TheSamba.com :: View topic - All the paint stripping places are disappearing

Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:57 am

used a blasting place out on 82nd for a sliding door about two months ago, they packed up about a week after i got the door from them. then a couple days ago i drove past the dip place that i considered using around the same time, they're gone too. EPA is really cracking down, eh?

Tue Feb 17, 2015 8:21 am

EPA has made it difficult on many services needed and many products needed

Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:37 am

I wouldn't assume it was the EPA unless the owners told me so.

Maybe they just went bankrupt.
Maybe they changed locations.

Maybe it's Portland itself cracking down.

Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:32 pm

I work with EPA issues....and I will tell you that the EPA is only partially at fault.

There are more than one entity to deal with. The Federal EPA is sometimes less of an issue than the state EPA's.

Many of these places deserved to go out of business. Many dont. Most of the undeserving business losses (due to regulatory) are simply because people get into a business without bothering to educate themselves FIRST.

The vast majority of these places I have been in...metal stripping houses....dont do the basics that keep them out of the regulatory eye.

Some notes:

If you are a business and you buy stripping chemicals (VOC's or acids/caustics):

1. did you bother to find out about the waste water permit required by most city/county state? They will want to now what you plan to put down the drain if anything...and how many gallons per day/month etc. Its not a big deal....but you have to have a permit.

2. If you have a drying oven for paint or parts....you need a basic air emissions permit in most places for state...which is also looked at by federal. If you by VOC chemicals....how are you capturing what is evaporated...if not....how many pounds/tons per year. Paint stripper vats have the same problem.

You better be aware that every gallon of VOC based chemical you buy...is noted and reported by those who sell it to you. They have to do this because when THEY buy or produce VOC based chemicals....they are responsible to document whether they are using it and it evaporates into the air (tonnage per year/gallons per year). Either they are "emitting" it...or they are getting it off their books and selling it to you.....making YOU the emitter now.

WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM THAT PUTS THESE SMALL BUSINESSES OUT OF BUSINESS....PURE SLOPPINESS

3. ......if you are not evaporating the solvents into the air (high flash point solvents) ....or are using acids or caustics........how are you getting rid of them when they are shot/spent?

As a business you are required to have a SOLID WASTE PERMIT (solid waste means liquid or solid...anything but gas or evaporated liquid...which is an air emission).
Each type of waste (if its hazardous and there are specific definitions for hazardous and non-hazardous)....must have its own stream and drum...each must have a DOT and EPA profile decal, a hazard class decal, an environmental hazard decal, a start and finish of fill date and various toxicity warning symbols. If you are missing labels/decals...each can cost you about $2500 per day of violation.

Your DOT shipping manifests ...even if you only ship a couple drums per year must be perfect, accurate and kept on file for 10 years.

You cant mix these waste streams. Non-hazardous must be in the Non-hazardous drum...hazardous in the hazardous drum. And....the company you use to get rid of your waste must be certified and have DOT documentation.

You are responsible for every drop of waste from cradle to grave.

The thing that drives most stripping shops out of business is fines from labeling and poor housekeeping of waste products. They dont have approved waste vendors, mix their streams of waste just by having a handful of sloppy barrels etc. They get popped once and typically the fines are huge.

Are these regs necessary?....absolutely. They were put in place to stop the huge level of illegal dumping of solvents and chemicals by unscrupulous disposal companies. Having been in over 3500 plants and facilities...I have seen no end to the accidents and injuries from sloppy shops who didn't bother to find out what the risks and implications...safety and environmental ...were with the chemicals they are using.
All of this started with Love Canal (directly documented as the beginning of the clean water and clean air act.).

What is not necessary is the nit-picking and astronomically high fines of the EPA for what are minor labeling infractions from an otherwise in compliance company.

10 years ago the agencies would levy a fine and give 90 days to correct the problem and then re-inspect....and drop the fine to 10% of the total if you were a first timer.

About 6 years ago...the EPA was de-funded. Since that time they have told their agents...."go into the field...fund our agency...and dont make deals...extract money". Its criminal.

Ray