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-----Electroless Nickel Disposal
Q. I am trying to dispose of Electroless nickel. The mixture is 60% deionized water, 15% Everon NPA-7109 BP make up and 20 % Everon NPA 7109 BP replenisher. Can I dispose of this myself or do I need to have a hazardous waste company dispose of it.
Ken Barrows- Aurora, Illinois, USA
2003
A. There might possibly, vaguely, chance-in-a-thousand, be a way by which you could escape hazardous waste laws with this, but I very strongly doubt it. You need to have it manifested and handled by a licensed disposal facility. Often, the best way is to return it to the supplier if they have a recycling program set up.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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2003
A. To answer your question, Electroless nickel is a non hazardous material. However, it is always better to recycle/reuse than to dispose of any substance. Nickel is definitely a recyclable substance.
Cynthia Smith- Pottsville, Pennsylvania
2003
A. While electroless nickel is non hazardous, electroless nickel solution is absolutely, positively, a regulated metal. You cannot sewer it and you cannot dump it on the ground. The chelators in it will cause problems in your conventional wastewater system also.
James Watts- Navarre, Florida
2003
A. Yes, electroless nickel is recyclable, Cynthia, and some vendors will take it back. But I have to disagree with you about it being non-hazardous because it is my understanding that all waste from a plating shop is categorically hazardous waste; i.e., because it is plating waste, it is hazardous by statute regardless of what is in it.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
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