Fact Sheet On Hazardous Waste Generated By Reduction Paint Formulators

California Department of Health Services
Toxic Substances Control Program
Alternative Technology Division December 1989

Waste Background

Reduction Paint formulators generate a variety of hazardous wastes in their operations.

Tank cleaning is the principal source of waste generation. Common waste types for Paint include:

Formulators process equipment. Solvent distillation residues can contain solvents and, sometimes, toxic metals such as mercury, lead and chromium.

Paint formulators have a unique opportunity to reduce their waste generation without expensive capital investments because a large portion of the wastes from this industry contains essentially the same constituents as the raw materials and the products.

Waste Reduction

Waste reduction can reduce the amount of hazardous wastes generated in your shop. This benefits you by reducing or minimizing:

This Fact Sheet was produced by the Technology Clearinghouse Unit to assist generators throughout the State of California.

Also, both state (Health and Safety Code, Article 11.8, Section 25244.4) and federal (40 CFR, Part 262, Subpart D) regulations require that generators of hazardous waste file a Biennial Generator's report. Among other things, this report must include a description of the efforts undertaken, and the achievements accomplished, during the reporting period to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste generated.

California state law also permits the Department to request that generators of recyclable wastes provide a written statement to justify not recycling the waste (California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Article 12, Section 66763).

The Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest requires that large generators certify that they "have a program in place to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste generated ... determined to be economical, practicable" and that they have selected the "practicable method of treatment, storage, or disposal currently available ... which minimizes the present and future threat to human health and the environment". Small quantity generators must certify that they have made a "good faith effort to minimize ... waste generation" and have selected the best affordable waste management method available.

Beginning Your Waste Reduction Program

The first requirement for a successful waste reduction program is management commitment and support. The plant owner or manager must be committed to reducing waste and must pass that commitment on to the employees. Every employee must be charged with the responsibility to identify and carry out waste reduction goals.

Establish training programs for waste reduction, hazardous materials handling, and spill response.

Establish incentive programs to encourage the design and use of new waste reduction ideas.

Assessing Your Waste Reduction Opportunities

Waste assessments are used to list the sources, types and amounts of hazardous waste generated in order to identify waste reduction opportunities. Information gathered during the assessment process should answer the following questions:

Specifically, took separately at the different processes associated with paint formulating: dispersion, let-down filtering and filling.

These and other related questions can help you determine where to focus your waste reduction efforts.

Improve Shop Procedures

Good housekeeping is the easiest and often the most inexpensive way to reduce waste. You will find that many of the suggestions here are really just common sense; simple measures can save you a lot of money.

Inventory control: use a first in, first out policy for raw materials to prevent them from becoming too old to be used. A computerized inventory control system is sometimes the best way to implement this policy.

Modify Processes

Equipment modifications:

Recycling and Resource Recovery

Increase Recyclability

Onsite Recycling

Offsite Recycling

Explore waste exchange possibilities. The California Waste Exchange lists suppliers and potential buyers of recyclable wastes.

Other Waste Minimization Options

Some additional publications that may be helpful are available from DHS-Alternative Technology Division:

For more information, contact the Technology Clearinghouse Unit in the Alternative Technology Division at:

Department of Health Services
Toxic Substances Control Program
Alternative Technology Division
714/744 P Street
P.O. Box 9442732
Sacramento, CA 94234-7320 (916) 324-1807

For information about regulatory requirements, contact the DHS regional office nearest you:

Region ISacramento (916) 855-7700
Fresno (209) 445-5938
Region 2Berkeley (415) 540-2043
Region 3Burbank (818) 567-3000
Region 4Long Beach (213) 590-4868

To get an EPA-CA ID number, call:

Department of Health Services-Toxics Division
Program Monitoring and Personnel Section
(916) 324-1781


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Last Updated: January 9, 1996