Companies in today’s market must be as competitive and efficient as possible. Most businesses must find ways to cut any unnecessary operating costs while also adhering to stringent waste management regulations. If your activity involves the use of hazardous solvents, you may need to implement an effective solvent waste management plan. What could be better than installing in-house solvent recycling equipment?
Waste Solvents that You Can Recycle Using this System:
- Non-Halogenated Solvents: This is the most common type of general waste and includes solvents such as methanol, acetone, ethanol, ether, ethyl acetate, hexanes, and toluene.
- Halogenated Solvents: These include halogenated solvents such as dichloromethane and chloroform, either in total or as a mixture (methylene chloride)
- Heavy Metals Solvents: This includes any solvent waste that contains heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, barium, chromium, lead, selenium, mercury, and silver.
- Paint Solvent and Residue: This waste is the result of using oil-based paints and thinners, which include oil-based paint residue.
It is crucial to abide by a few key guidelines when working with solvent recycling equipment or any other hazardous liquid waste stream. Reactive materials, for instance, should never be there in a single waste container.
It is not advisable to add acids, alkalis, oxidizing, peroxide, and reducing agents to various solvent waste streams. They need to be properly labeled as hazardous chemicals, kept apart from other waste, and handled accordingly.
Repurposing Solvents and Liquid Waste
Recycling should always be the first option to consider when possible. For businesses that generate large amounts of hazardous liquid waste, disposal can be an expensive process.
Apart from the obvious environmental benefits, implementing an effective recycling policy can provide a more cost-effective solution for the business. Managing hazardous liquid waste poses a risk in the workplace that must be properly assessed and managed.
Additionally, storing hazardous waste containers ready for pickup can take up valuable space. Therefore, having on-site solvent recycling equipment is quite useful.
The ability to recycle your solvent waste can significantly reduce your purchase costs, as most equipment can recycle up to 95% of your liquid waste. You may also be able to avoid nearly all disposal costs if, after recycling, you end up with pure re-usable solvent that is no longer hazardous and can be disposed of through your municipal system.
Solvent recycling is an excellent option for businesses that manufacture byproducts such as printing and ink, coatings and paint, metal finishing, and automotive painting. Recycling systems come in a variety of configurations, ranging from batch loads to fully automated processes.
The ability to recycle your solvent waste can significantly reduce your purchase costs, as most equipment can recycle up to 95% of your liquid waste. You may also be able to avoid nearly all disposal costs if, after recycling, you end up with pure re-usable solvent that is no longer hazardous. Guess what? you can dispose of it through your municipal system.
Solvent recycling equipment is an excellent option for businesses that manufacture byproducts such as printing and ink, coatings and paint, metal finishing, and automotive painting. Recycling systems come in a variety of configurations, ranging from batch loads to fully automated processes. Make sure you choose the right one based on your type of industry and business operations.
Still Not Saving Money on Solvent Recycling?
Don’t worry; you can be a little stubborn at first. If you’re not already saving money with solvent recycling, you’re probably still having to store, dispose of, and transport a lot of hazardous waste.
While solvent recycling will not reclaim all of your spent solvents, it can recycle up to 90% of them, depending on the waste type. On other hand, if you are still transporting your hazardous waste, it can cost a pretty penny.
Solvent Recycling Procedures
- Tolling is one method that cleans the solvent to a predetermined specification and then returns it to the business for reuse. This is fairly common, as many businesses use it due to its ease of use and effectiveness in determining which solvents can be used in the future.
- Another method for recycling solvents is converting solvents into products for reuse, specifically for commercial product manufacturing. This method also has a lot of advantages because it helps to reduce overall waste volumes.
- Another option is reclamation, in which, similar to tolling, solvents are cleaned to a company’s specifications but then delivered to third parties.
Is It Profitable to Recycle Industrial Solvents?
Solvent recycling not only helps to preserve the environment, but it also helps to reduce the additional cost of purchasing new solvents. Recycling has reduced the need to purchase new solvents because existing ones can be recycled. Chemical laboratories, auto body shops, paint shops, chemical industries, and paint contractors are all significant contributors.
However, it has not reduced the demand for solvents and has created numerous new opportunities in the solvent market.
- Companies provide recycling technology, services, and recycled solvent to customers.
- The other type offers solvent recycling machines for sale.
- The third category provides both services and sells machines.
So, once you choose to use solvent recycling equipment you can actually make the most of it.
You lose out on a lot of advantages if your company does not recycle solvents:
A Significant Return on Your Investment
Recycling Solvents not only helps businesses cut costs and waste, but it also helps them establish a solid reputation in the marketplace. It is the greatest advantage that any business can take advantage of. You don’t need to constantly buy new solvents; you can simply recycle the ones you already have and begin manufacturing.
Making Money
Additionally, you can increase your income by recouping the cost of your recycling program by selling recyclable waste to other businesses as an alternative.
Recyclable materials are now a precious commodity. Metals, plastics, glass, and other materials gain in value as their price rises thanks to improvements in recycling technology. You only need to research local market prices and look for consumers willing to purchase recyclable goods.
Conclusion
Using solvent recycling equipment is profitable for every industry, whether the profits are monetary or not. No matter how many solvents you recycle at once, if you make it a habit, you can increase your marketability and make financial savings.
About Solvent Waste Management
Since 1994, Solvent Waste Management, Inc. has assisted many companies in a variety of different industries not only improving their operations but also reducing costs.
Solvent Waste Management Inc. designs and manufactures solvent distillation equipment that cleans contaminated solvents, allowing users to restore and continuously reuse solvents – thereby saving money on the cost of disposal and the cost of new solvents.
Model SW8 Solvent Recovery System
Model SW30 Solvent Cleaning Machine
Model SW55 Solvent Recycler Machine
Model SW70 Solvent Recovery Equipment
Solvent Waste Management designs and manufactures solvent recycling equipment that cleans contaminated solvents in such a way that the customer can reclaim and reuse solvents again and again, thus saving on both the cost of solvent disposal and the cost of new materials.