Pollution Prevention Alternatives for powder coating application

Powder coating application systems provide pollution prevention over traditional spray application systems due to the higher transfer efficiency (above 90%), and very low volatilization of organic solvents.

Install a booth recovery system for electrostatic spraying and flocking applications. Booth recovery systems collect overspray powder particles from the exhaust air so that they may be reused.

Reduce or eliminate contamination of coatings by enclosing and covering work areas. Surround systems with a semi-open structure which allows operation of the process but does not fully expose the coatings to the air and contaminants from the rest of the facility.

Schedule paint jobs to minimize changing colors in powder application equipment. Paint with light colors first, then darker ones; lighter coating does not need to be completely removed from the equipment, but can blend into the darker coating.

Modify consecutive powder coating systems applying different coating materials. Increase the distance between the streams and have separate recovery systems for each to keep the different coating materials separate, thereby allowing them to be reused.

Clean powder coating application equipment regularly to prevent build-up of coating materials. Use water in cleaning steps to reduce the amount of organic solvents used and the amount of hazardous waste generated.

Segregate non-hazardous coating solids and water from hazardous solvents and thinners, and label containers to prevent mixing. Separation of the materials reduces the amount of hazardous waste that is produced. Coating material solids can be dried and treated as a solid waste, allowing for disposal in a landfill.

Maintain powder coating application equipment to sustain proper operation. Make sure valves, gauges, pumps, and filters are in proper working order.

Keep powder coatings application areas clean so that problems with equipment can be found and fixed quickly, and accidents can be prevented.

Train employees on safe handling of materials and wastes and encourage continuous improvement. Training familiarizes workers with their responsibilities, which reduces spills and accidents.