Toxics Use Reduction Case Studies
Ace Cleaners in North Andover, Mass. - Eliminating the use of toxic chemicals in dry cleaning
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| Professional wet cleaning has been identified as one of the most promising alternatives to perchloroethylene in the dry cleaning industry. The Toxics Use Reduction Institute at UMass Lowell provided a matching grant to Ace Cleaners in North Andover, Massachusetts, to help the small business convert its operations from perchloroethylene-based to water-based processes. The analysis of two years of data is presented here, including capital costs, performance data and associated costs, operational costs, and resource use and associated costs. The bottom line? During their first year of operation as a wet cleaner, Ace Cleaners realized $1,844 of savings and a 15% reduction in electricity use. Download PDF file (956.95 kB) |
Best Neighborhood Care Dry Cleaner - Eliminating the use of toxic chemicals in dry cleaning
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| This case study includes 12 months of data from Best Neighborhood on its capital costs, performance, resource use, and operational costs as a dedicated professional wet cleaner—the data also include costs of resources associated with laundering shirts (electricity, oil, water, and sewer). Download PDF file (1.63 MB) |
Independent Plating, Worcester, Mass. - Trivalent Chromium Plating Conversion Case Study, 2012.
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| Traditionally, metal finishing relies on the use of a number of toxic chemicals to achieve the performance requirements of its customers. Independent Plating recently converted a nickel plating line to accommodate a new technology that substitutes trivalent chromium for hexavalent chromium, a Higher Hazard Substance. This case study documents the company's decision-making process and the business case for making the change. Download PDF file (543.70 kB) |
Ophir Optics, North Andover, Mass. - Incorporating Toxics Use Reduction into Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma, 2011.
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| Ophir Optics uses lean manufacturing to achieve significant VOC reductions Download PDF file (322.30 kB) |
Silver Hanger Cleaners, Bellingham, Mass. - Eliminating the use of toxic chemicals in dry cleaning
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| The Toxics Use Reduction Institute has been working with the dry cleaning sector for over ten years — focusing on the ultimate goal of replacing the use of perchloroethylene (PCE) in this sector with safer and feasible alternatives, particularly professional wet cleaning. In 2008, the Institute provided a matching grant to Silver Hanger Cleaners in Bellingham, Massachusetts to convert their operations from perchloroethylene-based to water-based processes. Two years of data have been collected from the facility, reflecting one year of solvent use and one year of dedicated professional wet cleaning. The analysis of the data is presented here, including capital costs, performance metrics, operational costs, and resource use and associated costs. Download PDF file (2.98 MB) |
Brooks Instrument, LLC. Lead-free Electronics Implementation. 2008.
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| TURI Technical Report No. 59. During 2007 and 2008, the Institute worked with representatives from Benchmark Electronics, Brooks Instrument, and Emerson Process Management to conduct and document a lead-free electronics implementation for a high reliability electronics product that is exempt from the European RoHS Directive. The research information provided by the New England Lead-free Consortium, as well as the information contained in this case study, is of high value to companies that need to transition to lead-free electronics for their high reliability products. The Institute's university research program continues to fund research efforts to reduce the use of toxic chemicals in the electronics industry. Download PDF file (5.56 MB) |
Delaware Valley Corporation. 2008.
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| In 2006, Delaware Valley Corporation installed an air-to-air heat exchanger at their Tewksbury facility to recover heat for both process and space heating from two of their natural gas-fired textile heat-setting ovens. It cost $27,000 to purchase and install the new system. The company expected about a one-year payback from savings in gas related expenses. However, OTA worked with the company and identified utility incentives available from their gas provider, which reduced the payback period to eight months. In addition to cutting energy costs, the heat exchanger installation has resulted in more comfortable working conditions for their employees, because the workplace is now maintained at a constant, uniform temperature. Delaware Valley has been so pleased with their heat recovery system that they have gone on to install a second heat exchanger on the third oven, and are investigating the installation of yet another at their Lawrence facility, to capture waste heat from all their ovens. Finally, savings from the heat recovery system will be reinvested to implement future energy related projects. Download PDF file (4.76 MB) |
Seaman Paper Company. 2008.
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| Seaman Paper Company is a leader in resource conservation that has significantly reduced energy use and fuel consumption over the last 10 years by making changes to its operations. The company implemented an energy conservation program that reduced electricity use by 2.6 million kilowatt hours (kWh) per year and oil use by nearly 1.7 million gallons per year. In addition, Seaman is installing a backpressure steam turbine/generator, which will enable the cogeneration of electricity and process steam and lead to further energy savings. All of these changes have saved Seaman Paper more than $1.5 million in yearly operating costs. Download PDF file (82.90 kB) |
Bio Based Floor Finish Stripping and Hard Surface Cleaning Project |
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| The purpose of this project was to evaluate bio-based replacements at a VA Hospital against products currently in used at that facility. The first phase evaluated a heavy duty floor finish stripper. The second phase evaluated hard surface cleaning products. Both phases were based on the preliminary laboratory testing previously at the facility. Read more... | |
Export Case: Lead Free Electronics Industry. 2006
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| Work over the last several years to develop lead-free solder alloys has identified numerous technical challenges. Because no "drop-in" lead-solder replacement has been found, lead-free requires a change in design of whole products. Industry has been actively working on developing alternatives, with many industry consortia sharing R and D resources. In 1997 one of the largest consortia conducted a study of 80 lead-free solder alternatives, recommending 3 alloys for further study. However the rapid time frame of EU legislation, combined with technical difficulties, concerns that new solders will become future regulatory targets, and difficulty agreeing on either a lead-free solder or a standard definition of "lead free", have made for a difficult transition with many companies scrambling to meet EU guidelines. Download PDF file (124.51 kB) |
Import Case: Formaldehyde in Construction. 2006.
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| Formaldehyde was discovered in 1867. It is a widely used basic building block chemical that is now in a plethora of products and processes including adhesives, hard surface building materials, insulation, floor finish, and composites. In 2003, 4 million metric tons (MMT) of 37% Formaldehyde was used in the US and 24 MMT was used worldwide. Formaldehyde-free products have slowly become more available. Initially imported from specialty manufacturers to meet niche consumer demand by chemical sensitive individuals and green-motivated builders, such products are increasingly developed by domestic and larger companies as demand increases. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), founded in 1993, publicly launched the Leadership in Energy and Environment (LEED) certification in 2000. In 1997 the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Energy committee expanded to become the Committee on the Environment. Many other green building groups have emerged. LEED in particular has advanced green building, creating "bragging rights" for green firms and owners. Green-building cost premium estimates have reduced from +20% to +2-5% in up front cost (that pays for itself) . This change is attributed to greater availability of green technology and building materials. Download PDF file (337.70 kB) |
Local Case: Perchloroethylene in Dry Cleaning. 2006.
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| Perc was introduced as a drycleaning solvent in the late 1930s. It first replaced other synthetic solvents, and then gradually replaced petroleum derived solvents until it became the dominant solvent in the early 1960s. Perc was effective, reusable, noncorrosive, inexpensive, nonflammable and less toxic than existing alternatives. After regulation in 1993, a number of alternatives began to be developed (petroleum or hydrocarbon, carbon dioxide, silicone based, and "wet" cleaning). However, adoption of these alternatives is slow. Perc is still used by over 70 % of drycleaners nationally. With better practices and equipment, the amount of Perc the industry consumes has declined dramatically. Download PDF file (172.59 kB) |
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