Do you have experience with any type of technologies for pollution prevention (P2) in the paint and coating manufacturing industry, pesticide formulating industry, and/or pulp and paper industry? If so, discuss your experience. If you do not have experience in one of these areas, how do you think P2 in these areas could affect other industries with which you are familiar?
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PATRICK:
The only experience I have in regards to any type of technologies for P2 is in the paint and coating manufacturing industry, not necessarily industry but a section we work with. The equipment we work on becomes corroded and over time requires blasting and re-painting. Our shop helps with the processes, depending on manning from both shops, but the process does pose some increased risks, specifically Chromium IV. Unfortunately due to financial constraints, material changes over the years and other factors the building is now controlled ot limited personnel only. In every entrance point into the building there are big red Notice of Hazard signs stating the Hazardous Condition, “…air monitoring has shown personnel are exposed to 3x the OSHA PEL for Chromium IV.” With such an increased risk or toxin exposure there have been many P2 practices put into place. The first main one is the paint booth, which operates as a sealed system. The item gets put into the paint booth, a big door is closed and then it becomes air tight to the outside environment, having its own filtration system. The technician also is wears full PPE and a respirator provided with fresh breathing air. To me the biggest measure of P2 is once the technician leaves the booth they go directly to a room in close proximity to remove their PPE, by the technician going directly to the room it decreases risk of tracking toxins by footsteps throughout the building. The building this process takes place in it pretty old and there has been talks about demolishing it to rebuild, it would be pretty interesting to see the amount of work and precautions required during demolishing, especially controlling the dust during demolition.
