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Long Term Environmental Liability Concerns with Anodizing Shop Operation

adv.

I work at a captive Anodizing Shop. Managers at our facility have become increasingly concerned with the environmental liability associated with operating an anodizing shop. I need to alleviate their fears. I plan to do that by comparing the economic benefits of shop operation to the economic risk of shop operation.

I can quantify the cost of shop operation fairly easily. Quantifying environmental risk is another matter. I'm assuming that environmental risk would best be quantified by getting quotes for Plating/Anodizing shop environmental liability insurance. Can anyone think of different approaches that could be taken? Is anyone aware of literature that addresses the environmental risk of plating/anodizing shop operation?

James Hovelsrud
Anodizing Shop - Indianapolis, IN USA
2006

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2006

James

Any company using or handling hazardous materials has an environmental risk. The real question is how safe is your shop. Do you have adequate secondary containment? Are your tanks/containers in sound condition? Do your employees practice good chemical handling & conservation? Is your shop in good regulatory compliance? Do you have better than adequate contingency planning?

If you can answer yes to the questions, and if it will make you sleep better at night, get the insurance.

If you're answering NO, spend the insurance premiums to reduce the risk. Consider visiting a state-of-the-art anodizing/plating shop to see how it is done.

Willie Alexander
- Colorado Springs, Colorado

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2006

I am no environmental authority, but, in most anodizing shops the only "hazardous" material is the copper in the effluent from anodizing 2000 series alloys. Also there may be a "smidgen" of trivalent-chromium in the black dye. I have seen municipal water with more chrome in it then the effluent from a black dye tank (and off line I will name the prominent city).

You will have to remove non-hazardous solids to the local code and adjust pH to the local code, but there should be no hazardous stuff there. The oil dripping from your family automobile is a worse environmental offender then your anodizing shop.

Robert H Probert
Robert H Probert Technical Services

Garner, North Carolina

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While your opinion on this is solidly grounded in experience, Robert, there is a need for a few disclaimers here. Anodizing is covered by 40 CFR 433 which means that (simplifying a bit) the waste products are hazardous materials by law. As we are reminded by the lawmakers such as former NJ governor Tom Kean: "Toxic is a matter of statute, not opinion". There is also the matter of desmutters which may contain nitric or chromic acid. And many if not most shops that do anodizing also do chromate conversion coating, and chromates are hazardous.

Finally, the only way to sustain growth in environmental employment is by constantly inventing new hobgobblins we need to be protected from :-)
Thus, the "no statute of limitations" on pollution will be leveraged by still more retroactive environmental rules. While oil drips from the family car may be more of a problem, politicians elected by popular vote cannot point fingers at their average constituent, but must demonize the small factory owner. Get the insurance if you can :-)

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2006