© Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell o o 

## Tr ansitioning fr om TC E Re ality vs Theor y Ta king the Lab to the Streets

Heidi Wilco

x TURI lab 97 8 93 4 3249 heidi@turi.or

g2 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell 

## TURI Lab UMASS Lo we ll • Hear d fr om m y colleague/ boss/ friend – What w e do, what w e ha ve d one – Ho w w e do it – What t ools w e use for alt assessment – Case studies fr om the lab 

### • What I w ant t o discuss is R eality vs Theor y – Ho w t o w ork in the field with experimental data & diffe rent companies cultures & needs3 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell 

## Theor y – Lab or Offi ce Alt Assess • Hear d fr om Jason – What the lab has done o ve r the years – Ho w w e do our alt assessments / our t ools – When contact ed or connected with a compan y • Send a tes t req ues t f

orm to under

stand process • See what is done bef

ore and af

te r cleaning • Email com pan

y rep about other inf

o needed • Do search of database & interne t f or options4 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell 

## Re ality – Na vigating Com pan y Culture • Meet, f ind out about com pan y, c ulture, process • Mak e relationships, listen – Ta lk about what they ha ve tried, ve ndors wo rk ed with – Find out about goals for pr oject – Driv ers – regulat or y, EH&S, management etc – Money talk, is there capital a vailable – Ta lk about fears, client, t esting needed etc – Gauge corporate backing 

### • Ta ke to ur, talk to p ro cess people, need them!5 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell 

## Re ality of the Substitution • TC E – Has great solv ency, cost is relativ ely lo w – Hazar dous but kno wn, man y ha ve w ork ed with TC E for long time, kno w ho w t o use it 

### • Solv ent substitutions – interim step – We ha ve seen mostly nPB – Good solv ency, cost no t out of reach – Dr op in , adjust degreser settings – Go t out of regs then but need to mo ve again – Ha ve built relationships, trust & par tnership6 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell 

## Re ality in its Infancy • Interim step leads t o trust, collaboration • When ne w regs knock on door, the y are less scared & kno w our pr ocess, Trust us • Mo ve to ot her pr

ocess can be in vo lv

ed – Need to go slo w – List en to com panies & w ork ers concerns – Ac kno wledge they are their pr ocess exper ts – Im there as another resour ce, a bridge to contractors& help o ve rsee / manage pr oject – Te sting issues of clients7 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell 

## Needs of Pr ocess in R eality • Solv ents cleaned w ell, w orr y ne w system w ont • Solv ent pr ocess kno wn, ne w unkno wn • Solv ents, w ork fo r clients & their process – No rinse & dr y needed – Re adily e vaporativ e, no hea vy residues – Pr ote ct against corr osion, rusting, remo ve fines – Quick pr ocess generally – Fo rgiving pr ocess fr om training pr ospectiv e 

### • Aq ueous or Semi pr

ocess unkno wn so scar

y to t hem & clients.8 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell 

## Lessons Learned in R eality • Ev er y compan y is diffe rent e ve n – Culture – Set up of pr ocess – Needs of the compan y for pr oject – Capital they ha ve t o spend – Space – Management suppor t – Wo rk ers, clients needs – Ho w much t esting is required fo r clients • Depends if FDA, Militar y & A er ospace9 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell 

## Generalizations in R eality • None really – eve rycompan y is diffe rent • Basics – there can be an alternativ e – Depends on ho w committ ed; • Pe ople who hold purse strings are • Floor management openness • Wo rk er buy in, mak es it easier if they feel in vo lv ed 

### • Dr op - ins easier for com pan y to deal with – Lo w EH&S, high t ech adoption /training, lo w cost 

### • Aqu eous & semi Aqu eous har der fo r com pan y – High EH&S, har der te ch & cost for compan y – Slo we r due to t esting needed10 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell 

## In R eality Alw ays an Alternativ e • Solv ent t o solv ent options - easier • Ne w system – Aqu eous, semi, media blasting, CO2 

### • There are other options besides substitution – Change pr ocess – Wo rk with supply chain ha ve p ar ts or st ock come in clean – Ask cust omer t o clean par ts inst ead of you – Buy high t ech, aut omat ed machines t o reduce handling of par ts & exposure to chemicals11 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University o f Massachusetts Lowell 

## Re ality Alw ays Wins Thank yo u Heidi Wilcox Head Field Scientist TURI Lab/ UMASS 97 8 - 934 32 49 Heidi@turi.org