. Figure 3 shows the steps within these four phases. A successhl waste reduction program can be achieved if these steps are followed.
*Establish Management Support *Designate a Coordinator *Select an Effective Team *Set Preliminary Program Goals *Notify Personnel
*Survey Employees *Conduct Records Review *Conduct a Facility Walk-Through *Perform a Waste Sort *Complete a Waste Assessment Report
*Brainstorm Waste Reduction Ideas *Compile and Screen Options *Analyze the Options *Develop Focused Goals *Documentthe Plan
*Educate and Train Employees *Monitor and Evaluate the Program
Figure 3 - Development of a Waste Reduction Program
6 Phase One: Start-up
The first steps in preparing a successhl waste reduction program are:
1. Establish firm, visible management support. 2, Designate a capable and enthusiastic waste reduction coordinator. 3 Select an effective team to implement the program. 4 Set preliminary program goals 5 Notify personnel of the new program
Step One: Establish Firm, Visible Management Support
The first step in preparing an effective waste reduction program is to commit the owner or highest level management to participating in the waste reduction program and authorizing changes in operations. Regardless of business size, a waste reduction program should be established with formal policy and considered the standard for your business. Any program directives should come from management to encourage support at departmental and other levels. A memo, letter or other form of announcement from management to all employees clearly demonstrates such support
Be sure to keep all levels of management informed and involved as you develop your waste reduction program. Encourage your managers by sharing the benefits that come from waste reduction, such as cost savings and enhanced company image.
Once the program is underway, and throughout the progress of waste reduction efforts, management can continue to demonstrate support by:
endorsing program goals 0 communicating the importance of reducing waste within the company 0 authorizing the time necessary to work on the project making periodic announcements regarding program status encouraging and rewarding employee commitment and participation
Step Two: Designate a Waste Reduction Coordinator , I A successful waste reduction program requires an enthusiastic and motivated coordinator who can foster a sense of teamwork and enlist the support of all employees The coordinator will be I responsible for administering the program and will act as a liaison between management, employees, and the waste reduction team The coordinator will also be the contact for the recycler, the facility's manager, and others involved in implementing the program or monitoring its progress 7 Qualities sought in the program coordinator include:
0 organizational talent
0 enthusiasm about waste reduction 0 ability to direct team efforts 0 good communication skills
Likely candidates may be:
0 an employee who has championed waste reduction
0 a facility manager 0 a waste disposal or operations manager
0 an environmental manager
0 a public relations manager 0 an enthusiastic person at the administrative level
Depending on the size of the business and the type of program being implemented, the position of coordinator may require a significant amount of time. If possible, incorporate the coordination of waste reduction into the person’s job description. As such, it is important that the position be an official function, not a volunteer duty.
Step Three: Select an Effective Team
Your employee waste reduction team is responsible for planning, designing, implementing, and maintaining the waste reduction program. A team approach allows the distribution of these tasks among several employees and enables employees throughout the company to contribute directly to the effort. The team size is determined by company size. A small business might have a three- person team - the owner and two managers or staff members; whereas a large business might have a dozen employees on its team.
Typically, members of the waste reduction team are responsible for:
setting the preliminary and long-term goals of the program assessing current waste streams and waste management contributing specific ideas and suggestions designing the waste reduction program specific to all departments or areas promoting the program to all employees providing educational information to all employees and to management tracking program success 0 reporting to management the program status, goals and milestones
8 To encourage all employees to take ownership of the program, team members should represent various departments. Good team candidates include:
environmental managers building supervisors maintenance staff purchasing staff administrative staff engineering staff technical or operational staff employees interested or experienced in waste reduction
Team members can be volunteers or appointed members. It is important, however, that they be enthusiastic and able to commit time to the effort. You may increase motivation by making team membership a basis for special recognition within the company.
Step Four: Set Preliminary Program Goals
The general objective of a waste reduction program is to reduce the amount of solid waste disposal. A wide range of approaches can be taken to accomplish this objective and the team should narrow these to establish preliminary program goals. The goals should clearly state results the team expects based on the level of effort that the company is willing to dedicate to the task. The goals should be flexible, as they will need to be reexamined later and adjusted when specific waste reduction options are considered. Below are several examples of goals:
Enhance public image of the campany by showing that it is working toward a cleaner environment, 0 Boost employee morale by getting people involved in a companywide project. 0 Reduce solid waste generation by 50% withn two years.
('asr Stit& - C'ompany Description
('ompuig! ARC' IS a sma1l)berglassjob shop with 45 employees. Their annual sales volume IS S5-IO million. Primary fabrication method IS chopper gun spray-up. The 30,000 square foot faciliy is located in the downtown district of a large metropolitan city. The main industries they service are construction, transportation, corrosion resistance equipment, and marine. The preliminary goals establishedfor Company ABC are listed below:
0 Establish a baseline of the types of waste streams generatedfrom our fabrication processes, Reduce ihe largest waste stream by 25% by implementing waste reduction and recycling projects.
9 Step Five: Notify Personnel
It is essential to inform all employees of the program and highlight the importance of their involvement. To emphasize the program’s high priority, begin with an announcement and endorsement from upper level management. This will demonstrate that the program has hll management support and is a high priority for the business. An initial announcement will also capture employee interest and generate momentum for the program. An example memorandum is presented in Figure 4..
TO : All Employees
FROM: The Operations Manager
SUBJECT Waste Reduction Program
Our company will soon begin a waste reduction campaign. Our goal is to reduce the amount of waste generated and increase the level of recycling. This program presents an opportunity for everyone to contribute to a significant environmental improvement effort and in turn lower our production costs The first step in the program is to get suggestions and ideas from you. Please fill out the following survey and return it to your supervisor. A waste reduction team is being formed consisting of employees and consultants. In the next couple of weeks, the team will be touring the shop talking to employees. Please cooperate hlly, since the success of this program depends on your participation. Figure 4 - Sample Kick-off Memorandum
Phase Two: Waste Assessment
A waste assessment analyzes and reviews your company’s waste generation, waste stream content, waste management arrangements, and purchasing policies. It will also help determine the amount that can be reduced through reduction practices, recycling, and reuse. From the baseline information, realistic, measurable goals can be set for waste reduction.
The basic steps of a waste assessment are as follows
1 Survey employees regarding waste generation and opportunities for waste reduction 2 Examine your business records and complete the Waste Assessment Questionnaire 3 Conduct a facility walk-through and interview employees. 4 Perform a waste sort (if needed to identi@ the relative quantities of waste types) 5 Document your findings to management in a Waste Assessment Report.
10 Your waste assessment can be as simple or as involved as you want. The scope of the waste assessment will be based on:
0 the type and size of your business
0 the complexity of the waste stream 0 the resources (money for capital improvements, time, labor, equipment) available for the waste reduction program
For example, if your business generates only a few types of waste materials, your team might review company records and conduct a brief walk-through and interview. On the other hand, if your business generates diverse types of waste and has established a goal to cut waste disposal by 50% or more, the team will need to thoroughly examine and quanti@ the waste generated by performing a full waste assessment with a waste sort. Each type of waste assessment activity is described in the following pages.
Step One: Survey Employees
As a first step in the waste assessment, ask each employee to complete a brief survey. The survey should solicit information regarding:
0 types and amounts of waste generated
0 willingness to participate in a recycling program
0 waste prevention suggestions
Employee input is important! Employees who feel part of the initial program design are generally more willing to participate. You may find that the employees most willing to recycle are those in the departments generating the most waste. These departments are an ideal place to begin your recycling efforts.
Distribute the survey, (printed double-sided or on the back of used paper), or post it on electronic mail A sample survey for businesses in the composite industry is included in Appendix A. Note that the survey also contains an explanation that a waste reduction program is being planned and that input from each employee is valuable to ensure a workable program strategy.
11 Case Study - Employee Survey
Thirty of the forty-five employees completed and returned the employee surveys. Table I illustrates the interest by department. Overall, company-wide interest in recycling and waste reduction is very positive, which is an indication of high morale.
Table 1 - Particbation Interest bv DeDartment
The survey indicated that the top three waste streams were part trimmings, overspray, and wrappedparts. The responsesfor each waste stream by department are presented in Table 2.
In response to the question of how recycling could be made more convenient, employees cited Ttorage I.S.YU~S and shop cleanliness problems. The responses to the question “What ideas do you balv io redirce wasle at this company3 ” indicate two general themes: know how much material fo use. and hire people who care about their work. Survey comments indicate some frustration rb’ith employee turnover.
12 Step Two: Conduct a Waste Assessment Questionnaire and Records Review
Company records can provide insight into your company’s waste generation and handling patterns. Use the Waste Assessment Questionnaire in Appendix A to help gather important information from your records.
The types of records you might find useful include:
0 waste collection and removal records and contracts 0 contracts with recyclers and records of revenues from recycling
0 equipment service contracts, maintenance logs, and repair invoices
0 inventory, invoices, and purchasing logs
0 production logs
Waste handling information allows you to analyze waste removal methods and costs. Look at both on-site waste collection (gathering trash from individual departmentdoffices) and off-site waste removal (shipping the waste off-site for disposal). This information can be found in waste haulirig contracts, maintenance and operating logs, and waste removal records. It may be helpful to include a review of any existing recycling or donation efforts.
Equipment service contracts, maintenance logs, and repair invoices provide usehl information on waste generated through equipment malfhctions; for instance, frequent printer and copier breakdowns may result in wasted paper.
Purchasing records profile the resources entering the facility so the use and ultimate fate of these resources can be tracked. Opportunities for waste-reducing purchasing practices such as buying in bulk or purchase of recycled products may be identified.
!bse Stir& - Prodiictiori Record Review
(’ompaq ABC’ records the weight of the$nalprodirct. Part I23 makes up over 50% of their orodiictio,i volume. The variance in weight of these parts made by diflerent technicians was rrna!r*zed. As can he seen in Table I the one technician (W)that made the most parts consistently made parts weighing about I.5 pounds less than the other technicians.
13 Step Three: Conduct a Facility Walk-Through and Employee Interviews
A facility walk-through is a relatively quick way to examine your company's waste handling practices. During the walk-through the team will want to note:
the types and amounts of waste produced waste generation and handling practices waste-producing or inefficient activities and equipment disposable materials that could be replaced by reusable or recyclable products existing space and equipment available for storage of recyclables current waste reduction efforts information provided by employees
The walk-through should include all areas that generate, handle or store waste. Be sure to contact each department to schedule the walk-through visit and to request that the supervisor and employees be available to answer questions or describe operations. Walk-through interviews can offer important details on waste generation and removal practices. Employees are a valuable sdurce of ideas for planning your waste reduction program. Before the walk-through, the team should discuss the important areas, questions, and topics to be covered.
Case Study - Walk-Through
Major areas of concern indicated by the walk- through are:
Spray-up overspray Gelcoat overspray Resin usage Fiberglass trimmings Scrap i4ncontaminatedfiberglass
The details of the walk- through are documented in the Waste Assessment for Company ABC which ispresented in Appendix B. FACILITY WALK-THROUGH INSTRUCTIONS
Use the facility walk-through form provided in Appendix A to identify and record the different waste-generating activities and equipment in your facility. Also record the types of waste produced and any current waste reduction efforts. In addition, identify all materials that could be targeted by your waste reduction program and brainstorm ways to reduce, reuse or recycle these materials.
Obtain necessary information by conducting a walk-through of targeted functional areas. The walk-through entails carefidly observing waste-generating activities and equipment, examining the contents of waste containers, and interviewing supervisors and employees.
Pay close attention to areas and operations that generate the largest amounts of waste. Watch closely for activities and equipment that generate unnecessary waste. Highlight existing waste reduction efforts.
Contact department managers to schedule short interviews with staff Suggested questions to ask during the walk-through are listed following the walk-through forms. Be sure to interview the custodial workers and operations staff.
If possible, schedule the walk-through just before trash pickups to allow a sufficient amount of waste to accumulate. Avoid scheduling it on a day when non- typical wastes are produced.
Ask questions about variations in daily waste generation. For example, periodic deliveries may result in more discards on the delivery day.
Ask about any recent or upcoming changes withn the department, such as new equipment, systems, or procedures that could alter the types or amounts of waste
vgenerated.
Larger companies may want to record information gathered on the walk-through by department, copying the forms as needed. FACILITY WALK-THROUGH QUESTIONS
Pose questions such as these to department employees during the facility walk-through. Phrase questions so as to encourage workers to share information with the team. Employees should feel they are contributing positive information to the project. Interview the staffwhile they are working at their departmental tasks to foster better department-specific answers.
Keep the interviews brief so as not to disrupt the working schedule. If needed, schedule more involved interviews separately.
Are there recent or pending changes in equipment or procedures that could alter the types or amounts of waste generated?
Where can we be more efficient?
0 Are there alternative products we can reuse over and over?
Are there other products we could purchase that are more repairable, refillable, or durable than ones we are currently using?
Are there products that come with too much packaging?
0 Are there any business policies that are barriers to waste prevention?
What wasteful activities have you noticed?
Step Four: Perform a Waste Sort
Conduct a waste sort if you need more extensive data than is provided by company records or a facility walk-through. A waste sort involves collecting and sorting a sample of your company’s waste to provide a “snapshot” of the total waste composition. By determining the baseline waste composition you can better.
0 prioritize waste prevention and recycling efforts
0 demonstrate to employees the quantities and types of waste being generated track changes in the waste stream
. You may select particular departments or waste streams to consider in the waste sort. For some companies it will be feasible to assemble and sort one day’s waste. If this is not practical for your business you may collect a representative sample of approximately 50 pounds. It will be important to estimate the relative size of the waste stream represented by each sample.
If there are significant day-to-day or periodic variations in the types and amounts of waste generated, the team might want to conduct waste sorts on more than one day. It is important to 16 use a truly typical sample of your business’ waste to avoid skewing calculations on waste generation, waste composition, and waste removal costs.
Plan for your waste sort by asking employees to separately dispose of certain items on that day. For example, provide separate containers for food waste. Do not include hazardous materials or bathroom trash in the waste streams that will be sorted. You may wish to photograph or videotape the waste sort for future educational purposes.
Before beginning the waste sort, gather containers for holding waste samples and a scale used to weigh the samples. Sort the collected waste samples on a large plastic sheet, wearing work gloves for safety. Weigh the different waste types to determine quantitatively the waste stream composition or estimate relative percentages of individual waste types. Record your information on the Waste Sort Form included in Appendix A.
WASTE SORT INSTRUCTIONS
Begin The Wastesort
1 Assemble the waste sample in a location that is convenient, large enough for this activity, and available for the duration of the sample. Your sample may be one day’s worth of waste or a representative sample from each department A multi-day sampling is suggested if there is a large potential for daily variations 2 Weigh the empty containers used to hold the sorted materials and note the weight on both the container and waste sort form (A digital scale is the most accurate type of scale ) 3 Sort the waste into individual waste streams such as office paper, scrap parts, and parts trimmings Extensive examples are given on the Waste Sort Form 4 You may want to separate the major components into subcategories, for example, sort glass into the subcategories of clear, green and brown 5 Place the sorted materials into the empty containers described in Step 2
Complete The Waste Sort Form
1 Weigh each filled container (partial and/or full) and record the weight in the “Filled Container Weight” column on the form 2 Subtract the empty container weight from the filled container weight to get the Net Component Weight Record net weight in the “Waste Component Weight” column 3 Add all the net component weights to get the Total Waste Weight Record this total figure in the “Total Waste Generated” column 4 Divide the Net Component Weight of each line item by the Total Waste Generated figure at the bottom and multiply by 100 to compute the Component Percentage for each item
17 Step Five: Complete a Waste Assessment Report
After you have completed the waste assersment procedures and developed a clear understanding of your company’s waste stream you will be ready to assemble the details in a Waste Assessment Report. This report will further illustrate the results of the assessment. The report may include information such as:
a summary of waste stream component percentages a concise summary of your current waste management systems estimates of monthly and annual waste generation, per employee a comparison of your waste generation compared to industry averages an evaluation of current waste prevention and recycling efforts a summary of information from employee surveys and waste questionnaires direct observation of practices resulting in waste site-specific waste reduction recommendations and options
This report becomes the working document the waste reduction team will use to develop and implement a Waste Reduction Plan.
Case StuL3, - Waste Assessment Report
The Waste Assessment Report for Company ABC is presented in Appendix B
Phase Three: Develop a Waste Reduction Plan
Step One: Brainstorm Waste Reduction Ideas
Using the findings and observations from the waste assessment, the waste reduction team will develop a workable plan tailored to the needs of the company. Begin by gathering ideas from waste assessment participants Spend at least half an hour generating as many ideas as possible from all team members Before you begin the brainstorming session, review the “rules” of brainstorming
record all ideas from any source don’t censor or evaluate the ideas for cost or feasibility at this point
0 keep ideas flowing; record and move on as quickly as possible avoid labeling or grouping the ideas at this point
List all the possible waste reductiodprevention, reuse, recycling and purchasing measures that might be effective Generating ideas from two or three different perspectives will often be more creative than just a general solicitation. If the flow of general ideas slows down, refer to a specific part of the waste assessment, such as the employee surveys or the walk-through. It may also be useful to look at ideas on a department by department or function by fimction level. Pose specific
18 questions to generate ideas, such as: What could we do to become an industry leader in waste reduction? What could we do to get employees really excited about generating less waste in their workplace?
Other ideas can be obtained from utilizing the information presented the Appendices B-E. Several waste reduction ideas are presented in Appendix B. Composite recycling idea are presented in Appendix C. Companies that provide equipment and services for recycling and waste reduction are listed in Appendix D. Other resources for waste reduction are presented in Appendix E.
Case Study - Brain Storming
Thefollowing are the ideas generated during a brain storming session at Company ABC for improving spray-up operation:
A. New equipment B. Better training (problem with turnover) C. Continuous training . D. Mentor program. E. In house certrfrcation -for proper image F. Equipment set-up 1. 1 ‘2 % catalyst maintained 2. Set maximum pressure in guns (metered) 3. Calibrate the Jystem 4. More tips for varied spray patterns for dgferent part size G. Better equipment so won’t have to constantly “test”for correct spry H. Design “excesswaste catcher” as it shoots - to catch excess I. Eqiripment with counters - determine amount material needed at front end. J. Incentive to reward those doing best at waste reduction K. Look at heights of tools to increase efficiency of spraying
Step Two: Compile and Screen Options
Using the ideas generated, compile a list of potential options that fit the team’s preliminary goals. The team may also want to consult with employees and others who participated in the walk- through for additional options. When the team has identified all potential options they can be screened for effectiveness based on such criteria as cost and ease of employee participation.
Use the worksheet in Appendix A to screen the options. The options are listed in the left column. The criteria are listed in the first row. The weighting of each criterion is established and placed in the second row. The weighting can be 1-3 with 3 being the most important. Each team member then ranks the options for each criterion ( 1-3 with 3 being the most important). The second line for each option is the weighting times the ranking for each criterion. This simple mathematical formula will accurately screen the options.
19 ~~~ ~ Case Study - Screenmg Options
The following table shows Screening Options WorksheetJilled out for Company ABC.
m *s us .-a8 Criteria ag gs;Ea zf Yd HTa I IWeieht 32 Q Option # 1 Ranlilng 33
Traming Weiehtc s Ranlune 96 Option # 2: pdUIlg 32 New sprav guns Wei t x Rankme 94 Option # 3 21 Change to RTM Weight x Rankm 62 Option # 4 32 Recvclmg FRP Weight s Ranhg 94
Use the above screening process to categorize the options into four types: immediate implementation, need evaluations, to be considered later, and not a viable option. The “immediate implementation” options will be changes that can occur with minimal cost. An example of this type of option might be cardboard recycling. The “need evaluation” options will be changes that offer waste reduction potential but must be proven to be cost effective. These options may include buying new equipment such as Air Assisted Airless (AAA) chopper guns. The “to be considered later” options are changes that would be beneficial but are known to be out of budget range. These may include large capital items such as purchasing bulk resin storage tanks or licensing a vacuum assisted resin inhsion process.
Step Three: Analyze the Options
The screening process above will reduce the options to a few that deserve further investigation Cost is an important consideration. The cost-effectiveness of your waste reduction options will depend on these factors:
potential equipment, repair, and retraining costs avoided waste disposal costs avoided purchasing and operating costs potential recycling costs promotion and training costs baledshredder rental or purchase revenue generated from recycling potential higher costs of some recycled products
20 Companies that consider cost-effectiveness to be a key criterion should be sure to consider the long-term economic feasibility of an option. While the team may be inclined to disregard a particular option with large start-up costs, the measure may result in impressive savings over the years. Payback Period is a simple method used to determine the cost effectiveness of a waste reduction option. It measures the length of time a project will require to return its original investment. A drawback to the payback method is that it ignores the time value of money. The worksheet provided in Appendix A can be used to calculate payback period.
Case Study - Analysis of Options
The following analyzes the option to implement a training program at Company ABC
Benefits - Training employees to operate a spray gun more efficiently can reduce costs Yignflcantly. Research Triangle Institute (RTI) conducted testsfor the EPA comparing normal 2nd controlled spraying using an Airless Air Assist (M)spray gun'. The transfer effjciencies were 80.5% and 92% respectively. Company ABC, Inc. produces 5,000 annuatly of Part 123 with an average weight of 13.4 pound. By using controlled spraying they would reduced there waste by IO,404 pounds or approximately $15,606 per year. rf the IO,403 pound of overspray 1s not discarded, the annual savings would be S867 (1 0,404 pounds t 150 pound/cu yd t 4 cu vd per dumpster x S50 per pull = S867). netotal annual savings would be of $16,4 73. kt- The cost of the training program would be broken down as shown in Table I.
Task Hours Rate I Dollars Design and development of traimng program I 30 I $ 50.00 I $ 1.500 Emplovees traimng (1 hrs class s 10 employees) 10 I $ 30.00 I $ 1.200 Certification ( 5 hrs per employee) 5 $ 3000 $ 150 Certification ( 5 hrs supen'isor ume per employee) 5 $ 1000 $ 200 Nen empio?ees tramng (1hrs per employee) 20 $ 3000 $ 600 New employees cedication ( 5 hrs supemisor time per e 2 5 $ 1000 $ 100
Pavhack period would he 2.8 months. (S3,890 Sl6.473 x 12 months = 2.8 months).
While cost is a valid consideration and an important screening tool, other potential effects should be considered, such as.
effects on product or service quality and product marketing compatibility with existing operations client (consumer) expectations space and storage considerations operation and maintenance requirements staffing, training and education requirements overall implementation time effects on employee morale, environmental awareness, and community relations 21 The weight of each of these items, in addition to the weight of cost factors, should be assessed by the waste reduction team. Analyze each option and determine its feasibility.
Step Four: Develop Focused Goals
Set realistic and measurable goals for the options you have chosen to implement. The aggressiveness of your goals will be determined by the overall commitment of your business to waste reduction. The most successfbl goals will have specific, measurable and achievable objectives. Establish priorities and keep the planning simple and manageable within specified time frames. Although the company’s greatest areas of waste should be a definite priority, remember to also focus on areas likely to bring quick and positive results. Nothing motivates like success!
Case Study - Focused Goals
Company ABC will reduce overspray by 50% within one year. This will be accomplished through education and retraining.
Outcome measures: 0 reduction in overall waste produced by company
0 reduction in actual overspray waste as measured in monthly increments
Step Five: Document the Plan
Document the results of your work. The report should include all the information obtained from the employee survey, waste assessment, option screening, option analysis, and option goals. You need to document the results of your efforts to
maintain a record of the company’s efforts to reduce waste, options considered and results develop a record keeping system to track costs, savings, and waste reduction quantities obtain baseline data from which to continue an investigation of feasible waste reduction options obtain baseline data from which to evaluate the impact of options chosen for implementation
Case Stiidy - Final Report
The recommerided waste reduction recycling projects for Company ABC are presented in Appendix B.
22 Phase Four: Implementation
Step One: Educate and Train Employees A successful waste reduction program relies on everyone’s participation. Ensure maximum participation thorough employee education and promotional programs. Include such options as:
a kick-off memo fiom upper management orientation sessions for new employees training and education for revised procedures, work methods or recycling programs continued promotion and incentives through updates and reminders posters, signs, and public information media publicity special events
Circulate information fiom upper level management as a memo, bulletin, newsletter or other announcement. The announcement should:
remind employees that waste reduction can benefit both the company and the environment describe the goals and objectives of the waste reduction program
outline the design and implementation stages of the program , explain the potential for revenues and savings and where it will go courteously ask for participation provide dates and times of orientation sessions and suggested attendees list team member names and numbers to contact with questions, ideas, needs, or comments ask for suggestions and volunteers to help with implementation clearly but briefly explain each component of the program, what is expected, and the ease with which the procedures can be incorporated into daily routines list what is and is not acceptable for recycling include a reminder list and ask each employee to post the list in their area
The announcement should include relevant phone numbers and instructions to keep on file. Encourage staff to report overflows, ask questions, or request special assistance when they anticipate generating large amounts of recyclables. If possible, reduce paper waste and use electronic mail to notifir employees. A sample memorandum is shown in Figure 5.
23 TO: All Employees
FROM: The Operations Manager
SUBJECT: Waste Reduction Program
Our company will soon implement a waste reduction program. Our goal is to reduce the amount of overspray by 50% and recycle many of our waste streams. By reducing waste and increasing recycling, we can eliminate over half of all the waste that we currently send to the landfill The waste reduction and recycling program will be simple; only small changes in our work habits will be required. Each of you will be asked to incorporate a few waste reduction measures into your daily routine These measures are listed on the attached reminder sheet.
A series of orientation sessions will be given to acquaint each of you with the program. A schedule of these is attached to this memo. Please plan to attend one of these sessions. Within the next week, program coordinators will set up the recycling stations. The attached list specifies products to be recycled. Please familiarize yourself with this information.
The success of this program depends on your cooperation. If you have any questions, ideas, needs, or comments regarding the waste reduction program, please contact one of the waste reduction team members listed below.
Figure 5 - Sample Start-up Memorandum
Depending on the size of your business and the complexity of your waste reduction program, you may be able to effectively educate all employees by circulating memos or holding informal meetings Larger businesses or more complex programs might require a full-scale training program You may want to hold sessions for management first Orientation sessions should be as convenient as possible for all employees, and should be mandatory Avoid scheduling orientation sessions when staff may not be available, such as lunch hours, or at the beginning or end of the day Reminder posters will help to advertise the orientation sessions It may be necessary to provide bilingual information.
Orientation sessions should last no more than one-half hour, unless the waste reduction program is complex or there are many questions. Be sure employees understand your expectations. Explain the options being implemented, acceptable materials, changes in work patterns or equipment, and expected benefits. Employees must be well informed of any changes in system or equipment hnctions. Finally, waste reduction training should be incorporated into your new employee orientation program.
Keep employees apprised of the program’s status and actively encourage their participation by regularly circulating and/or posting updates and reminders. Employees will feel a greater stake in the program if they receive frequent updates on the quantity of waste being reduced, reused, or recycled. Also provide information on the purchase of recycled products and the resulting cost savings. These reports should impress management, increasing their commitment to the program. Be sure to respond quickly to employees’ questions and suggestions.
A great way to accomplish ongoing education is to designate a bulletin board in a prominent place where each employee will see it every day. More than one such area may be required in larger businesses. You will want to use this space in an eye-catching manner and post information in a format that can be quickly digested. Additional ways to convey information include presentations or discussions at staff meetings, articles in employee newsletters, and notices on electronic mail.
Informational topics might include:
reminders of proper procedures notices of changes in operation highlights of new recycled products participation rates quantities of recyclables that are collected revenues earned disposal cost savings problems/solutions requests for input (include suggestion sheets on bulletin boards) quotes of support from upper management departmental waste reduction success stones
Keep your program visible. Strategically placed posters and signs will serve multiple purposes by creating interest as well as reminding and informing. Managers or supervisors could sign the posters to endorse the program. Examples include:
lists of acceptable/not acceptable materials posted above all central recycling containers 0 posters over copiers reminding users to use double-sided copying and conserve copy quantity signs at printers encouraging on-screen editing reminder notices of other specific waste reducing procedures posted in specific areas such as spray-up booths or maskindpainting areas reminder notices in the mail room and receiving area to reuse and recycle packaging invitations to special “open” waste reduction team meetings, where employees can participate and offer input before and after photographs of trash and recycling areas a bulletin board showing the number of pounds reduced and cost savings
You might also consider special incentives and events such as
slogan or logo contests 0 incentive awards to employees most committed to waste reduction offering rewards for suggestions that are implemented special seminars on environmental topics
25 Don’t forget to spread the good news! Publicize your waste reduction success internally through business newsletters, meetings, and/or bulletin boards. Publicize your waste reduction success to your clients and customers by highlighting it in brochures, presentations, advertisements, press releases, signs, or other promotional materials. Submit news items to trade magazines such as Composite Fabrication or Composite Technology. Publicize your success to the community through community and business association meetings and newsletters. Remember that “being green’’ is good for your bottom line - more and more people consider environmental responsibility to be an important quality in a business.
Step Two: Monitor and Evaluate the Program
Waste reduction is a dynamic process. Once the program is underway, the team should evaluate its effectiveness to ensure that goals are being met. Monitoring the success of your waste reduction program involves determining necessary adjustments by:
soliciting employee feedback analyzing waste prevention measures to ensure they have been effectively implemented evaluating progress in the purchase of recycled products monitoring participation in recycling reviewing collection procedures
Program monitoring is an ongoing effort of the waste reduction team. Team members should:
express appreciation for waste reduction efforts address wastefbl activities routinely screen wastebaskets for the presence of recyclables ensure that recycling container locations are kept neat and orderly ensure that central containers are emptied regularly screen containers for excess contaminants distribute reminders to those not participating in the program adjust recycling collection frequencies, container locations, and collection routes as necessary
Formally solicit feedback from employees at staff meetings and through a feedback form. The form should be simple but comprehensive, so that each employee will provide a fbll evaluation of the waste reduction program.
In addition to ongoing program monitoring, conduct full reviews on a semiannual or quarterly basis. Conduct your first review one month after program implementation. These reviews will evaluate your company’s progress toward meeting your waste reduction goals. You may want to refine or expand your goals at this time. Develop a plan of action to address needs that became evident during the review.
26 The program coordinator should track the progress and effectiveness of the waste reduction and recycling efforts by recording:
0 recovery and participation rates 0 program operation costs 0 revenues from the sale of recyclables 0 amount spent on products with recycled content 0 program problems, solutions, and successes
These records may provide information for ongoing publicity memos, progress reports for management, and help determine the average quantity of recyclables recovered per employee This data will help portray the success of the program and generate additional interest and involvement
You may periodically want to involve employees in evaluating the effectiveness of the program. You may choose to conduct a written survey in the departments or areas most affected by the program or interview a certain percentage of employees on a more informal basis. Either way, involving employees gives you their perspective on how the program is working and ways it could be improved.
Conc 1us i o n
Your company is to be congratulated for its commitment to stop doing “business as usual” and for taking a lead in the area of waste reduction and recycling. Waste reduction is an important business practice, but many companies still concentrate on controlling waste, not reducing its generation. Following the procedures outlined in this booklet will help your company identie and provide many solutions to your specific waste problems. Please keep this manual handy for hture reference and pass it on to others.
Copies of the manual can be obtained from:
Environmental Technical Services 18846 Highwood Estates Drive Pacific, MO 63069 Phone: (3 14)273-6687 or by e-mail at [email protected] or downloaded from http:\\www.iwc.com\ets
27 References
Hauwiller, P.B. “Environmentally Conscious Manufacture of Composite Structures” Draft report prepared for Manufacturing Technology Directorate, Wright laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright Patterson AFB, OH, December 8, 1993.
2 “Managing for Solid Waste Reduction,” Environmental Manager, August 1993.
‘ Perm, G. “Reduction in Hazardous Material Gives Double Savings,” Hazardous Waste Minimizer, Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc., 1st Quarter 1993.
4 “Evaluation of Pollution Prevention Techniques to Reduce Styrene Emissions From Open Contact Molding Processes” EPA-600R-97-0 18a, March 1997..
28 Appendix A
Appendix A
Step-by-step Worksheets
A- 1
What types and amounts of waste (in pounds) are generated daily in your department' Overspray fibershesin, gelcoat Metal containers Adhesive squeeze out Scrap metal - aluminum steel, etc Part trimming Partially cured - resin, paint, etc Scrapped parts Wooden pallets Used rags Office waste - white, mixed paper, etc Cardboard containershoxes Packaging - bubble wrap, peanuts, etc Plastic containers Other
What materials do you currently recycle? (check all that apply) Office paper Aluminum Plastic Steel Cardboard Packaging materials Drums Other: Wooden pallets Other:
Which best describes your feelings about recycling and waste reduction? Glad to do it -Willing to do it -Don't care about it -Don't want to do it Won't do it
Describe how recycling or waste reduction could be made more convenient for you:
What ideas do you have to reduce waste at this company?
Would you like to participate on our waste reduction team3 Yes -Possibly Name. Appendix A Walk-Through Worksheet
Company Date Department
Team Members Conductmg Walk-Through.
Estimated Estimated Waste Amount of Employee Production Amount of Materials Used Materials Waste Providing Area Used Produced Produced Per Information Per Day Day
A- 1 Appendix A Waste Sort Worksheet
Date: Department: Sample collected over: __ 1 Day -2 Days Sample collected: -all waste at source representative sample (weight ) Number of employees in department: Total number of employees:
Net Waste Full Container Empty Container Component Waste Component Component Weight (Pounds) Weight (Pounds) Percentage Weight (Pounds) Scrapped parts
Part trimming
Overspary fibershesin, gelcoat Adhesive squeeze out
I I 1 I Partially cured - resin, paint, prepreg, etc Plastic buckets, metal cans
Cardboard containers
Used rags
Wooden pallets
Shop Waste
Office Waste - whte paper, mixed paper, etc
Total Waste Generated Atypical factors affecting waste types or amounts
A- 1 c c 7 E 0- $ 3 3 II e - e c .. b
r 7 CD CD 3 IReduces Waste Volume or Weight I. I 3 W Reduces Waste Toxicity I 0 J,I. IRedueces Waste Disposal costs I 0 3 cn Reduces Purchasing Costs
Generates Revenue I I lHas Low Startup costs I Improves Productivity
Impromves Product or Service Qual 2-. 3 11s Relatively Easy to Implment 1% Employee Morale IBuilds I (Improves Company Image I Increases Use of Recycled Goods Appendix A Payback Worksheet
Equipment Purhased: I
Facility/Sotrage Preparation: InstallatiodUtility Connection: Initial Staff Training: Initial Promotional and Educational Materials: Other Specifjr
Materials and Supplies per year Operation & Maintenance per year (e.g., labor, equipment storage space, service contracts, utility charges) Transportation per year Ongoing Staff Training per year Ongoing Promotion and Education per year Other (specify) per year I per year
Avoided Waste Removal costs for this Option
A- 1 Appendix A Payback Worksheet
Annual Revenues for ths ODtion
A-2 Appendix B
Appendix B Case Study Waste Assessment Report For Company ABC, Inc.
April 24, 1997
Performed by:
Technical
funded by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Appendix B
Table of Contents
Introduction ...... 1 Waste Assessment Methodology ...... 1 Summary of Waste Stream and Current Recycling / Reuse Efforts ...... 1
Employee Survey Summary ...... 1 Walk-Through Summary ...... 4 Fourth Floor ...... 4 nird Floor ...... :...... 7 Second Floor ...... 8 . First Floor...... 9 General Observations ...... 9 Records Review Summary ...... 9 Summary ...... 12 Appendix B
Introduction
This report is a comprehensive summary of the waste assessment and waste reduction analysis conducted for Company ABC, Inc. by Environmental Techcal Services (ETS) and Bridging The Gap (BTG) waste reduction consultants. Company ABC, Inc. is to be congratulated for their commitment to analyzing and changing their business methods, enabling them to take the lead in the area of waste reduction and recycling in the Super City metropolitan area.
Waste Assessment Methodology
The waste assessment used the following methodology:
0 Employee Survey- An employee survey provides valuable information about staff attitudes toward waste reduction and recycling as well as items currently thrown away or recycled at the workplace. It gives employees an opportunity to offer ideas on waste reduction and recycling efforts. A survey also provides employees the opportunity to volunteer to serve on the waste reduction and recycling team. 0 Facility Walk-Through- The facility walk-through entails touring each department or area, conducting interviews with available staff, and closely observing waste generating activities and processes. ETS and BTG consultants gather qualitative data on waste stream components and their sources and discuss potential waste reduction techniques and site-specific ideas for the Project with staff members. 0 Waste Assessment Report- The waste assessment report is a compilation of the information gathered from the procedures described above. The areas that generate waste are noted
Summary of Waste Stream and Current Recycling / Reuse Efforts
Employee Survey Summary
Thirty of the forty-five employees completed and returned the employee surveys. The survey is presented as Attachment A. The interest in participation in a waste reduction program was very high. Of the employees surveyed, 56 7% said they would be “glad to do
1 Appendix B
it” and 33.3% would be “willing to do it. Table 1 illustrates the interest by department. Overall, company wide interest in recycling and waste reduction is very positive, which is an indication of high morale.
Table 1 - Participation Interest by Department
Partlapabon Interest
The survey indicated that the top three waste streams were part trimmings, overspray, and .scrapped parts This data is consistent with the observations made during the walk- through by the waste assessment team The responses for each waste stream by department are presented in Table 2
Table 2 - Waste Stream Responses by Department
Waste Stream
The results of the survey regarding recycling of materials were interesting. Many of the employees indicated that they were recycling materials although the company does not have an official recycling plan in place The responses were more likely reuse applications . and not actual recycling of materials Some of these reuse efforts were observed during the walk-through For example, plastic 5 gallon buckets were reused for waste resin disposal and plastic 1 gallon catalyst bottles were reused for mixing resin. Cardboard recycling, the number one response, was only observed in the shipping department. The
2 Appendix B responses by department conclude that the employees were indicating company wide rather than department specific efforts. (See Table 3).
Table 3 - Recycled Material Responses by Department
In response to the question of how recycling could be made more convenient, employees cited storage issues and shop cleanliness problems. The actual responses are listed below:
Have the drums removed weekly from department and rear elevator for more room and safety reasons If these thngs were taken and recycled then the dept. wouldn’t be so cluttered up with all this waste material. By having containers for each material Wash rags. Get a washer and dryer Have specially marked containers Use it over again Have someone in charge that is not in the daily work flow Get us containers
The responses to the question “What ideas do you have to reduce waste at this company?” indicate two general themes: know how much material to use, and hirc people who care Survey comments indicate some frustration with employee turnover. The actual responses are shown below.
0 Know proper measurements of material for cut mat at proper lengths each job. Keep experienced fabricators that can apply this action Shred the used fiberglass in booths and garbage from the mold and reuse it. Cut down on mat waste Cut down unnecessary unused production
3 I
Appendix B
0 Have specially marked containers 0 Take your time and do it right 0 Control trim waste 0 Recycle scrap mat 0 Don’t hire stupid people who don’t care 0 Waste reduction in this company can be greatly reduced by using the common reuse approach 0 Be more conscious of material used 0 Rags could be cleaned and reused - Recycle acetone 0 People who don’t care waste. Teach new employee to care 0 Acetone wash station 0 Get workers that care about what they use
Nine employees said they would be willing to work on the waste reduction team and nine employees said they would possibly work on the team. The large number of employees willing to participate on the team is another indication of high morale. The employees
a who showed interest are listed below:
Willing to work on Team: Possibly willing to work on Team:
John Unser Sue Miller Billy Robertson Robert Holdings Cythia Michels JL Brown George Henery Mark Cummings Michael Jackson George Michaels Ringo Star Rodney Danger
Walk-Through Summary
The waste assessment team conducted two walk-throughs. Assad Sobky led a quick walk through tour during the first facility visit The second walk-through was a more detailed assessment The team members interviewed employees and made observations throughout the facility Because of time constraints, the waste assessment concentrated on floors three and four These areas were assumed to be the largest waste generators
4 Appendix B
Fourth Floor
Gelcoat booth area.
A standard air atomizer gun manufactured by Binks is used to spray gelcoat. The air pressure is held constant at 75 psig pressure. The tip is changed to accommodate the size of the mold. The Operator has nine years of experience and no formal training. The tip is changed to insure proper pattern and the most common tip used has a 45 degree angle. Observation showed quite a bit of overspray fiom the Part 123. There are no arrangements for metered spray or measurement of gelcoat except that the part is weighed after gelcoat and fiberglass is applied. The Operator stated that it typically takes 3 passes to obtain about 20 mil gelcoat thickness. A gun cleaning station other than cans for acetone on a table was not observed. Paper on the floor in the spray booth is changed about once a week
Gelcoat comes in 55 gallon, 30 gallon and 5 gallon containers. The 55 gallon drums are returned to manufacturer. The 5 gallon buckets are reused for waste resin containers.
All molds that require a certain color are sprayed at one time to eliminate cleaning gun between runs For example, the all the molds needed, for the day’s production run of Part 123, 10 sets of 2 molds, are sprayed at one time. Most molds are positioned flat on a table.
When asked if she had any suggestions for waste reduction, the supervisor said they need a smaller size gelcoat tip for applying the white gelcoat. Many parts are small parts and she believes a smaller tip would result in less waste.
Sprav-up booth area
The floor is cleaned once a week The paper on the flooring is changed only every 4-6 weeks On a previous visit one manager estimated that 25% of the spray material ends up outside the part A Binks spray gun (old-style equipment) is connected to drums of resin The pump has been rebuilt recently Resin is supplied in 55 gallon drums and the catalyst comes in one gallon jugs A bulk resin supply system is not allowed due to fire codes The operator has been spraying for 3 5 years He was trained by former chopper and has no formal training Spraying is done at an angle about 18 to 24 inches away from the mold All molds are positioned on flat tables The operator commented that the Monsanto tray was too high and made it hard to spray The operator was observed having problems with gun adjustment The chop or resin was drifting to one side leaving the Qther side dry, cutting down production time and creating a lot of overspray. Once parts are sprayed the fiberglass is rolled flat using rollers Some fiberglass is pre-cut in six and eight inch rolls and added during rolling operation
5 Appendix B
Lay-up Area
Fiberglass parts are fabricated by hand lay-up in this area. The fiberglass comes in 60- inch rolls and 17-inch rolls. Templates are used to cut the fiberglass to the correct size. Templates are made to !A inch of the actual part size. The scrap fiberglass is placed in a box. The larger scrap pieces are used in the fabrication of dog catcher trucks. It would be feasible to separate the clean fiberglass scraps from the rest of the trash for recycling. The pre-cut rolls are frequently wider than the specified 17 inches. Often the rolls are closer to 18 inches and have to be trimmed back to 17 inches. Resin is mixed in one-gallon plastic jugs that originally held the catalyst. The containers are not marked or premeasured in any way There is a fair amount of excess resin wasted from employees overmixing (One employee was observed dumping a third of a gallon of resin into the waste resin bucket) Recently, this area has reduced resin waste by simply changing the size of the mixing container. Employees once used five-gallon buckets to mix. Now they use the one- gallon containers. The Part 123 take a little more than a gallon, so employees still have to go back and mix extra, which results in waste.
Waste resin is placed in 5 gallon buckets. At least five 5 gallon buckets of cured excess resin were observed sitting on floor on the north side of the building. More waste was observed on the south side. Approximately five 5 gallon buckets of cured excess resin are discarded in 7-10 days. A leaking spigot was observed on the 55-gallon drum of resin. The flooring in the lay-up area is replaced maybe once a month. The acetone buckets on the south side are not covered
Employees use aprons made of plastic or disposable Tyvek. The plastic aprons can be reused indefinitely because the resin can be removed after it has hardened. Although the plastic aprons are more expensive initially, the Tyvek aprons don't last nearly as long.
Estimates on amounts of fiberglass and resin used weekly:
1-11? oz: one roll (60" rolls) 2 oz: one roll 3 oz.(the most popular thickness): three 60" rolls 3 02. three 17" rolls ten barrels of resin.
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) area
A significant amount of resin is spilled on the floor. Dennis estimated around 80% resin is wasted. The operator controls the pressure of the RTM system. We did not observe a stroke counter on RTM system. It is assumed the flooring was changed once per week. Fiberglass cutting station used for RTM area.
Waste Generation
6 Appendix B
Three full dumpsters of cured fiberglass waste are generated from this floor each week (both sides of production.) The waste generated:
Scrap fiberglass
0 Resin contaminated fiberglass trimmings Discarded resin in 5 gallon buckets 1 gallon catalyst containers Aprons Cardboard tubes fiom the fiberglass 0 Floor paper contaminated with resin and fiberglass
Reuse efforts
Cardboard boxes are reused in production for various uses; wooden pallets are reused in materials shipment. Rags are reused. One gallon catalyst containers are used to mix resin Five gallon buckets are used for waste resin.
Third Floor
Finishing area
Fine trimming, grinding and drilling are done in this area. Parts are also prepared for shipping. A significant amount of dust is generated. It is assumed that touch up of gelcoat is done in this area.
Packasins and Shipping
Smaller parts not shipped in cardboard are shipped on skids with polyfoam sheeting in between to cushion parts Polyfoam sheeting was reduced fiom 1/8 inch thickness to 1/16 inch thickness Pallets of cardboard are used for packaging. The cardboard supplier, brings shipping cartons back for reuse It was not determined whether the cardboard contains recycled content
Because of volume, reusable wooden crates are used to ship parts to We Need Composites, Inc.. A total of 52 parts is shipped per week. The crates are marked for return to Company ABC.
7 Appendix B
Waste Generation
Parttrimmings Sanding pads Aprons Rags Small containers for gelcoat repair Contaminated foam packaging Cardboard
Reuse Efforts
Foam packaging is sent back from companies and reused to ship parts. The clean-up rags are washed and reused. Cardboard containers are sometimes reused when shipping customer orders.
Second Floor
Tooling Area
The tooling area had tar paper on the floor. Approximately 15 empty 1 gallon cans were found on top of fire cabinets (empty mold release cans).
Lunchroom
There is a container for aluminum cans but it is an open barrel and is contaminated with other trash A closed container with a round hole and a bright, obvious sign designating aluminum can recycling should be placed in this area.
Waste Generation
Part trimmings Fiberglass and gelcoat overspray Scrapped molds Aprons Rags Small containers for gelcoat repair Mold release cans Aluminum cans
8 Appendix B
First Floor
We did not observe the area for fabrication of specialty parts for trucks. All parts are assumed to be made using the gelcoat booth and the chopper spray booth.
General Observations
Distribution of fabrication methods: 60% Spray-up, 30% hand lay-up, <5% RTM, and 5% other.
Records Review Summary
Two sets of records were reviewed: waste removal and production.
Waste Removal
There are five 4 yd dumpsters in the facility. Approximately 6-9 dumpsters are picked up and emptied per week and are typically only 75% full. Waste is removed two times weekly: Wednesday and Sunday. Using these figures, the total waste generated per year would be 187,200 pounds or 4,160 pounds per employee per year. (8 dumpsterdwk x 52 weekdyear x 4 yds/dumpster x 75% full x 150 poundslyd = 187,200 pounddyear I 45 employees = 4,160 pounds/yearlemployee). The 150 pounds per yard factor is low for compacted waste. This value is low compared to the industry average of 6,500 pounds per employee. The industry average was calculated from data reported on a survey conducted by ETS.
The distribution of waste was estimated by the waste assessment team to be: 50% cured trimmings, 25% clean scrap fiberglass, 10% plastic buckets excess resin, 10% cardboard, 5% other.
Production
Department 700 keeps daily production records The log sheets contain the following information on each part manufactures Date, Client, Product or PN, Weight, Target Weight, Mold Number, percentage Comp, and Tech Number. The only recorded data observed was Date, Client, Product or PN, Weight, Mold Number, and Tech Number The mold Number was only recorded for certain parts such as the weather shield The accuracy of the reported weights was not consistent. Some employees reported to the nearest half a pound, whereas other employees reported to the nearest quarter pound.
9 Appendix B
Data from four weeks of production was input into an Excel spread sheet and then imported to Access for data analysis. The raw data is presented in Attachment B. For the four weeks observed, 957 parts were fabricated totaling 8,444.5 pounds. The average weights of top 15 produced parts are shown in Table 4. These parts represent 69% of the number of parts fabricated and 67% of the total weight. The column labeled % is the standard deviation divided by the average weight times 100.
Table 4 - Top 15 Produced Part
One observation on this data is that the standard deviation for the Mommy Tray is much higher than the other parts. This is consistent with the spray-up operator’s comments that the mold was on a cart that was too high for him to spray it accurately Table 5 shows the parts that have high standard deviations from the average weight. Areas of concern are the parts that the standard deviation represents a higher percentage of the overall weight.
Table 5 - Parts with High Weight Variance I Weight
Alice 120067 I 267 I 24 3 Truck IHood 31 342 I 202 I 6%l 102 j
10 Appendix B
Further analysis was done on the Part 123 since it represented the bulk of the production (2,899.5 pounds). The variance from mold to mold was analyzed. The data is presented in Table 6. No obvious difference in weights was observed when comparing molds.
Table 6 - Part 123 Weights by Mold Number I I Weight 1 Mold# # ofparts Average StdDev 17 13.8 0.6 1 9 12.8 0.8 2 1 9 I 13.6 I I .2 3 1 I 13.5 I I 1 I 10 I 13.2 I 1.o IjIll 1 13.2 I 1.1
13.8 13.5 13.3 1.2 10 12 13 2 07 26 8 13.1 0.6 27 4 11.6 0.3 L 51 1 13.5
The variance in weisht of the parts made by different technicians was also analyzed. As can be seen in Table 7 there is a large difference by technician. The one technician that made the most parts (TW) consistently made parts weighing about 1.5 pounds less than the other technicians
Weigiit ' Tech# # of parts A\ erage Std Dev TW 1!1 12 s 0 66 MC 56 14 2 0 66 DM 26 13 7 0 77 10 13 8 0 59 JH 1 3 13 6 I 0 72 I IT 3 i7 3 0-- 76 CT 2 I 13 5 1 I11 I ! I MW 2 I 14 0 I 0 00
IM 1 13 5
11 Appendix B
Summary
The employee survey indicates that employees are motivated to reduce waste. Major areas of concern indicated by the waIk through are:
0 Spray-up overspray 0 Gelcoat overspray
0 Resin usage 0 Fiberglass trimmings
0 Scrap uncontaminated fiberglass
The review of production records indicated several parts with a high weight variance. The analysis of the weather shield production records showed that one employee consistently fabricated a part that was 1.5 pounds lighter than other employees. To put that in perspective, that is a savings of 7,500 pounds of fiberglass/resin per year (5000 .parts times 1.5 pounds).
This reports documents the waste streams being generated at Company ABC, Inc.. The . Waste Management Team will next research and implement methods to reduce waste generation and improve recycling efforts.
12 Appendix B
Appendix B Case Study Recommendations for Waste Reduction Projects at Company ABC, Inc.
June 10, 1997
Performed by:
\ 3enwes/
funded by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Company ABC, Inc.
Introduction
The following recommendations are based on the waste assessment conducted by Environmental Technical Services and Bridging the Gap and on the ideas generated during a brain storming session conducted by employees at Company ABC, Inc.. The ideas are presented as Attachment A. Most of the recommendations center on the elimination of the two largest waste streams: fiberglass trimmings and overspray. A cost analysis was done for each recommendation.
Training Program
Develop and implement a training program for spray-up and hand lay-up operations. Provide certification of completion for employees who participate in the program. All current employees will initially go through the training program and new employees will be required to complete the program. The program will be based on videos produced by the Composite Fabricators Association.
The training for spray-up and gelcoat operations will include such things as: Equipment set-up Equipment maintenance Controlled spraying techniques
The training for hand lay-up operation will include such things as: 0 Correct resin and catalyst measuring methods 0 Clarification of appropriate trim amounts
0 Proper roll out techniques
Benefits:
Training employees to operate a spray gun more efficiently can reduce costs significantly Research Triangle Institute (RTI) conducted tests for the EPA comparing normal and controlled spraying using an Airless Air Assist (AAA) spray gun' The transfer efficiencies were 80 5% and 92% respectively Table 1 shows the savings that could be aclxeved at Company ABC, Inc on the Part 123 alone Using $1 50 per pound material cost, the savings would be $15,606 per year Table 1 - Spray-up Improvement
1 Compny ABC, Inc.
Improved efficiencies can also be achieved in the gelcoat spraying operation through training. Actual numbers have not been calculated for this analysis. The RTI report showed an increase in transfer efficiency to 82.5% for controlled spraying from 75.7% for uncontrolled spraying.
Training in hand lay-up would result in similar savings. A good example is again the weather shield. The most experienced employee who was laying up most of the weather shields fabricated parts weighing 12.8 pounds. The average for the other employees was 14.0 pounds; 8.6% more material. Based on the production data tabulated by ETS in March, total production was 8,445 pounds. If March was a typical production month the annual production would be 101,340 pounds. A total 25,335 pounds would be produced by hand lay-up if you assume that hand lay-up represents 25% of the production. If training improved the process by reducing this amount by 8.6%, a savings of 2,179 pounds would result Using $1.50 per pound material cost, the savings would be $3,268 per year. This calculation does not account for the amount of resin discarded or the amount of fiberglass trimmings.
If the 12,583 pounds of overspray (10,404 pounds) and extra material (2,179 pounds)is not discarded, the annual savings would be $3,146 (12,583 pounds t 150 pounds/cu yd t 4 cu yd per dumpster x $150 per pull = $3,146).
By implementing a training program Company ABC, Inc. could realize a total annual savings of $22,020 and divert 12,583 pounds of waste per year. costs
The costs of implementing a training program would be more than paid for by the material savings The cost estimate is presented below in Table 2
Task Hours Rate Dollars Desien and develoDment of training Droeram 30 $ 50 00 $ 1 500 Emplo!ees training (1 hrs class s 40 emplo\ees) I 40 I $ 3000 I $ 1.200 Certification 5 hrs Der emdovee) 20 I $ 30 00 I $ 600 Certification ( 5 hrs supenisor time per emplo\ ee) I 20 I $ 4000 I $ 800 Nev emplo\ees training (1 5 hrs per employee) 15 I $ 3000 1 $ 450
I Additional effort recordmg data in spray-up I 50 I $ 3000 $ 1.500 I Total I $ 6.390
2 Company ABC, Inc.
Payback Period
The initial payback period would be 3.5 months. ($6,390/$22,020 x 12 months = 3.5 months).
Helpful Signs
Charts will be made stating the required weight of resin and catalyst needed for each'part. The operator can then add the weights for the parts to be fabricated and know the exact resin batch size to be used. Another chart will be made showing the amount of resin and the required catalyst. These charts can be updated depending on the catalyst required. Pocket charts can be made and distributed to all employees. We also suggests distributing small calculators at completion of the training program.
Benefits
The benefits would be the reduction of resin waste generated. Approximately five- 5
vgallon buckets of cured excess resin are discarded in 7-10 days in the 4& floor wet lay-up area If the charts result in a savings ofjust 20%, approximately 130 gallons of resin would be saved annually (5 gallonshucket x 5 buckets every 2 weeks x 26 weeks x 20% = 130 gallons) Using $5 00 per gallon material cost, the savings would be $650 per year.
cost
The cost of making the charts is very nominal
Payback Period
The payback period would be immediate as only a nominal cost is incurred
Feedback Board
Set up a bulletin board to track weekly totals of weight of production parts, fiberglass used, resin used, and the waste generated which is the total material usage less the weight of the production parts. The board will show the employees the progress of the waste reduction program and will also remind them of their commitment to waste reduction. A
3 Company ABC, Inc.
pizza party or similar motivator could be a reward for achieving a goal of 50% waste reduction.
Benefits
Motivation will be the largest benefit of this option. The employees will go through training which may motivate employees to make some initial changes. However, a measured goal with a reward upon achieving that goal might enhance employees motivation.
cost
The cost would be approximately $1 5’0 for the pizza party upon reaching the goal. ETS would make the bulletin board.
Payback Period
The payback period would be almost immediate because of low cost.
Installation of TFM system
Install a counter system on the two production spray-up booths The system will be used to monitor the weight of fiberglass and resin used for each part fabricated All parts are currently weighed after spray-up and cure The difference between the two will provide the amount lost primarily as overspray Current production will be monitored for a month The results will be analyzed to determine if specific parts have more overspray due to mold configuration, size, etc Next all operators will be trained in controlled spraying Again the amount of fiberglass and resin used will be recorded for each part The data will be recorded for a month Additional information such as tip size and pressure will also be recorded The data will be compared to the uncontrolled production The counter system gives the operator instant feedback on the overspray and can be used to show that controlled spraying can reduce overspray
Benefits
Again the benefit is largely employee motivation. Employee training will proved the skills needed to improve the spray-up operation. The monitoring system can be used as a tool
4 Company ABC, Inc. to show the employees the reduction in waste. The savings would be covered under the training estimate. cost
ETS has made arrangements with the TFM manufacturer to use the system until September. Therefore the only cost would be time the employee takes to record the weight of resin and fiberglass used; approximately 50 hours over three months (3,000 parts in three months x 1/60 hr = 50 hrs). The cost would be $1,500 (50 hrs x $30/hr = $1,500). The analysis of the data recorded will be performed by ETS.
Payback Period
The costs shown for this option are included in the payback period calculations for the implementation of the training program.
Replacement of Spray-up Guns
The spray guns used in the spray-up operation are old. Several newer systems such as Magnum Industries' Flo-Coat Chopper System have much higher transfer efficiencies. The RTI study referenced on page 1 tested this system resulting in a transfer efficiency of 97.3%. The following analyzes the replacement of existing spray guns with this system.
Benefits
The Flo-Coat Chopper System was tested to have a transfer efficiency of 97 3% The assumption is made that the training program is in place for the following benefit analysis Therefore, the difference between controlled spraying (92%) and using a Flow Coat System is used for this analysis Table 3 shows the savings that could be achieved at Company ABC, Inc on the Part 123 alone using the Flow Coat System Using $1 50 per pound material cost, the savings would be $5,950 per year
Table 3 - Flow Coat Savings Average Waste per Annual Annual Percent Annual Weight Waste Waste Efficiency part Production (pound) (pounds) (pounds) (YDS) 92 0% 13 1 1.2 5.000 5.826 39 97 3% 131 01 5.000 1.859 12
5 Company ABC, Inc.
If the elimination of disposal fees associated with the 3,967 pounds of overspray is taken into account, the savings would be $992 (3,967 pounds t 150 pounddcu yd t 4 cu yd per dumpster x $1 50 per pull 4992 ). The total savings would be $6,942.
Another large benefit is that Flo-Coat Chopper System has significant emission reductions. The implementation of the Clean Air Act Amendments for open molding in the next few years might require this equipment to be used or an additional expensive containment system installed. However, the Maximum Attainable Control Technology (MACT) has not been established for this industry as of to date. cost
A basic Flo-Coat Chopper System starts at around $7,432. This includes the Magnum BOS Slave System, a 6:1 resin pump, a mixing block, a gun, one set of hoses, a wall mount, a 12’ boom, and all necessary fittings. This information was obtained from Graves Spray Supply, Inc. a Magnum Industries distributor. Some engineering time would be required (20 hrs x $50 = $1000) and training for the operators would be needed (4 operators x 8 hrs x $30 = $960). The total cost for installing the Flo-Coat Chopper System would be $9,392.
Payback Period
The payback period would be 1 4 years ($9,392 +$6,942 per year = 1.4 years). It should be noted that this analysis does not include the production on the first floor and parts other than the Part 123.
Review Trim Templates
Many of the templates used to cut the fiberglass are worn or of incorrect size. A program should be started to review the size of the templates and repair them if needed.
Benefits
The reduction of raw material usage is the benefit of the template review. Quantifiing the savings is not an easy task Consider a part with dimensions of 18”x 18” that has four plies The templates should be 20”x20”, but are 20 5”x20.5.”Each part would have an additional 81 square inches of material (420 25 SI - 400 SI = 20.25 SI x 4 plies = 81 SI). If 10,000 parts are made each year that would be 81,000 SI or 562.5 SF of additional material If the fiberglass cost $ 5 per SF the additional material would cost $28 1.25.
6 Company ABC, Inc.
cost
Around 20 parts make ip 75% of the producti The ?view of the emplates would require approximately one hour per part for an engineer. The cost would therefore be $1,000 (20 parts x 1 hour x $50/hr = $1,000).
Payback Period
The payback period would be 3.6 years ($1,000/$28 1.25 = 3.6 years).
Cardboard Recycling
The tubes that hold the fiberglass can be collected and dropped of at a recycling center once a month. Any other cardboard (i.e., empty computer forms boxes or shipping boxes) can also be collected. An area needs to be designated as a collection point. An employee needs to volunteer to take the cardboard to the recycling center. The nearest center is at Choutean and Deramuir, open M-F 8 am to 4 pm. Call 561-1090 for detailed directions.
Benefits
The largest benefit is the reduction of waste that needs to be discarded. The waste assessment showed that the company’s total waste generated per year was 187,200 pounds. ETS estimated that 10% of the total waste was cardboard or 18,720 pounds per year. Back calculating, 3 1 dumpsters would be required to dispose of the cardboard ( 18,720 pounds +- 150 pounds/cu yd -+ 4 cu yd per dumpster = 3 1 dumpsters). A savings of $4,640 annually (3 1 dumpsters x $1 50 per pull) would result from recycling this material.
cost
Approximately one trip per week would be required. The cost would $33 per trip for 1 hours of employees time (1 hrs x $30/h1= $30) and 10 miles travel (10 miles x $.30/mile = $3 00) The annual cost would be $1,716
Payback Period
Since no initial expenditure is required a payback calculation is not needed. The annual savings would be $2,934.
7 Company ABC, Inc.
Trim Recycling
Several systems are available for recycling fiberglass materials. The basic concept of these systems is to shred the trimming and mix it with resin and filler. A spray gun is used to apply the mixture to a mold. The concept is primarily pitched as a replacement for plywood in boats. The most complete and ready to run system is produced by The R. J Marshall Company. The following analysis is for use of trimmings to fabricate Company ABC, Inc. proprietary products such as modular igloos and pig pins.
Benefits
The trimming waste was estimated to be 50% of the company’s total waste generated. This indicates that 93,600 pounds of trim waste are discarded annually. Table 4 shows the estimated production levels of two of the proprietary products. The material cost is assumed to be $1.50 per pound. The total cost for material would then be $78,000.
Table 4 - Current Proprietary Part Cost
Material Product Quanitity W
I Modular I loo 800 +50 3Total I
The typical fabrication method using the recycled material is to sandwich the recycled material between an upper and a lower laminate For this analysis, 75% or 39,000 of the fiberglass is to be replaced by recycled fiberglass (52,000 pounds x 75% = 39,000 pounds) Table 5 shows the total cost to fabricate the proprietary products from recycled material is $60,94 1, a savings of $17,059 The cost for the recyclate material includes the cost of shredding the trimming and is based on data from The RJ Marshall Company ’ As the recycled material is sprayed onto the mold with a method similar to fiberglass spray-up operation, labor cost is assumed not to change
Table 5 - Recycled Proprietary Part Cost Material I Pounds I Unit Price] Total Cost TOD& Botton Laminates (25%) 1 13.000 I $ 1.50 I $ 19.500 Reacled Material (75%) I I I Resin j8%I 22.620 I $ 1.50 I $ 33.930 Reqclate 30%( 11.700 I $ 0.04 I $ 491 Filler 12%1 4.680 I $ 1.50 I fi 7.020 /Total I 52.000 I N/A I $ 60.941 1
8 Company ABC, Inc.
The recycled material contains 30% of the shredded trimmings (recyclate) or 11,700 pounds (39,000 pounds x 30% - 11,700 pounds). This material would be diverted from landfill. An additional annual savings of $2,925 (1 1,700 pounds + 150 pounds/cu yd + 4 cu yd per dumpster x $150 per dumpster = $2,925). Therefore, the total annual savings would be $19,984.
Another benefit is an increased marketability of the products because they are now made with recycled material. cost
The primary cost of this option is the capital expenditure on the equipment necessary to recycle the trimmings. Table 6 shows the equipment required and the estimated costs. The costs are verbal quotes from George Michaels, the Technical Manager at The RJ Marshall Company. Training would be provided by The RJ Marshall Company. The engineering time is for support by Company ABC, Inc. engineering.
Table 6 - Recycling Capital Cost
Engineenng I $ 5.000 Total I S 39.300
There are hnds available from the Missoun Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority (EIERA) for capital expenditures for equipment necessary to manufacture products from recycled materials The maximum amount available is $75,000
Payback Period
The pavback period would be 2 0 years ($39,300 + $19,980 per year = 2.0 years). If financial assistance is obtained from EIERA the payback period would be immediate.
9 Company ABC, Inc.
Summary of Recommendations
If all of the preceding recommendations were implemented a total of $54,5 17 could be saved annually and 48,118 pounds of waste could be diverted from landfills. A summary analysis of the projects is presented in Table 7.
Table 7 - Summary of Recommendations I I I I 1 Project Benfits cost Payback Dollars Waste Period Training Program Feedback Board $ 22.020 12.583 $ 6,390 3.5 months TFM Svstem Helpful Signs $ 650 1.078 none immediate Replacement of Spray-up Guns $ 6.912 3.967 $ 9.392 11years Review of Tnm Templates $ 281 70 $ 1.000 3 6years Cardboard Recycling $ 1.610 18.720 $ 1.716 Ilmonths Tnm Recycling I $ 19.981 I 11.700 I $ 39.300 I 2.0 vears Total 1 $ 51.517 I 18.118 I $ 57.798 I 1.1 vear
The implementation of all the projects in one year is probably not practical. ETS suggests that the Training Program, Helpful Signs, and Cardboard Recycling be implemented immediately. ETS does not recommend the Review of Trim Templates. The Trim Recycling Project is a very viable project and needs serious consideration. This project should be implemented if funds can be obtained from the Missouri EIERA. The replacement of the spray-up system should be investigated within the next few years when the EPA has implemented the Clean Air Act Amendments for the open molding industry.
References
1 “Evaluation of Pollution Prevention Techniques to Reduce Styrene Emissions from Open Contact Molding Processes Volume 1, Final Report” EPA-600/R-97-0 18a, March 1997.
’ “Recycling of Composites A Global Issue” CFA Composite ’96 Dallas, Texas October 5, 1996
10 Appendix C
Appendix C
Waste Reduction Ideas
Appendix C
General Process Steps
All methods used to fabricate composite parts generally follow the same process steps as shown in Figure I. The waste generated at each step is noted. The largest waste streams are overspray and part trimmings. The following sections describe the waste streams in more detail and suggest methods to reduce waste generation.
*Scrap molds =Soiledrags . -Gelcoat overspray -Fiberglass overspray *Part trimmings *Same wastes as part *Contaminated/expired *Containmentmaterials -Containment materials -Scrapped parts fabrication release agent -Unused gelcoat -Unused resin *Adhesive squeeze -Empty containers *Fiberglass packaging Out *Expired gelcoat 'Empty resin containers *Filler packaging Figure 1 - Steps for Fabrication of Composite Parts
Mold Fabrication
Mold types differ depending on the method used to apply the composite materials. Most molds are fabricated using the same general method as would be used to fabricate a fiberglass part. As the processes are similar, use the fiberglass waste reduction methods found in this appendix to reduce mold fabrication waste.
Mold design is crucial to reducing waste The incorporation of cutouts into the mold may eliminate excess material Many fabricators argue that this adds labor to the process This may be true but the reduction of raw material used and the reduction of disposal cost should compensate for any additional labor costs A proper holding fixture for the mold is important in reducing waste The mold height off the ground and angle should be optimized for the ease of the operator
Regular maintenance and repair will improve the life of a mold. Once a mold is considered unusable it should be disassembled and the reinforcement materials such as wood, aluminum, and steel should be recycled. Scrap molds may also be reused as holding fixtures for shop transport or as trimming jigs.
c-1 Appendix C
Mold Preparation
Actual mold preparation does not generate much solid waste. The rags used to apply the release agent to the mold is probably the largest waste contributor. Many companies use disposable rags, but laundering the rags would be a better alternative. To ensure a cleaner rag, the used rags could be sent to the assembly area to remove excess resin and adhesive prior to laundering. Most companies can get several pulls before a mold will have a release agent reapplied. The newer release agents can provide easier application and many more pulls before reapplication is necessary. These newer release agents may be more expensive, but it is worth the investigation. Expired release material is another problem to consider Good material management practices will ensure needless waste of material due to expired shelf life.
Gelcoat Application
Gelcoat is applied with a spray gun. Gelcoat overspray accounts for one of the largest overall waste streams. The type of spray gun used and the spraying technique used are the two keys to controlling this overspray. The following section describes the types of spray guns available:
Conventional spray guns - Conventional spray application systems pump the gel coat through a fluid nozzle where it is atomized by air stream (typically 60 psi). Most systems externally mix the catalyst by injecting the catalyst into the air stream. Internal mix systems combine resin and catalyst prior to being pumped through the fluid nozzle. These systems both generate significant overspray due to the high pressure and will have trouble meeting styrene emission standards.
Airless spray guns - Arless spray guns pump the resins at high fluid pressures through an atomizing nozzle. The hgh pressure contributes to excessive fogging, overspray and bounce-back
Air assisted airless (AAA) guns - These systems use the same concept to deliver the resin as do the airless spray guns but use a much lower pressure In addition, an envelope of air contains the atomized resin The air assisted airless spray guns cannot generate the transfer volume of other systems, but they do significantly reduce material losses Existing systems can be easily modified and the initial investments may be quickly returned
High Volume Low Pressure (HLVP) spray - HLVP spray systems run at low pressures ( 10 psi) and high air flow ( 10-20 CFM). They have significantly better transfer rates than the above guns
c-2 Appendix C
Electrostatic spray - Electrostatic spray systems apply a charge to the gel coat while spraying. The gel coat is then attracted to the mold. Although a 10% reduction of material usage has been documented, this process is expensive as special non-conductive guns are required. The molds also must be covered with a conductive gel coat. Safety is a concern as charged gel coat will attract to the closest grounded object, which could be the operator.
The change to an air assisted airless gun or HLVP spray system is highly recommended. These systems significantly reduce the overspray and can pay for themselves in a short period of time. The electrostatic system is new and not proven in the fiberglass industry.
Correct spraying technique is critical to reducing overspray and excess gelcoat. Employees should be trained to properly use the equipment. Several spray-gun manufacturers offer manuals and video tapes showing correct spraying technique (See Appendix C). The following shows some tips to optimize spray techques.
Spray equipment set-up: Size spray tips to achieve spray distance of 12-18 inches from mold surface.
Tip pressure: Adjust spray gun to achieve lowest possible pressure that produces an acceptable fan pattern.
Spray operator training: Training should cover use of proper spraying techniques, hnction and proper set-up of spray equipment, and effects of overspray
Spraying technique: Hold gun as close to mold surface as feasible (12-18 inches), fan pattern intercept angle should be maintained as close to perpendicular to mold surface as possible, the perimeter of mold should be sprayed accurately to avoid overspray and the spray gun stroke should be stopped as close to the mold edge as possible
A recent study done by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) for the EPA studied the effect of controlled spraying based on the above optimization techniques Using an AAA gun, three normal spray runs and three controlled spray runs were conducted Controlled spraying resulted in a 9 2% increase in transfer efficiency ’
After the first spray pass of gelcoat has been applied, the operator relies on “feel” to apply the correct amount of gelcoat. Each mold has a different “feel.” A more controlled method is to give the operator a standard to measure such as number of pump strokes or length of time. The first time a mold is sprayed a map of the mold should be created. This map would break the mold into sections, giving the number of strokes or the amount of time each section requires to give the desired thickness of gelcoat. The gelcoat thickness could be tracked in the different sections using Statistical Process Control (SPC)
C-3 Appendix C methodology. SPC is an excellent way to allow the operator to have control of the process.
Gelcoat usually comes in 55 gallon drums. Most manufactures will allow the return of drums or a local company may gladly take them. If your company uses a large amount of gelcoat, a storage and delivery system might be economical. Buying gelcoat in bulk will reduce your cost and will eliminate time spent handling the drums.
Lining the spray booth with cardboard to contain overspray is a common practice in the industry. Tar paper is more economical and lighter.
Fiberglass Application and Cure
Except for spray-up, all composite processes use fiberglass in the form of mat or cloth. Fiberglass comes in rolls wrapped in shnnk wrap and placed on wooden pallets. The shrink wrap is recyclable. The wooden pallets can be returned or sold to local companies. It is a good practice to use templates to precut the fiberglass and bundle it in kits. This practice will ensure that a uniform amount of fiberglass is used for each part. If a consistent width is required, rolls of fiberglass can be slit to any width by the manufacturer or you can purchase a slitter. The larger pieces of scrap fiberglass can be used to make smaller parts. The smaller pieces can be gathered and shipped to a recycler (see the recycling section).
Resin is typically supplied in 55 gallon drums These drums can usually be returned to the supplier or given to a local company Larger companies should investigate bulk resin storage systems or mini-storage systems These systems can be very cost effective
Many methods may be used to fabricate fiberglass parts. The most common method is open mold fabrication and it is probably the most wasteful. Other methods include vacuum inhsion, resin transfer molding, and compression molding. These various processes are described in detail below.
Open Mold Fabrication
Open mold fabrication uses two principle methods to apply the resin and reinforcement. hand lay-up and spray-up In hand lay-up, the reinforcement of woven cloth or chopped mat is manually fitted into the mold and wetted with catalyzed resin. The spray-up techque uses mechanical spraying and chopping equipment to deposit the resin and glass reinforcement. Many parts are made using a combination of these two methods.
In hand lay-up, the gelcoat spray systems described above, except for the electrostatic system, can be used to wet out the fiberglass in the mold. A flow coat system described
c-4 Appendix C below can also be used to apply resin. Many companies mix the resin in small containers and pour the resin into the mold. Carehl control of resin usage will insure less waste. A good way to eliminate resin waste is to initially establish the correct resin amount and then track the amount of resin actually used. Rollers and squeegees can be used to squeeze out excess resin.
Other methods are available for applying resin to the fiberglass. Several companies offer rollers that dispense resin through small holes in the roller. Using the rollers eliminates material losses due to fogging, overspray, and bounce-back, which also reduces styrene emissions
Hatteras Yachts compared the use of resin rollers to external mix spray equipment and found that by using the rollers they could save 204.8 pounds of resin during fabrication of a 54’ hull and superstructure. This could result in an annual saving of $10,178 per year.*
An impregnator may be used to apply resin to the fiberglass. Fiberglass fabric is fed through a resin reservoir and then the excess resin is squeezed out. An impregnator significantly reduces pollution as emissions and keeps resin waste to a minimum. In addition, the glass-to-resin ratio is increased resulting in a much stronger structure. Productivity can be improved due to high delivery rates of the impregnator. Unfortunately the installation of an impregnator can require extensive facility modification and impregnators are much more expensive than a typical spray application. Larger manufacturers will realize the greatest cost benefit from an impregnator.
A more economical method of applying fiberglass to the mold is the use of a chopper gun The chopper gun combines a resin spray gun and a chopper to cut fiberglass roving Compressed air is used to atomize the resin, create turbulence to mix the catalyst and to propel chopped fibers to the mold surface These systems can be used to fabricate parts very quickly The guns produce a high level of styrene emissions and waste due to overspray HVLP guns are available to eliminate some of these problems Magnum Industries produces a unique chopper gun that uses “flowcoat air chute” technology Basically the resin is applied in streams that dramatically reduces overspray and eliminates bounce back
-~ Testing for the EPA by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) showed that the transfer efficiency for the Flowcoat System by Magnum Industries was 97 3% compared to 92 0% for an Ar Assist Airless (AAA) gun
Good spraying technique will reduce the amount of overspray and the amount of excess material. Laminators should be trained to efficiently use the chopper guns. RTI conducted tests comparing normal and controlled spraying using an AAA spray gun. The transfer efficiencies were 80.5% and 92% respectively. During the controlled spraying the operator made a conscious effort to eliminate overspray and properly set his equipment. Many of the techmques outlined above for the gelcoat guns are applicable for use with the
c-5 Appendix C chopper guns. A highly recommended training program is the Certified Composites Technician (CCT) Program offered by the Composites Fabricator Association’s (CFA).
Mold maps similar to those used to control gelcoat thickness can be used to control spray- up operation. Several companies offer monitoring devices that track the amount of resin and fiberglass applied to the mold. Technology for Manufacturers Inc. (TFM) sells a device that displays the real time amounts of glass and resin in pounds. SPC charts could be used to track the amount of material used for each mold.
Lining the spray booth with cardboard to contain overspray is a common practice in the industry. Tar paper is a more economical and lighter alternative.
Vacuum Assisted Infusion
Vacuum assisted idsion methods have become popular in recent years. Their popularity stems from the reduction in emissions and from the better quality laminate produced. Several companies offer methods and Seaman Composites’ SCRIMP process is the most publicized. Several Vacuum assisted infusion methods are described below.
Seaman Composites Resin Infusion Molding Process (SCRIMP)
Seaman Composites Resin Infksion Molding Process (SCRIMP) is by far the front-runner in vacuum assisted infksion. This patented process can be licensed from Scrimp Systems LLC. Twenty-two companies have licensed the process in the United States. The licensing arrangements are based on a set fee ($25,0000) with royalties on each part produced The royalties are 5% of total manufacturing costs of laminate build or $.20 per pound SCRIMP works well on medium-to-large parts in a “medium” volume production setting Seaman claims labor savings of 50% over hand lay-up. The key to the process is the distribution medium, a knitted mesh fabric incorporating a criss-crossing network of resin distribution channels The vacuum bag is made of silicone rubber and is reusable. A fiber pack is placed on the mold, a resin-permeable peel ply is placed over the fiber pack, then the distribution medium and then the vacuum bag. The Navy has done significant testing on the process. The results prove that SCRIMP produces a laminate with excellent mechanical and physical properties ‘
Quick Draw (VARTM)
Synergistic Composite Systems, a joint effort of Synrex Corp. and Film Technology has developed a vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VATRM) that utilizes ultra violet cure The resin is distributed through the fiber pack via polypropylene resin supply tubes connected to spiral wrap, a permeable tube made of polypropylene. Film Technology’s
C-6 Appendix C
Quick Draw film is used as the bagging material to insure good flow. Vacuum ports are placed opposite of the resin distribution tubes. A vacuum of 26-29 inches of mercury is used to draw the resin through the fiber pack. Once the fiber pack is ihsed a UV light source is used to cure the resin.
The benefit of this system lies in the UV cure which increases the time allowed to ifise the part. For example, you would not risk your resin gelling half way through the ihsion of a 50 ft boat hull. The trade offs are the expense and the limitations of the UV resin. Only light-permeable laminates can be fabricated using this resin, which eliminates the use of carbon fibers and certain types of core materials. Existing molds could be used. The major capital expense would be the UV light system.
The use of the Quick Draw vacuum bag material eliminates the need for breathers and bleeders that decrease your disposal costs compared to SCRIMP. You would still have to discard the Quick Draw material each time; however, the Quick Draw material is said to be recyclable.
This process has not yet been used on any large-scale commercial applications. The Carderock Division of the US Navy’s Surface Warfare Center is evaluating the process. They fabricated a half-scale mid-ship section of a typical medium sized naval combat ship. The Navy is currently evaluating the result^.^
The Martin Method
Martin Tooling & Laminates has been using resin idision to fabricate canoes for fifteen years A standard vacuum bag set up is used and resin is introduced from above with hoses The process is not patented, but has been fine-tuned through trial and error The slowness of the process might inhibit use on large scale projects Sandy Martin, President of Martin Tooling, will offer consulting services
Resin Injection Recirculation Method (RIRM)
The Resin Injection Recirculation Method (RIM)was developed at the Navy Center of Excellence for Composite Manufacturing Technology (CECMT) managed by Structural Composites, Inc. The process uses male and female FRP tooling. The bottom or female tool is made using conventional fabrication methods. The top or male tool is a thin-but- tough bag made of vinyl ester resin The method is simple. The reinforcement is loaded into the female tool. The male tool is placed over the reinforcement A vacuum of 27” to 29” Hg is applied The resin is drawn into the reinforcement. Once the resin has been drawn through the reinforcement, the vacuum is dropped to 5” to 7” Hg. Then the resin is recirculated through the reinforcement to insure saturation.
c-7 Appendix C
The US Navy requested that CECMT evaluate the feasibility of constructing FRP rudders for a Mine Counter Measures (MCM) ship. The first phase of the project developed the preliminary design, risk reduction, and a detailed design. This phase is completed. The second phase of the project entailed a review of the design, drawing release, process development and verification, full scale test article fabrication, structural testing, fabrication of two rudders, and installation of the rudders on the MCM ship. CECMT has completed the process development and verification to date.6
A benefit of this process is that existing tooling could be modified to use this method. This process is also in the public domain and no licensing fees or royalties would be paid. It would be best to hire Structural Composites, Inc. as consultants to implement this process.
Prestovac System
The Prestovac System has been successfblly used in industry in both the United States and abroad for more than a decade. Advanced Materials Inc. (AMI)holds US rights to the process. The process requires matched female and male FRP molds. The reinforcement is placed in the female mold, resin is poured onto the reinforcement, the male mold is placed over the reinforcement, and vacuum is applied to clamp the molds together. A secondary vacuum is used to infuse the reinforcement with resin.
The process is best suited for the manufacture of small parts. AMI fabricates structural components for the JY-15 sailboat. A prominent powerboat builder uses Prestovac to build hatches. AMI does not license the process, but offers consultants at a fee.’
Low Pressure Resin Infusion Molding (LPRIM)
Le Comte USA is licensing their process called Low Pressure Resin Infbsion Molding (LPRIM) A patented vacuum bag film, similar to bubble wrap, is placed over the reinforcement Pressure to force the resin into the reinforcement is achieved by elevating the resin supply slightly off the ground Micro-fine foam cores are used to create channels for resin distribution A slight vacuum is also used to assist the resin distribution The process could be used on existing tooling
Structures made using LPRIM technology include navy patrol boats, wind generator blades, truck body parts, and pre-fab housing components. Le Comte is working with two international firms on marine applications
Closed Cavity Bag Molding (CCBM)
Arctek Inc has developed the Closed Cavity Bag Molding (CCBM). The system uses a standard fiberglass mold with a reusable translucent bag. The processes is simple The
C-8 Appendix C reinforcement is loaded, the bag is placed over the reinforcement, and the resin is infused. The advantages proclaimed by Arctek are low cost bag, easy mold conversion, no resin wastage, the use of any resin or reinforcement, and suitability for all sized parts. CCBM is used in high performance canoes, truck parts, electrical boxes, pressure tanks, power boats, and railcar covers. The largest savings is labor, typically a 50% reduction.
Resin Transfer Molding (R TM)
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) requires a highly skilled labor force. In the process, reinforcement is placed between two mold halves. The mold is closed and catalyzed resin is injected into the mold and allowed to cure. RTM is used to fabricate fiberglass products such as automobile hoods, satellite dishes, seats for boats, hatch covers, and bait boxes.
The capital cost of RTM equipment is high and would not be economical for companies that change models frequently, such as boat manufactures. The benefits of the process are that emissions are almost eliminated and the production rate can be increased. The labor savings could outweigh the cost of equipment for long production runs. The waste generated during trimming operation tends to be more than a spray-up or hand lay-up.'
Able Body Corp. (Joplin, MO) is fabricating Freight-liner truck roof caps that measure more than 9 ft by 7 ft using RTM. They switched from an open mold process to RTM resulting in a 35% reduction in total cycle time. Not counting tooling cost, the price of the RTM roof cap is 25% less than if it was oDen molded."
Compression Molding
Compression molding can reduce high unit cost, but only if the production volume is high enough to spread the cost of the matched metal dies The molding compounds come in the form of Sheet Molding Compounds or Bulk Molding Compounds. At least a 150 parts-per-mold-per-shift is needed to spread the cost of the molds. Waste is very minimal and consists mostly of outdated material, small amount of flashing, and scrap parts. The automotive industry has been using this method for over 25 years."
Trimming and Assembly
During open mold fabrication, parts are usually trimmed right after the spray-up or hand lay-up operations and prior to fill cure of the laminate The edges are touched up using a grinder Cutouts are made using templates and saws or routers Part trimmings are the largest part of the solid waste stream The amount of trimmings can be controlled only slightly during spray-up operation For hand lay-up, cutting the plies to the right shape
c-9 Appendix C
prior to lay-up and placing the plies properly will reduce the trimming amount. The use of a vacuum assisted resin ifision process can eliminate almost all of the trimmings.
Parts are usually assembled with adhesive and fasteners. Carehl control of the amount of adhesive used will eliminate unused amounts and excessive squeeze out. If pre-measured cartridges are used, make sure the size of the cartridge matches the needed job. Bulk adhesives can be purchased and mixed into pre-measured kits. These kits can be mixed and frozen in reusable cartridges.
References
1 “Evaluation of Pollution prevention Techniques to Reduce Styrene Emissions From Open Contact Molding Processes” EPA-600R-97-0 18a, March 1997. 2 Hillis, D. R. and Davis, A. D., Waste Reduction Strategies for Fiberglass Fabricators, Office of Waste Reduction, North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, 1994. ’ Personal correspondence with Jon0 Billings at SCRIMP Advanced Composites via e- mail [email protected] dated 4/3/97. 4 Juska, T., Mayes, J.S., and Seemann, W.H., “Mechanical Properties and Impact Damage Resistance of Composites Fabricated by Low Cost, Vacuum Assisted, Resin Transfer Molding” Report SSM-64-93/04 for Carderock Division Naval Surface Warfare Center, August 1993. 5 Hudson, A. “Vacuum-Assisted RTM Increasingly Popular” Composite Technolog, MarcMApril 1996, pp 24-30. 6 Jakubowski, J.C. and Lewit, S.M. “Low Cost Large Scale Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding for the Navy’s MCM Rudder,” report produced by Structural Composites, Inc. March 1996 7 Lazarus, P ‘‘Infixion,” Professional Boat Builder DecembedJanuary 1995, pp 28-34. 8 Hudson pp 24-30. 9 “Assessment of VOC Emissions From Fiberglass Boat manufacturing”, EPA-600/2-90- 019, May 1990, p28. IO “Able Body Cost-Effective RTMs Large Part,” ComDosite Technolow, Novembermecember 1996, p 12. 11 Hillis, p 60.
c-10 I
Appendix D
Appendix D
Recycling in the Composite Industry
Appendix D
Recycling
Although the recycling of composite materials is not prevalent in the industry, the following are the two most common methods:
1. The composites can be ground and used as a filler for lower end composites.
2. The composites can be shredded and the fibers recovered by thermally removing the resin.
The two methods are discussed below
Grindingfor Filler
SMCBMC Recycling
The automotive industry has been investigating the recycling of SMCBMC for quite some time. Phoenix Fiberglass started a recycling plant in Canada which was heavily backed by the SMC Automotive Alliance. The plant closed in 1996 due to lack of market for the recyclate. The R.J. Marshall Company has established a pilot plant based on the same concept. They grind SMCBMC scrap to a powder which is then used in SMCBMC as a replacement for calcium carbonate filler. Their operational approach is to grind scrap for companies and resell the resulting recyclate back to those same companies. They plan to expand their production facility if the pilot plant is successful.
Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Recycling
Seawolf Industries has a patented process for recycling FRP scrap Special grinders are used to grind the FRP scrap The ground material is then mixed with a polyester based syntactic foam The mixture is sprayable using a newly designed spray gun sold by Seawolf Industries The mixture contains approximately 30% by weight scrap FRP The material is being pitched as a replacement for coring materials and plywood A wide range of companies such as power boat and spa manufacturers are using this system Environmental Technical Services is currently investigating the feasibility of operating a recycling plant based on this technolog in St Louis, MO The process can be licensed from either Seawolf Industries or The R J Marshall Company
Another company working in recycling of fiberglass is Portside Development. They have developed a method for grinding the fiberglass and mixing it with a resin. The recycled mixture is used in a closed mold operation. The process is still not patented. They are seelung government hnding to further develop the process.
D- 1 Appendix D
Recovery of Fibers from Scrap Composites
Catalytic Recovery of Fibers
Adherent Technologies is developing a catalytic process to recover fibers They are currently testing a large reactor under a Phase I1 SBIR program sponsored by Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). The process uses a catalytic technology to remove the resin from the composites at a low temperature. Adherent has successfdly processed a wide range of materials including uncured materials such as prepregs. They plan to have a full scale reactor running by 1998.
Recovery of Fibers by Thermal Removal of Resin
Environmental Techrucal Services in conjunction with the University of Missouri St. Louis has been investigating a thermal process for recovery of carbon fibers from cured and uncured advanced composite materials. Carbon fibers have been successfblly recovered from several types of advanced composite materials. Laboratory tests have shown that very little resin remains on the fibers and the fibers are not damaged by the process. Mechanical property tests of the Bulk Molding Compounds containing the recovered fibers were very promising. They plan to continue to develop the process and build a pilot plant within the next 2-3 years.
Reuse of Scrap Composites
Environmental Technical Services is fabricating parts from scrap materials obtained from the aerospace composite industry Scrap prepreg is being used to make a wide range of products such as model rockets, a nose cone for dragsters, and hatch covers for boats Cured scrap parts are being machned into other usable parts such as fins for model rockets and centerboards for sailboats
Recycling of Scrap Fiberglass
Several companies take uncontaminated scrap fiberglass and mill the fibers to lengths under 'A inch. This material is then used for fillers in thermoplastic materials.
The addresses andphone numbers of the companies listed in Appendix D can be found in Appendix E.
D-2 I
Appendix E
Appendix E
Companies Supporting Waste Reduction and Recycling
Appendix E
Gelcoat and Spray-up Equipment
GS Manufacturing 1760 Monrovia, Unit C- 1 Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Tel: 7 14-642- 1500 Fax: 7 14-63 1-6770
Glas-Craft, Inc. 5845 West 82ndStreet, Suite 102 Indianapolis, ID 46278 Tel: 3 17-875-5592 Fax: 3 17-875-5456 Contact: Michael A. Keegan
Magnum Industries Corporate Headquarters 1 170 1 56* Court N Cleanvater, FL 34620 Tel 813-573-2955 Fax 8 13-572-6895 e-mail gravescorp@aol com contact Scott McGehee
Poly-Craft Systems - Division of Binks Mfg Co 195 Palmer Avenue Cottage Grove, OR 97424 Tel 54 1-942-2222 800-423-3694 Fax 54 1-942-2998 e-mail support@poly-craft com Conact Gary Cavanaugh
Venus-Gusmer, Inc 1862 Ives Avenue Kent, WA 98032 Tel 206-854-2660 800-448-6035 Fax 206-852-0294 contact David Smith
E- 1 Appendix E
Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion
SCRIMP
SCRIMP Systems, LLC 6 Blue Ribbon Road Carolina RI 028 12 Tel40 1-539-21 00 Fax: 40 1-539-8336 Contact: Juno Billings e-mail. JBY [email protected]
Paddle Lite
Martin Tooling & Laminates Inc RR 2 Box 106 Freeport, ME 04032 Tel. 207-865-0455 Contact. Sandy Martin
Quick Draw VARTM
Sunrez Corp /SCS 392 Coogan Way El Cajon, CA 62020 Tel 619-442-3353 Fax 6 19-342-3036 Contact Mark Livesay
Film Technology Inc /SCS PO Box230228 Houston, TX 77223 tel 7 13-92 1-3456 fax 7 13-928-2324 Contact Maury Shepherd
E-2 Appendix E
Resin Injection Recirculation Method (")
Structural Composites Inc. 7705 Technology Dr West Melbourne, FL 32904 Tel: 407-95 1-9464 Fax: 404-728-9071 Contact: Scott Lewit
Prestovac
Advanced Materials Inc. P.O. Box 917 500 Main St. Deep Rwer, CT 064 17 Tel: 203-526-9755 Fax: 203-526-5 13 1 Contact: Cameron Rogerson
Le Comte USA Greenwich, Conn Contact: Jon Le Comte, President
Closed Cavity Bag Molding (CCBM)
Arctek Inc 1 I Candac Valley Dr Auroroa, ON L4G 6W7 tef (905)727-0968 fax (905)727-2805 e-mail [email protected] contact John S Alanko Appendix E
Resin Injection Recirculation Method (RIM)
Structural Composites Inc. 7705 Technology Dr West Melbourne, FL 32904 Tel: 407-95 1-9464 Fax: 404-728-9071 Contact: Scott Lewit
Prestovac
Advanced Materials Inc. P.O. Box 917 500 Main St. Deep River, CT 06417 Tel: 203-526-9755 Fax: 203-526-5 13 1 Contact: Cameron Rogerson
LPRIM
Le Comte USA Greenwich, Conn Contact: Jon Le Comte. President
Closed Cavity Bag Molding (CCBM)
Arctek Inc 11 Candac Valley Dr Auroroa, ON L4G 6W7 tel (905)727-0968 fax (905)727-2805 e-mail alanko@ibm net contact John S Alanko
E-3 Appendix E
Recycling
Grindingfor Filler
Seawolf Industries, Inc. 1248 Turnbull Bay Rd. New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 (800)2 7 5- 73 44 (904)427- 1400 Fax (904)423-0021 Contact: Wolfgang Unger, President
The R. J. Marshall Co. 26776 W. Twelve Mile Rd. Southfield, MI 48034-7807 (8 10)353-4 100 (800)338-7900 Fax (8 10)948-7900
Portside Development 1705 1 Highway 3 1 Ft. Meyers, FL 33905 (800)276- 13 3 1 Contact Gary Powers
Recovery of Fibers from Scrap Composites
Environmental Technical Services 18846 Highwood Estates Drive Pacific, MO 63069 Tel (3 14)273-6687 (800)944-2445 fax (3 14)273-6687 e-mail ets@inlink com Contact JohnF Unser
Adherent Technologies 9621 Camino del Sol, NE Albuquerque, NM 871 1 1 (505)822-9 186 fax (505)298-8287 Contact Dr. Ron Allred
E-4 Appendix E
Reuse of Scrap Composites
Environmental Technical Services 18846 Highwood Estates Drive Pacific, MO 63069 Tel: (3 14)273-6687 (800)944-2445 fax (3 14)273-6687 e-mail: [email protected] web sit e: http :\www.iwc. com\et s Contact: John F. Unser
Material Exchange Services
Daniels Fibers, Inc. 5209 Queen Anne Rd. Charlotte, NC 28217 Tel: (704)523-5276 Fax: Contact: Carmen Daniels
The Fiber Source Division of Reeve Industries, Inc PO Box30580 Savannah, GA 3 14 10 Tel (919897-4097 (800)315-1211 Fax (9 12)897-0903 Contact Pearce Reeve
Kemstar Corporation 3456 Wade Street Los Angeles, CA 90066 Tel (310)396-8528 Fax (3 10)396-843 1 E-mail kemstar@earthlink net Contact Jason Tress
E-5 Appendix E
Other Resources
Environmental Excellence Campaign - free resource to help you business begin or improve your environmental program. Offers free monthly newsletter, periodic workshops and annual awards for participating companies. To join contact:
Bridging The Gap, Inc. 435 Westport Road P.O. Box 10220 Kansas City, MO 64171 Tel: (816)561-1087 Fax: (8 16)561-109 1 E-mail: eecG?jjbndgingthegap.org Contact: Maril Crabtree
MAMTC Missouri offers free support of process improvements at companies. Waste reduction assessments and writing of business plans for starting recycling projects are some of the other services provided.
MAMTC Missoun Missoun Enterprice Business Assistance Center 800 West 14* Street, Suite 111 Rolla. MO 65401 Tel (573)364-8570 Fax (573)341-6869 e-mail jstory@umr edu Contact Jimmy Story
Department of Energy (DOE) offers 80 hours of engineering support to help companies solve techmcal problems. AlliedSignal Inc. runs this program for DOE.
Office of Technology Transfer AiliedSignal In c 2000 East 951h Street PO Box419159 Kansas City, MO 64141-6159 Tel (8 16)997-5270 (800)225-8829 Fax (8 16)997-4094
E-6 Appendix E
Missouri Market Development Program offers grants to purchase equipment for recycling materials. The grant can be up to $75,000. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources offers similar grants.
Missouri Market Development Program Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority P.O. Box 744 325 jefferson Street Jefferson City, MO 65 102-0744 Tel: (573)526-5555 Contact: Alice Geller
Associations
Composite Fabricators Association 1655 North Ft Myer Drive, Suite 5 10 Arlington, VA 22209 Tel (703)525-0511 Fax (703)525-0743 Contact Steve McNally
Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) 1 16 1 Parkview Dr Covina, CA 9 1724 Tel (8 18)33 1-06 16 Fax (818)332-8929 Contact Rosemary Loggiea
The Composite Institute, A Division of the Society of the Plastics Industry 355 Lexington Ave New York, NY 10017 Tel (312)35 1-5410 Fax (2 1 2)370- 1 73 1 e-mail Cl@ocplas org Contact Catherine Randazzo
E-7
Appendix F 1
Appendix F - Other Resources
‘2dvanced Composite Material Manufacturing Operations Safety and Health, Work Practice Observations and Recommendations, ’’ published by the Aerospace Industries Association, December 1994. Available from AIA (202)37 1-8400.
Evaluation of Pollution Prevention Techniques to Reduce Styrene Emissions@om Open Contact Molding Processes, Volumen I, Final Report” Environmental Protection Agency report EPA- 6OOR-97-0 18a, March 1997. Available from EPA at http://www.epa.gov.
“FiberReinforced Plastics: Planning for Profitable Reuse ” feasibility final report for Minnesota Technology, Inc. hnded by Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance. Contact George Pappajohn at Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance (612)2 15-0289 or e-mail george.pappajohn@moea. state.mn.us.
“Guidesto Pollution Prevention: 7he Fiberglass-Reinforced and Composite Plastic Industry ”, Environmental Protection Agency report EPA/625/7-9 110 14, October 199 1. Available from EPA at http://www.epa.gov.
“Guides to Pollution Prevention: The Marine Maintenance And Repair Industry ”, Environmental Protection Agency report EPA/625/7-91/015, October 1991. Available from EPA at htt p : //www . epa.gov .
Hillis, D R and Davis, A D , *‘WasteReduction Strategies for Fiberglass Fabricators”, Booklet produced by the Office of Waste Reduction, North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, 1994 Available from NC DEHNR (9 19)57 1-4 100
“SafeHandling qf Advanced Composite Materials, ’’ booklet published by the Suppliers of Advanced Composite Materials Association, July 199 1 Available from SACMA at a nominal fee at (703)84 1 - 1 556
F- 1 I