|
WASTE DESCRIPTION |
TYPE OF PROJECT |
POUNDS REDUCED, REUSED, RECYCLED
OR CONSERVED IN 2006 |
WASTE TYPE |
POTENTIAL COSTS FOR TREATMENT
& DISPOSAL |
COST OF RECYCLE, PREVENTION |
ESTIMATED COST SAVINGS |
PROJECT DESCRIPTION DETAILS * |
|
Aerosol Can Disposal System |
Recycling |
528 |
66 pounds of hazardous waste per
unit |
$7,928 |
$900 |
$7,028 |
Allows spent aerosol cans to be
recycled scrap metal rather than sent to WMD as hazardous waste currently
there are 8 units in use (F&O=5; CA=1; NSLS=1; BES =1) |
|
Formaldetox |
Source Reduction |
440 |
neutralized
approximately 55 gallons of non-haz waste. |
$2,120 |
$0 |
$7,000 |
Neutralizes non-hazardous
para-formaldehyde, chlorix, bleach and rat blood |
|
Replacement of BES Mercury
Thermometers |
Substitution |
20 |
Mercury |
$2,350 |
$1,000 |
$1,350 |
Approximately 20 lb of
mercury-containing thermometers were removed from BES laboratories during
2006. Savings are based on the cost of one mercury spill and cleanup. |
|
HPLC Solven Recycler |
Reuse |
110 |
Hazardous Waste |
$1,755 |
$2,675 |
$6,755 |
Allows the reuse of
approximately 50 liters of solvent and the cost savings of approximately 50
man-hours of labor |
|
Propane Cylinder De-Valver |
Recycling |
50 |
Hazardous Waste |
$3,750 |
$950 |
$2,800 |
Collider Accelerator purchased a
propane cylinder De-valver. If the
cylinders were not de-valved they would have to go to a vendor for disposal
at $75/cylinder. Once the valve is
de-valved it can be recycled as scrap metal. |
|
Flurescently Labeled
Oligonucleotides |
Waste Minimization |
3,144 |
396
ft3 of rad waste; 35 gal of mixed waste; 108 gal of haz waste |
$67,600 |
$14,000 |
$43,370 |
This project was cost shared
with Biology. This process avoids the
use of radioactivity, and hence the avoidance of rad waste generation. |
|
Electronic Recycling |
Recycling |
140,600 |
E-Waste |
N/A |
$1,200 |
N/A |
Previously the Laboratory's
e-waste was collected by the scrap metal dealer, but the recycling process
was questionable. BNL has partnered
with a governmental based e-waste recycler that take the product for free, but
the Lab pays shipping. |
|
Disposal of #6 Fuel oil and
Turkey Based Biofuel |
Energy Rocovery |
12,000 |
Industrial Waste |
$30,000 |
$500 |
$29,500 |
1500 gallons of #6 fuel oil and
biofuels accepted from EENS as fuel stock for the Steam Facility |
|
Electronic Barometer |
Substitution |
3 |
Mercury |
$2,350 |
$1,800 |
$550 |
Approximately 3 lb of a
mercury-containing tbarometer was removed from EENS during 2006. Savings are
based on the cost of one mercury spill and cleanup. |
|
Building Demolition Recycling |
Recycling |
11,080,000 |
Industrial Waste |
$748,680 |
$32,000 |
$716,680 |
Segregation, recycling and reuse
of on-site building demolition products (steel and concrete) |
|
System One Parts Cleaner |
Substitution |
640 |
Hazardous Waste |
$4,000 |
$2,800 |
$1,200 |
Plant Engineering purchased a
System One parts washer which re-distills the solvent when dirty. The removed grit and sludge is mixed in
with the waste oil. This system
eleminates the need for a vendor such as Safety Kleen. |
|
Photon Counting
Spectroflurometer |
Substitution |
54 |
2 ft3 of mixed waste and 1000
man-hours |
$10,540 |
$0 |
$25,540 |
Eliminated the need for
radioactive assays and the subsequent generated radioactive waste. Cost savings include 1000 man-hours and
savings on material costs |
|
Replacement of Mercury Utility
Devices |
Substitution |
40 |
Mercury |
$2,350 |
$4,000 |
$2,350 |
Approximately 40 lb of
mercury-containing devices were removed from utility devices during 2006.
Savings are based on the cost of one mercury spill and cleanup. |
|
Animal Bedding Conveying System |
Composing |
|
25 yds3 of LLRW |
$189,000 |
$5,000 |
$184,000 |
Animal bedding material is no
longer sent to sanitary - it is now convayed to a dumpster which is
emptied/composted at the stump dump. |
|
Halogen 1211 Fire Extinguisher Substitution
* |
Substitution |
1,700 |
Reduction of Halogenated Ozone
Depleting Substances |
$4,000 |
$6,200 |
$4,000 |
1985 pounds of halogen 1211
removed from service and replaced with non-ozone depleting substances |
|
EP Grounds Vehicle Wash * |
Waste Minimization |
8,000 |
oils/grease to soils |
$16,000 |
$1,000 |
$16,000 |
This is a multi-year / multiple
Department funded initiative that will eliminate the potential of oil and
grease being released to soil |
|
Organic Solvents |
Substitution |
678 |
Hazardous Waste |
$1,694 |
$0 |
$26,000 |
Life Sciences purchased a
Microwave Peptide Synthesizer in 2004 to significantly reduce the amount of
hazardous wastes generated. Saves ~1,000 work hours/year (reflected in cost
savings). |
|
Organic Solvents |
Purification/Reuse |
44 |
Hazardous Waste |
$110 |
$0 |
$3,510 |
The
primary cost savings of the BES solvent purification system is in not
purchasing new solvent and man-power savings in not running the stills. |
|
Cooling Water |
Reuse |
63,400 |
Deionized water |
$0 |
$0 |
$7,925 |
A
closed-cycle water recycling system for the Building 480 melt spinner saved
7,925 gallons of ultra-pure water and extends the life expentancy of
equipment worth $100,000. |
|
Mercury Utility Devices |
Substitution |
10 |
Mercury |
$2,300 |
$0 |
$2,300 |
Plant Engineering replaced
mercury-containing utility devices with non mercury-containing equipment in
2006. Savings are based on the cost of one mercury spill and cleanup. |
|
Radioactive Waste |
Source Reduction |
1,500 |
Radioactive Waste |
$6,000 |
$0 |
$6,000 |
A sorting table was purchased in
2003 for the Waste Yard, so clean waste could be sorted from radioactive
waste. |
|
Radioactive Emissions |
Emission Reduction |
0 |
Radioactive Emissions |
|
|
$0 |
A shroud was installed over the
16-inch diameter shaft in the Hot Cell of the BLIP, isolating cooling water
from the rapidly moving air of the exhaust system and allowing radiological
decay within the water system. Slowing the diffusion into the hot cell air
will effectively reduce gaseous emissions into the exhaust stack, as these
radionuclides have very short half lives.
The shroud/enclosure has been instrumental in reducing short-lived
radioactive gaseous emissions. Beyond the environmental benefits associated
with the project and due to the efficiency of the enclosure in reducing
emissions, the facility has been able to stay below the emissions level that
would require additional regulatory burdens. |
|
Radioactive Waste generated
through wet chemistry |
Waste Minimization |
30 |
Mixed waste / Liquid Radioactive
Waste |
$17,600 |
$0 |
$22,500 |
The purchase of a Kinetic
Phosphorescence Analyzer (KPA) system for uranium analysis eliminated mixed
waste generation in this chemistry laboratory, reduced by 90% the volume of
liquid waste, reduced by 90% the amount of radioactive material handled, minimized
exposure to uranium by laboratory personnel, and decreased labor time by 75%. |
|
Radioactive Waste from labeled
chemicals |
Waste Minimization/ Volume
Reduction |
0 |
Solid Radioactive Waste |
$2,168 |
$0 |
$2,168 |
A vial crusher for glass vials,
pipettes, and other glassware was purchased to reduce volume of rad waste. |
|
Radioactive and Mixed Wastes
from radio-labeled chemicals |
Waste Minimization |
112 |
Mixed Waste
|
$27,690 |
$0 |
$27,690 |
A microplate scintillation
counter was purchased to to reduce mixed waste generation.
|
|
Pump Oil |
Substitution |
51 |
Hazardous Waste / Industrial
Waste |
$3,520 |
$0 |
$3,520 |
Oil-displacement pumps were
replaced with dry pumps for both laboratory and aircraft missions. |
|
Electrophoretic Mini-Gels |
Microscale Chemical Use |
2,200 |
Hazardous Waste - Lab Pack |
$11,500 |
$0 |
$11,500 |
This system minimizes silver
waste from silver-staining electrophoretic mini-gels. Savings reflect avoided
waste disposal costs and lower material purchase costs ($6,000). |
|
Sewage Sludge |
Volume Reduction |
18,450 |
Radioactive Waste |
$387,450 |
$0 |
$387,450 |
Disposal
of 60,000 gal of radioactive STP liquid waste by a contractor would cost
$910,000. Instead, the waste is dried using rolloffs, absorbent, and lime and
shipped via rail to a disposal facility. A second drying bed was built to dry
sludge (96% volume reduction) from the anaerobic sludge digester. |
|
Film and other radioisotopic
imaging |
Substitution |
300 |
Hazardous Waste / Industrial
Waste |
$22,000 |
$0 |
$22,000 |
Replacement
of film-based autoradiography and other radioisotopic imaging with a
Phosphor Imager reduced hazardous waste generation by 200 lb and industrial
waste generation by 100 lb. Additional projected savings are in annual supply
costs and labor reduction. |
|
Lead Acid Batteries |
Recycled |
11,000 |
Hazardous Waste |
$27,500 |
$0 |
$27,500 |
Estimate 40 lb/battery and
avoided disposal costs as hazardous waste. |
|
Ion Exchange wastewater |
Source Reduction |
1250 |
Hazardous and Sanitary
Wastewater |
$3,125 |
$0 |
$3,125 |
Prefilters,
added to the deionization system, polish makeup water entering the ion
exchange system. This extends the useful life of the ion exchange resins,
requiring less frequent regeneration. The regeneration process generates
hazardous and sanitary waste. |
|
Short Half-life waste |
Decay in Storage |
495 |
Radioactive Waste |
$20,558 |
$0 |
$20,558 |
Short
half-life isotopes, particularly phosphorus-32 and phosphorus-33, are
frequently used in life sciences experiments. In 2006, wastes from these
operations (29 ft3 and 345 lbs of liquid) were managed in accordance with BNL
decay-in-storage requirements, rendering the wastes eligible for volumetric
release. |
|
Lubricating Oil |
Energy Recovery |
7,200 |
Industrial Waste |
$18,000 |
$500 |
$15,750 |
In 2006, ~7,200 lb (900 gal) of
lubricating oils and heating fuels were collected, tested for suitable for
use as waste oil fuel, and used for energy production at the Central Steam
Facility. Avoided disposal cost was $14,400. Cost of testing ($500) was offset
by fuel use savings ($1.50/gal). |
|
Cooling Tower Chemicals |
Source Reduction |
9,563 |
Industrial Waste |
$22,500 |
$0 |
$22,500 |
In 2001, ozone water treatment
units were installed on cooling towers at two RHIC experiments to provide
biological control of cooling water. These systems eliminate the need for
water treatment chemicals (typically toxic biocides), save labor, and reduce
analytical costs for monitoring cooling tower blowdown. In 2002 the SEM and
NSRL systems had ozone water treatment units installed and in 2003 the RF
system at RHIC had an ozone system
installed. Currently the RHIC RF, SEM and NSRL systems are are operational
awhile the RHIC BRAHMS & PHOBOS systems are not operating as the
experiments have ended. |
|
Blasocut Machining Coolant |
Recycled/Reused |
31,760 |
Industrial Waste |
$83,300 |
$0 |
$89,700 |
Central Shops Division operates
a recycling system that reclaims Blasocut machining coolant and supplies it
labwide. 3,970 gal (31,760 lb) of Blasocut lubricant were recycled in 2006.
Recycling involves aeration, centrifuge, and filtration. This avoids cost of
disposal as industrial waste plus an avoided cost of procurement of 8 drums
of concentrate ($800/drum) and 78 drums for waste ($50/drum). |
|
Used Motor Oil |
Energy Recovery |
22,240 |
Industrial Waste |
$58,150 |
$0 |
$58,150 |
Used motor oil from the motor
pool and the on-site gas station is picked for free up by Strebel's Laundry
Service and used to fire their waste oil boilers. In 2006, 2,780 gal of oil
were picked up, avoiding cost for disposal and 51 drums for shipping ($50/drum). |
|
Office Paper |
Recycled |
368,000 |
Sanitary Waste |
$18,400 |
$0 |
$18,400 |
Estimate $100/ton for disposal
as trash. |
|
Cardboard |
Recycled |
270,000 |
Sanitary Waste |
$13,500 |
$0 |
$13,500 |
Estimate $100/ton for disposal
as trash. |
|
Scrap Metal |
Recycled |
316,000 |
Sanitary Waste |
$15,800 |
$0 |
$15,800 |
Estimate $100/ton for disposal
as trash. |
|
Bottles/Cans |
Recycled |
56,000 |
Sanitary Waste |
$2,800 |
$0 |
$2,800 |
Estimate $100/ton for disposal
as trash. |
|
Construction Debris |
Recycled |
594,000 |
Sanitary Waste |
$13,365 |
$0 |
$13,365 |
Estimate $45/ton for avoiding
disposal as trash. |
|
|
TOTALS |
13,021,612 |
|
$1,871,453 |
$74,525 |
$1,871,834 |
|
|
* Cost savings of projects funded by the BNL
Pollution Prevention Council will be tracked for three years. |
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|
putressible waste / ton |
100.00 |
|
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hazardous waste / pound |
2.50 |
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industrial waste / pound |
2.50 |
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Labpack / pound |
18.60 |
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radioactive liquid / pound |
21.00 |
20 dollars per gallon per Ed
Richards on 2/28/05 |
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sewage sludge / drum |
n/a |
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non-compactible LLW / ft3 |
149.90 |
|
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compactible LLW / ft3 |
88.75 |
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high activity LLW / ft3 |
n/a |
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mixed waste / ft3 |
210.00 |
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