Barrels of paint waste = $$$$$$ for removal. In liquid form, paint waste is indeed considered to be hazardous waste and must be treated as such. Mathematically, the waste managenent figures can be downright scary over a five-year period. Calculate the waste management cost ($ per month x 12 months x 5 yrs) then add the cost of replacement thinner. Many shops have already discovered solvent recyclers. By recovering approximately 90% of a shop's solvent, a solvent recycler can pay for itself very quickly. Not all shops, however, have discovered that they don't need to have the still bottoms hauled away as hazard waste. Cooking paint waste alone will produce a gooey cookie- in this form, it still isn't appropriate for disposal in a dumpster. Cooking out paint waste that has been cut with waste thinner will produce a dry cookie that has the appearance of a hardened foam. In this form, a TCLP test can be performed on a still bottom and provide evidence that such materials are appropriate for local disposal.

-- Tara L. Munro (dlhe1@aol.com), July 23, 1997