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Pollution Prevention in the Motor Vehicle Repair Industry: Parts Cleaning

Motor vehicle repair shops generate many types of waste. Some of it can be hazardous and require special treatment. All hazardous wastes, if not properly handled, can harm employees and the environment. This is especially true of cleaning solutions, solvents, and even grease rags. Using these items costs a lot of money because they have to be paid for twice. You pay when you buy them, and because they are hazardous you pay again when you throw them away. You can save a lot of money by cutting back on hazardous materials and stretching the useful life of these products.

Parts cleaning solvents are a big part of the waste that comes out of most repair shops. Most shops use solvents such as petroleum distillates, mineral spirits, naphtha, and chlorinated compounds. Some of these solvents will soon be banned.

Here are a few tips to help stop waste and accelerate profits.

If it's not dirty, don't clean it.

Solvents should be used only on parts that absolutely must be cleaned and that can not be wiped, brushed, scraped, or cleaned by hand some other way. Try these other methods first, and if they don't work go ahead and clean but ...

Use a cleaner that is not so hazardous.

Tell your parts cleaning solution sales representative that you want non-hazardous or less hazardous cleaning solutions. Each cleaning job is different. Decide how clean the parts should be and use the least hazardous cleaning method. Sometimes all that is needed is a blast of compressed air or a squirt from the water hose. Parts that are very dirty and need to be very clean might require the use of the hard stuff, but don't use the solvent sink just because it is there. And if you do ...

Use it until it's done.

A two-stage parts cleaning system can extend the life of cleaning solutions. Use dirty cleaning solution to get rid of caked-on grease and dirt, and then use a clean solution for the final cleaning. When the clean solution can no longer do its job, use it to replace the first stage dirty solution. Don't be too quick to throw out cleaning fluid; cloudy or visibly "dirty" solution is often as effective as the new stuff, especially when used with brushing or some type of agitation. This two-stage method can help stretch the useful life of cleaning solutions. You can also put filters and screens on solvent sinks and water-based cleaner sinks to remove solids from the solution. And when the solvents just can't cut it any more ...

Keep the wastes separated.

Spent solvents should always be collected and stored in separate containers. Mixing them with other wastes such as oil, water, or antifreeze, can limit their potential for reuse and recycling which can cost you more money.

Parts Cleaning Pollution Prevention Check List

o Install drip trays and drain boards on solvent sinks to drain the fluid out of cleaned parts

back into the sink

o Set up an inventory control system; use first-in, first-out policy and sign out sheets

o Make one person responsible for buying and dispensing cleaners and solvents

o Don't use disposable towels and wipes; lease rags from a laundry cleaning service

o Reduce spills and leaks onto the floor; use drip pans under leaking vehicles

o Use less hazardous solvents; do not misuse solvents by using them to clean floors

o Use a service company to maintain solvent sinks or install on-site recovery equipment

o Install tight-fitting lids on solvent containers to reduce evaporation and air emissions

o Use one type of solvent

o Recycle liquid wastes; store materials separately in proper containers for recycling

o Switch to detergent-based cleaners for water-based cleaning

o Use aerosol cleaners and solvents only on parts that can't be placed in a cleaner

o Put dispensers on hand cleaner

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