| Chemical Wastes and Water Use Reduced Over 90 Percent at Poly-Plating Inc. | United States | 1983 | Full scale |
MANUFACTURE OF FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS # 52
Background
Poly-Plating Inc.,of Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States,employs 16 people in the production of nickel-plated parts. A variety of hazardous and toxic chemicals, in addition to water, are used in baths to prepare and plate nickel onto metal substrate.
The nickel plating process consists of up to eight steps. Surface preparation prior to plating includes degreasing, baking (depending on substrate hardness), masking (if necessary), followed by chemical cleaning, rinsing, and descaling. The part is then chemically activated and immersed in a nickel solution. Finally, the part is hot-rinsed, dried and sometimes baked.
In 1983 the city of Chicopee announced a program of significant future yearly escalations of water rates, plus the addition of sewer use charges. Material purchase prices for acids and nickel were increasing at 7-10% yearly. Motivated by a desire to cut operational costs and to benefit the environment, Ed Ondrick, president of Poly-Plating, instituted a research and development program on waste reduction for his plating lines.
Cleaner Production Principle
New technology; Recovery, Reuse and Recycle
Cleaner Production Application
Various attempts have been made to minimize the waste. Attempts to utilize turn-key equipment proved unsuccessful. The acids and other chemicals involved in nickel plating were too aggressive on the equipment components. Ondrick then began to modify and develop equipment himself, in the course of which he generated patentable ideas. All plating employees participated in the monitoring of the new equipment, and offered suggestions as to how the process might run more efficiently. The six-year project led to the establishing of a second company. This firm, Zero Discharge Technologies, Inc., manufactures and sells repurification and acid reclamation equipment for the plating industry.
All equipment design and construction or modification was performed in-house. Two workers were trained to operate, monitor and maintain all key pieces of equipment. These workers follow specific maintenance schedules and regularly meet with Ondrick to discuss equipment status. There are 12 repurification units integral to the plating production lines. They function to remove contaminants and retrieve metals and acids for production re-use. Additionally, plating water is recycled, through a closed-loop system.
Environmental and Economic Benefits
Savings from reduced water use and sewage fees total $74,032 annually. Reduced purchase of new acid saves $15,034. The closed-loop design of the system has saved $14,630 in disposal costs. The elimination of water discharges from the plating process saves $4050 in water testing costs. Overall, the project saves Poly-Plating over $107,000 annually. While total costs for R & D on the project were $755,000, the replacement cost of the system currently in use at Poly-Plating is $225,000. This gives a payback of 25 months.
Acid purchases have been reduced 96% while production has increased 20% during the same period. Disposal costs are 91% less as a result of the reclaiming and recycling of acids and other chemicals. Water use and sewage fees have been reduced by 98%.
Constraints
None mentioned.
Contacts:
Review Status
This case study was received by the Office of Technical Assistance of the State of Massachusetts in the United States. It was edited for the ICPIC diskette in May 1997.
Subsequently the case study has undergone a technical review by Dr Prasad Modak at Environmental Management Centre, Mumbai, India, in September 1998.