Lacquer Thinners: Be Smart and Recycle!

Many shops are caught in the lacquer thinner cycle. They purchase barrels of lacquer thinner only to have waste thinner, and their profits, hauled away by the barrelful. A solvent recovery system is a cost-effective way to escape this vicious circle.

A shop that leases a solvent recovery system is engaged in "contract recycling". A shop purchases solvent from a contract recycler or leases parts washing equipment from a solvent supplier, who hauls away the spent solvent every month as part of the contract. While it produces benefits for shops who aren't recycling at all, it also has drawbacks. Solvent recovery treated in this fashion keeps a shop in the waste shipping business every month, the solvent volume purchased will remain part of a shop's annual EPA chemical inventory and also counts toward a shop's generator status under RCRA and its state counterparts.

A shop that implements on-site recycling through the purchase of a solvent recovery system accomplishes several things: Replacement thinner costs decrease by up to 90%, a shop can drastically reduce their hazardous waste reporting profile, and benefit from a solvent recycler paying for itself in as little as six months.

In light of aggressively-enforced environmental requirements, solvent recovery is an excellent option for any collision repair shop.

Note: I gratefully acknowledge Mr. Mark Mastacusa, CMP Solvent Recovery Systems, for allowing me to draw upon his technical expertise in the preparation of this Enviro-Minute.

Copyright © Tara L. Munro. All Rights Reserved.