58    CLEANING MODIFICATION STEPS THAT
RESULTED IN POLLUTION PREVENTION AND WASTE
MINIMIZATION
Raymond Lizotte, Senior Environmental Specialist
Texas Instruments Inc.
Materials & Control Group
Attleboro, Massachusetts
Ken Hogue, Graduate Student
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts 01609
James O'Shaughnessy, Professor
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts 01609
ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews four metal cleaning case studies at various manufacturing operations and
presents the different approaches and technology assessments that were used to change these
metal finishing operations. In each of the case studies, both pollution prevention and a positive
financial solution were achieved. Each case was site- and time-specific, indicating that pollution
prevention is a proactive and on-going optimization problem, similar to the actual manufacturing
processes. The solutions included chemical substitution, process modification, process modernization, housekeeping improvements, and recycle improvements.
INTRODUCTION
From 1950 to 1990, cleaning with halogenated solvent was the preferred technique within industry for cleaning material when quality, speed, and versatility were required. Beginning with
the passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. a number of environmental rules have
been enacted that are pressuring manufacturers to find alternatives to these processes.
The first rule to impact halogenated solvent cleaning were the provisions of the Clean Air Act
that mandated phaseout of the chemicals that have been implicated as harmful to the stratospheric ozone layer. The ozone depleting halogenated solvents (primarily CFC-113 and 1,1,1-
trichloroethane) were popular cleaning solutions throughout the electronics industry. In addition
to a general phaseout in the production of ozone depleting solvents, the rule required manufacturers to pay annually escalated taxes, and place warning labels on these products. By 1994. most
users of ozone depleting halogenated solvent had implemented nonozone depleting substituted
technologies.
In December 2, 1994, the EPA established emission limitations on trichloroethylene (TCE)
vapor degreasers. This regulation, called the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT)
Standard for Halogenated Solvent Cleaners, requires each degreaser to demonstrate compliance
with the emission limits by December 2, 1997. Failure to meet the limits would require shutdown
of noncompliant degreasing operation.
52nd Purdue Industrial Waste Conference Proceedings, 1997, Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, Michigan 48118. Printed in
U.S.A.
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