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Spray booth filters disposal

6K views 27 replies 9 participants last post by  tech69 
#1 ·
I wanted to ask whoever works in body shops, does your body shop have filters hauled off or you guys just throw them in the dumpster.
Personally I don think there is anything harmful in them once they are dry.
Our company started paying another company to haul off old filters. They charge thousands. Of course the company that does it told our company that "they are hazardous waste" and we should have them "safely disposed"
There is whole lot of bureaucratic bs going on right now but it's long story.
Just wanted to know what other shops are doing about this.
 
#3 ·
I would without a doubt check local regulations...if they are considered hazardous waste, wouldn't a car be considered hazardous waste? Most cars have more paint on them than an exhaust filter in a spray booth. Or what about the painters paper towels used to clean the paint gun or wipe up a spill....i would think they would be more of a hazard than booth filters.

OH, by the way "Mitmaks", you got this thread in the wrong category...there's another thread on this Forum entitled "Come On Man", I think it should go under there.

Sounds like a boat load of B.S.

Ray
 
#5 ·
It's not up to me to decide this. You see there is an idiot of a manager who makes these decisions. He's got more on his plate that he can chew. They're paying thousands to haul off this stuff.
I know on hot days if we leave filters in the dumpster they start on fire (fiberglass filters with bunch of paint in them) We actually had a few dumpster fires lol
What ticks me off is my raise is a few cents here and there but they have $$$ to have filters hauled off. I'm looking for another job, been here too long...
 
#7 ·
No, he doesn't do any actual work. Walks all day, one hand in pocket and other one holding his coffee mug. Used to be a house painter I hear, but he has bachelors now and so they made him a throne. He oversees paint, assembly and fab shop.
They sure know how to waste money but won't give raises to people that deserve them.
 
#8 ·
"They sure know how to waste money but won't give raises to people that deserve them."

How much do you feed a mule to make it work all day long?
Just enough to make it know it's hungry and no more!

SO

How much do you pay a mule to make it work all day long?
Just enough to make it know it's hungry and no more!

Sorry if you don't like business 101 but it's like that everywhere.
If you accept the paycheck, YOU make it acceptable behavior.:evil:
 
#10 ·
More and more shops are looking at the numbers than ever before. Years ago a body shop was owned and ran by an artist (or a hack, depending) and seldom were the numbers looked at like most any other "manufacturing" company. With the margins getting tighter and tighter in this industry shop owners are looking more and more at how to save time here and there and run the shop more efficiently. There is nothing wrong with this of course UNLESS it effects the quality of the end product. A lot of time we fight it, just because it is change and we as humans resist change.

The shop I have worked at for the last 13 years has really gotten into training on this subject and I found it interesting as all hell. At the same time, when someone is telling you to change, it's difficult and I too resisted. When we were told that we would be painting all the panels off the car and then have to install them newly painted, holy crap how are we going to do that I asked. The production manager said "It's ether that or you go cut grass". Not every encouraging, but he was right, I was a body tech and I should be able to do it, if others are doing it right?

In no time we were all doing it in the shop and it wasn't a big deal at all. Heck I can put on newly painted doors by myself. Change, ahhhhh, it's always hard but if you become a better tech because of it, why not?

Brian
 
#11 ·
I seriously doubt your boss is that stupid to spend thousands throwing away filters if it wasn't required by law. And yes we have the filters removed and disposed of by the a company who services the booths, they come in and change filters, clean the booth and walk out with it spotless so we can paint cars and make money.

Around here I not sure what filters can and can't be thrown in the garage some get thrown out here others leave so I am not sure. But I do know that we can't wash cars with the water going into the drain or gutter, all water has to be filtered before it hits the street. We have a wash rack with a large drain in the middle and that drain needs to be serviced once in a while to change the filters and clean it. Then we have special garbage cans for the bondo dust that is swept up to be put in, again, it's "hazardous waste" by the standards of the city or county we live.

It's change, we resist but I don't have a problem with it, we don't want to crap on the earth.

Brian
 
#17 ·
#19 ·
very true!

Does you waste contain HOC? If so your boss might be spendy wisely, EPA fines are pretty spendy.
The law allows you to collect the fine if the EPA does not assess the fine for a violation.
There are firms around the country that do this full time.
They look for know violations, contact EPA, if EPA does not cite the owner,then the firm files suit and they get to keep the fine.

I had some training in this field as my employer generated quantities ( thousands of gallons a week) of hazmat and my dept had to handle, store, and ship it.
IF you ever get a letter inviting you to an EPA party, look and see who else is invited, and hope their pockets are deeper than yours, because he who can pay will pay.
 
#22 ·
We have Hanford, America's biggest nuclear waste facility (2 hours from here) and it's leaking. EPA is not going after it, they actually said "does not possess a serious threat" or some bs like that.
What are HOC?s Organic Compound, what is H for?
 
#28 ·
apart from all the bickering most of us do, including myself, about how they legislate environmentalism, it's gotta be a tough task to change everything we do. The fact that a few are able to get away with it just goes to show the golden rule is in affect. So after seeing BP in charge of hiding or shall I say cleaning up their oil they spilled in the Gulf and how that Japan plant was in charge of doing the same to hide their radioactive waste, just goes to show that money buys you privileges not everyone has. Kind of sucks in a way.
 
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