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Solvent (paint thinner) purchase and disposal fees constitute a major expense for automotive body shops. When considering pollution prevention options for the automotive painting industry, on site solvent distillation is one recommendation to decrease the frequency and the cost for product purchase and waste disposal. The Iowa Waste Reduction Center has developed a basic cost calculator to assist businesses in determining the cost benefit of purchasing such equipment.
There are many different types of solvent distillation equipment, each having unique capacities and characteristics. Many equipment vendors provide cost benefit worksheets to help determine which particular unit will best fit the needs of the facility. To determine the proper type of equipment, the type of solvent used, amount of solvent used, possible contaminants in the solvent and other related information must be known. The facility should also have an idea of the amount of waste solvent generated to help choose the proper size of unit. In developing this cost calculator, the IWRC focused on the typical needs of a small to medium sized automobile body shop. Energy costs were not considered in this cost-benefit analysis. This cost calculator should be viewed as a general tool useful to determine if further pursuit of solvent distillation is warranted at the facility. If so, more specific analysis would be advisable when determining the specific unit best suited for a facility.
To understand the benefits of solvent distillation, one should understand the process. Waste solvent (solvent that is too dirty to clean or cut paint efficiently, or contaminated with paint or other liquid wastes) is poured or pumped into a boiling chamber. The chamber is sealed and power initiated, transferring heat through the chamber into the solvent. The solvent is eventually brought to boiling temperature and vapors are formed which are then cooled and condensed into a separate chamber. It is this boiling-vaporizing-condensing process that separates contaminates from the solvent, resulting in clean solvent. It is important to note that the resulting clean solvent may not be suitable for its original purpose because distillation will often remove 'trade secrets' in the virgin solvent. However, one may find that distilled solvent is useful for other jobs such as gun cleaning. The distillation process results in a sludge or cake that is removed from the unit. This waste is most likely a hazardous waste. For information regarding hazardous waste disposal, contact the IWRC at 800.422.3109.
A list of solvent distillation unit vendors can be found by searching the IWRC's vendor database (www.iwrc.org/newvendor/index.cfm). There are two lists, one providing contacts for equipment for small to medium auto body shops, and one focused on industrial sized equipment for manufacturers. The IWRC does not endorse specific manufacturers, however the database is meant to be a resource for locating vendor information.
Sources:
Department of the Navy Environmental Program. Do you Dispose of Waste Solvent From Painting or Cleaning Operations? 1998.
Iowa Waste Reduction Center, University of Northern Iowa. Solvent Distillation Offers Disposal Alternative For Painting Applications. 1999. http://www.iwrc.org/pubs/clspring99.htm
Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP). Fact Sheet: Selecting a Still for On Site Recycling. http://es.epa.gov/program/regional/state/minn/mntap/mntap13.html
State of Michigan, Office of Waste Reduction Services, Department of Commerce and Natural Resources. Fact Sheet: Considerations for Selecting a Distillation Unit for On-Site Solvent Recycling. 1995.
© Copyright 2007 Iowa Waste Reduction Center
A Service of Business and Community Services at the
University of Northern Iowa
Suite 113, BCS Building
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0185
phone: 319.273.8905
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