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Should a start up shop begin with the most EPA compliant product and equipment?

I was approached by associates in the architectural aluminum industry to become the working partner in an architectural aluminum coating business. Having little background in this industry my first area of research was EPA compliance issues here in Washington State which as you may know is very green leaning. I've read up on air use permits etc, but I have also read what appear to be much more green alternatives to chrome based pretreatments and powder coat versions of PVDF which advertise superior performance to liquid application processes. So my question is. For a start up shop does it make sense to incorporate the most green processes and products from the beginning? Or enter the field with tried and true methods. My fear is that future regulations may force an expensive upgrade in the future. Although my other fear is that these new technologies may be too new to be accepted by AAMA specifications or that the equipment may be out of reach. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Dave

Dave Bailie
Research - Kent, WA. USA
May 11, 2009

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It will be more expensive to install and operate a green facility than a marginal slop shop, but this is massively cheaper than trying to do an after the fact retrofit of the line.
You really need to do a cost benefit analysis of both ways. DEP can probably give you a reasonable idea of what laws might be changed and a loose estimate of when.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
June 24, 2009