RE: glass recycling (sample containers)

[Janet Clark <clarkjan@turi.org>]

Hi P2tech,

There is a web page on microscale chemistry at 

--http://host.silvertech.com/microscale/

Janet


At 09:06 AM 2/12/97 -0500, Robert S Butner wrote:
>          Jeff --
>
>          The best solution, without any other details, would seem to
>          be (1) reducing sample size as small as possible; or (2)
>          going to in-line monitoring/control of the material and
>          avoiding sample taking altogether.
>
>          How effectively you can implement the above will depend in
>          large part on the physical/chemical properties being
>          monitored/measured.  Some testing or analytical protocols
>          can be done using truly small samples (on the milliliter
>          scale) but in practical terms there's probably a lower limit
>          set by the dead volume of the sample loop.  Being a viscous
>          fluid doesn't help, but depending again on what they are
>          measuring, there may be true micro-scale approaches.
>
>          In-loop, online measurement has improved vastly in many
>          areas over the past few years, and dedicating a PC to
>          control loop to the task is cheap compared to the labor of
>          sampling.  Not to mention disposing of all those baby food
>          jars!  If your client hasn't looked at this recently (in the
>          past year) I would suggest strongly revisting the issue.  Be
>          sure to consider all the various proxy measurements if
>          direct measurement isn't possible; optical, density, and
>          viscosity measurement can all be made on-line and can serve
>          as proxies for other properties.
>
>          There are some other suggestions for P2 in chemical process
>          design/operation at our web site: 
>          http://www.seattle.battelle.org/P2Online/  
>
>          I hope to have a new article on the topic up online within
>          the next week or so.
>
>          Hope this helps.  
>
>          Scott Butner
>          Battelle
>          butner@battelle.org
>          206-528-3290
>
>
>
>
>
>          P2Tech-
>
> NJTAP is working with a chemical company that uses clear glass
>jars (4 ounce jars - the size of my fist) to take samples of the
>high viscosity, liquid resins they manufacture. They use over 100 a day.
>The jars are have a thin resin coating - right now they try to drain the
>jars by placing them upside down on a grill on top of a 55 gallon drum.
>The jars don't drain well enough though, and are disposed of as solid
>hazardous waste. We are considering a few P2 options:
>
>- find a way to cut down on the number of samples taken
>
>- see if some sort of a drying rack might drain the jars better
>
>- see if some sort of washer could clean the jars well enough so they
>can be reused
>
>- use a glass crusher (not P2, but they pay for solid haz waste by volume)
>
>- finding someone who would take, or pay for, this glass
>
>
>Has anyone encountered this problem, or have any thoughts? Thanks.
>
>
>Jeff Lewis
>Pollution Prevention Analyst
>New Jersey Technical Assistance Program
>
>
>