Letter 133

Reprogramming lines and waste treatment costs

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I am curious about what is involved in re-programming an automatic/semi-automatic line with clean technology in mind, i.e. reducing dragout and water consumption. It is difficult to convince operators that they can change the line without ruining their product. Also, I would be interested in where I might find information on the capital and operating costs for typical waste water treatment facilities at metal finishing shops.

Alan Gagnet

Reprogramming a programmed hoist line is generally relatively easy, say two days work on average. But installing additional rinses, etc., can be a major (and sometimes impractical) undertaking. It is very difficult to give a canned answer to what is involved since it depends on how big the tanks are, how old, whether room exists to extend the line, etc.

The EPA has published costs several times in the development documents used to support CFR 413, CFR 433, etc. The impacts of such changes and the associated costs have been severely underestimated by the EPA repeatedly (which is probably only to be expected since they don't have to actually do the implementation, and they have a vested interest in understating the cost of regulation), but they are pretty much universally available, and so they are a good starting point.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

Water and Waste Control for the Plating Shop, Kushner & Kushner