# Pollution Prevention (P2) Accomplishments

Reduc ing Trichloroethylene (TCE) Waste in the Fabricated Metals Sector

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### Overview of TCE and Fabricated Metal Manufacturing

Facilities in the Fabricated Meta l Product Manufacturing sector make purchased metal into products through processes such as forging, stamping, bendi ng, forming, welding, machining, and assembly. Some facilities in this sector use the solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) in vapor degreasers , which clean metal parts in preparation for further finishing operations, like painting or welding.

TCE , a volatile o rganic compound (VOC), poses a human health hazard to the central nervous syste m, kidney, liver, immune system
, reproductive system, and to the developing fetus. TCE is also characterized by EPA as carcinogenic to humans by all routes of exposure (i.e., by inhalation, ingestion, and dermal exposure).  Because of these concerns , EPA selected TCE as one of the first existing chemicals to evaluate for safety under its Toxic Substance s Control Act (T SCA) Work Plan and released a final risk assessment in June 2014 indicating human health risks from inhalation exposures to TCE in certain commercial degreaser use scenarios.



### T CE Reductions Reported to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)
The quant ity of TCE releases reported to TRI by the fabricated metals sector decreased by 79% between 2001 and 2012 . Th e sector’s on

- and off

- site d isposal and other releases fell from 3 million pounds to 0.6 million pounds , and its total production

- related waste (which includes quantities released, recycled, used for energy recovery, and treated) fell from more than 80 million pounds to less than 30 million pounds reported annually

. The number of fabricated metal facilities reporting TCE to TRI decreased by 69% over this time period (from 141 to 44)

, indicating that many facilities eliminated TCE use entirely or reduced use below the 10,000 pound

repo rting threshold

. This decrease appears to be the result of P2 activities rather than facility closures, given that the overall number of TRI

- reporting facilities in this sector fell by only 20% over the same timeframe

.

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

0 10,000,000 20,000,000 30,000,000 40,000,000 50,000,000 60,000,000 70,000,000 80,000,000 90,000,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Number of Facilities Reporting Total Production - Related Waste (lb) Management of TCE by Fabricated Metal Manufacturers

Released Energy Recovery Recycled Treated Number of Facilities Facilities Reporting TCE :

- 69% TCE Waste:

- 64%

TCE Releases:

- 79%

To learn which facilities must report release, waste management, and P2 information to TRI, visit www.epa.gov/tri
visit 

### Quick Stats for 2012

 44 Fabricated Metal facilities report ed TCE to TRI

 21 newly

- implemented source reduction ( i.e., P2) activities were reported by 15 facilities

 79% decrease in TCE releases from 2001

- 2012

# Pollution Prevention (P2) Accomplishments

2 

### Common ly Reported P2 Activities for TCE

In 2012, 34% of fabricated metal facilities that submitt ed TRI forms for TCE reported newly implemented source reduction ( i.e., P2) activities

– almost four times higher than the national average of 9%. Two types of P2 practices were especially common at the fabricated metal facilities with the biggest reductions in TCE releases : cleaning and degreasing modifications, such as changing to aqueous cleaners f rom solvents or other materials

, and raw material modification (e.g., chemical substitution).

Facilities reporting to TRI have the option to submit text describing their P2 efforts. Examples include:

 Over several years, a metal he at treating facility first reduced TCE waste by maximizing the load size on their degreasers to improve efficiency, and later eliminated TCE by switching to aqueous degreasing.

 A metal plating and coating company switched from single

- stabilized TCE to double

- stabilized TCE, which increased the efficiency of their degreaser and reduced waste.

 A finishing company implemented additional testing for alkalinity and used additives to prolong bath life, resulting in fewer tank change

- outs and a 19% dec rease in TCE usage. It must be noted that not all TCE substitutes are necessarily safer. EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) Program provides a list of solvents (including degreasers) identifi ed as “safer

, ” but finding safer alternatives that are functional in any specific application can be a challenge.



### Facility Focus: Schick Manufacturing  
Schick’s Verona, Virginia facility (formerly American Safety Razor) manufactures a wide variety of blades and tools. When Schick acquired the facility in 2010, TCE elimination became a priority. The plant install ed aqueous “wash boxes” on production lines to replace TCE

- based cleaning operations, and also uses an alcohol

based cleaner in vapor degreasing as an effective substitute for TCE. As of October 2013, TCE use was completely eliminated at this plant; the ch emical is no longer used in operations and there is no remaining inventory. Although risk reduction was the key driver for these P2 measures, the plant estimates cost reductions of $250,000 a year from reduced energy, material and hazardous waste disposal costs.

 EPA’s toxicological review of TCE is available at www.epa.gov/IRIS/subst/0199.htm

.

  Based on TRI forms and information provided in response to a request from EPA’s P2 Program. 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 3,500,000 4,000,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total Production - Related Waste (lbs) Management of TCE at Schick Manufacturing Inc.

Released Energy Recovery Recycled Treated

Find more P2 examples for this and other sectors using the P2 Tool at: www.epa.gov/tri/p2

T ell u s wh at y ou t hink a bout this n ew P2 a ccomplishments s eries : blog.epa.gov/usingt r i Changed to aqueous cleaners

Installed solder recovery system

Reported planning for zero TCE usage by Oct. 2013