Waste

Waste issues in the paint and coatings industry generally fall into two categories: waste from paint and coatings manufacturing, and leftover architectural paint typically found in homeowners basements (post-consumer paint).

Paint manufacturing facilities generate hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, including wastes from equipment cleaning, off-spec products, pigment dusts, and wastewaters. Fortunately, the industry has reduced the waste generated from coating manufacturing operations. Further, the industry has increased the amount of waste that is managed through treatment, energy recovery, or recycling in comparison to wastes that are landfilled.

In 2005, EPA documented that the paint and coatings manufacturing industry managed approximately 120 million pounds of waste, which is a 25% decline from 1996 quantities. Approximately 4% of this waste was disposed, 8% was treated, 28% was recovered for energy reuse and 60% was recycled, demonstrating the importance of recycling and energy recovery (fuel blending) in our industry waste management practices.

It is important to note that on Feb.13, 2001, EPA proposed two hazardous waste listings, K179 for paint manufacturing waste solids and K180 for waste liquids. EPA proposed that if a facility had generated any of the identified paint manufacturing wastes (from tank and equipment cleaning operations that use solvents, water, and/or caustic; emission control dusts; wastewater treatment sludges; or off-specification product, as specified in each proposed listing description), the facility would have had to determine whether the waste contains any of the constituents of concern identified for each listing at a concentration equal to or greater than the concentration level set for that constituent. Based on NPCA and industry comments, in April 2002, EPA is issued a final determination not to list as hazardous certain wastes generated from the production of paint.