[mitmaks]

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.

[oldBodyman]

Check in your local area, I just left Seattle, they were considered 'inert', standard disposal in dumpster. Someone is selling you the 'Brooklyn Bridge'.

[69 widetrack]

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

[302 Z28]

Your company is being HOSED, throw them in the dumpster.

Vince

[mitmaks]

Originally Posted by 302 Z28

Your company is being HOSED, throw them in the dumpster.

Vince

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...

[tech69]

has your manager ever done the work? I don't think I have ever liked a job where the manager wasn't a body tech himself at one time or another.

[mitmaks]

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.

[oldBodyman]

"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.

[tech69]

Originally Posted by mitmaks

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.

i feel your pain. add a guy like that to restoration and it's a constant battle over quality...techs fighting for it to be right and mr spread sheet trying find shortcuts.

[MARTINSR]

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

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by mitmaks

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.

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

[mitmaks]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

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

You forgot to mention that you live in Nazi controlled California. Arnold sure screwed you guys down there.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by mitmaks

You forgot to mention that you live in Nazi controlled California. Arnold sure screwed you guys down there.

Arnold? He is a conservative (? sort of) Republican, it's the liberals who have done all that stuff. But on that regard, like I said, I love my children and grand children and will make these tiny adjustments so they have a home that is hazardous free in the future, I have no problem with that.

I did get a clarification on the disposal of the filters just now from my boss. We can throw them in the trash because they have been tested! We have to have them tested every five years for what nasties are in them. They have passed so they can be thrown in the garage, maybe your boss needs to look into that?

Brian

[mitmaks]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Arnold? He is a conservative (? sort of) Republican, it's the liberals who have done all that stuff. But on that regard, like I said, I love my children and grand children and will make these tiny adjustments so they have a home that is hazardous free in the future, I have no problem with that.

I did get a clarification on the disposal of the filters just now from my boss. We can throw them in the trash because they have been tested! We have to have them tested every five years for what nasties are in them. They have passed so they can be thrown in the garage, maybe your boss needs to look into that?

Brian

My previous "lead" aka paint shop supervisor had it done by independent test lab and they said they can be thrown in dumpster and are not hazardous.
Now this guy - new plant supervisor comes along and tells us to put them in 55 gal drums and then they haul them off. This supervisor asked a company "Safety Kleen" if they are dangerous and they're like "oh ya, they're bad, you should pay us to haul them off"
It is so bad now that when we sweep inside spray booth we have to plastic bag it and put it inside barrels to have them hauled off also.
This guy doesn't ask anyone or consult with previous supervisor to find out information. He just does what he thinks he should do.
I was promised a lead position but they put old guy in charge who used to paint caskets and is a complete idiot. This place has done downhill since I've started working there 7.5+ years ago.
They don't want to put in as a supervisor cause I do a lot of work for very little pay and they would loose a good painter.
I think once I finish project at home I'm doing for a guy I will be going to truck driving, make more money there and won't have to deal with as many idiots and chemicals.

[mitmaks]

Interesting is that Hanford is leaking thousands of gallons of nuclear waste and they're not doing anything about it, but they are so concerned about dry paint filters.
Hanford nuclear leak: Budget cuts threaten cleanup efforts - Associated Press - POLITICO.com
Leaking tanks are Hanford nuke site's latest woe