Pollution Prevention for Automotive Service and Repair Facilities 7538

Pollution Prevention (P2) for Automotive Service and Repair Facilities 7538

Opportunities may exist to save a significant amount of money for your business and simultaneously protect the environment through P2.

What is P2? P2 is the use of materials, processes, or practices that eliminate or reduce the creation of pollutants or waste at the source. P2 consists of a variety of strategies and techniques that strive to avoid the production of waste and the subsequent costly and sometimes dangerous waste management activities. Waste avoidance or reduction may result in increased facility efficiencies as well as significant savings from lowered waste management costs, raw materials costs, reduced insurance and worker safety costs. There is, therefore, the opportunity to simultaneously improve your bottom line - and protect the environment.

Where can I obtain information? The Business & Environmental Service Centers have compiled a library of P2 reference materials that may help you identify and adopt P2 measures appropriate to your business. For local P2 information, call 1-800-GOV-1-STOP. The following publications may be requested online:

What are the benefits of P2?

Business Cost Savings: You may realize - reduced energy costs, operational costs, production costs, raw materials costs, transportation costs, treatment and disposal costs, compliance permits, monitoring and enforcement costs.

Environmental Protection: Your employees and patrons will appreciate your leadership in the implementation of business practices that are economically viable, sustain natural resources and diversity, and enhance the quality of life for present and future generations.

Regulatory Relief: It is easier to achieve and maintain compliance once P2 measures have been implemented.

Reduced Liability, Exposure, and Health Risk: Less waste means less liability for environmental problems at both on-site and off-site treatment, storage and disposal facilities. Reducing waste also means less potential risk to human health and safety and reduced worker exposure to toxic chemicals.

Reduced Energy Consumption: Energy conservation and energy use efficiency will reduce costs and the risk of power outages.

What new technologies reduce costs and promote P2?

Aqueous Spray Cabinets:¹ clean parts by spraying high-temperature solution at high pressures within an enclosed cabinet. Advantages include: significant reduction in cleaning labor, high level of cleaning performance, offers large cleaning capacities, and lower waste management costs compared to solvent units.
Microbial Sink-top Units:¹ are used for manual cleaning of parts in the same way as conventional solvent sink-top units. Microbes in the aqueous solution degrade oils and organic contaminants, significantly extending solution life. Advantages include: low capital cost relative to other aqueous cleaning units, little or no waste solution, and does not dry or chap the technician’s hands.
Aqueous Brake Washers:² use water-based cleaning solutions and function like sink-top parts cleaner. Compressed air pumps the aqueous solution through a hose and a flow-through brush. Advantages include: little or no solvent vapors or aerosol mists that can be harmful to your worker’s health; nonflammable; does not contribute to smog formation, climate change, or ozone depletion; no empty aerosol cans are discarded as bulky, nonbiodegradable trash; reduces overall environmental and safety liabilities for your shop; and can save hundreds of dollars per year after the payback period.
Dry Floor Cleanup:³ methods minimize the shop’s wastewater generation and reduce environmental liability. Always clean up a spill immediately to prevent workers from slipping and falling or prevent the spilled material from being tracked around the shop. Keep absorbent devices on-hand to prevent very large spills from spreading. Absorbents, such as grease sweep, “kitty litter,” or rice hull, should be used only when the spill cannot be cleaned with shop rags and must be properly disposed. Consider sealing the shop floor with epoxy or another suitable sealant. An epoxy-sealed floor prevents absorption of spills, makes spill cleanup easier, requires less time and water to clean, and reduces long-term liability for cleanup of a contaminated shop floor and soil below.

Why is P2 a good idea for businesses? Here is an annual cost comparison of solvent versus aqueous cleaning units:

Annual Costs

Solvent Cleaning Units (leased units with servicing)

Two Aqueous Cleaning Units

Two solvent units w/ servicing

One Microbial Sink-Top Cleaning Unit

One Aqueous Spray Cabinet Cleaning Unit

Total Cost of Two Aqueous Units

Annual solvent service*

$1,908

n/a

Aqueous units (capital)

n/a

$1,295

$3,000

$4,295***

Electricity

$560

$300

$500

$800

Labor**

$13,000

$5,200

$1,560

$6,760

Aqueous cleaner solution

n/a

$288

$576

Solution disposal

n/a

$210

Replacement filters

n/a

$40

n/a

$40

Total annual operation and maintenance***

$15,468

$5,828

$2,558

$8,386

Source: USEPA, 1999
*Annual solvent service = # of solvent units leased ´ Cost per service visit per unit x # of times unit serviced per year
** Labor = Hourly labor rate of shop worker ´ Total # of cleaning labor hours per week x 52
*** Capital cost not included in total annual operation and maintenance (payback period for both aqueous units is 7.2 months).