This issue of CLEARWATERS is highlighting metal finishing to raise awareness of the significance of the environmental problems associated with these processes and to provide information on how releases from metal finishing operations can be reduced through pollution prevention. The articles in this issue explain why we are concerned about the environmental releases associated with metal finishing processes, how those releases can be reduced, and what resources and programs are available to help metal finishers change their processes to minimize the use of toxic materials and create less waste.

In 1998 over 1 million pounds of copper, chromium, nickel, and cadmium compounds and over 525,000 pounds of trichloroethylene, tricholoroethane, and tetrachoroethylene were reported as environmental releases from all industry sectors in the New York State Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). These substances are just a few that are found in the waste streams of the metal finishers. This industry typically uses metals in plating baths, solvents for cleaning parts, and a number of toxic and harmful substances in other processes. The TRI data on these releases represent only a fraction of the metal finishing industries in New York State, since many facilities do not meet the threshold reporting requirements. Of the more than two thousand companies listed in the Standard Industrial Classifications (SIC) as Primary Metal Industries and Fabricated Metal Products in New York State, less than 10% are required to report under TRI. Therefore, the actual releases of metals, solvents, and other toxics from all of these facilities is certainly much greater than the 4.1 million pounds reported for these sectors in the most recent TRI.

Metals are a class of chemicals that - by their very nature - are persistent; many metals are bioaccumulated throughout the food chain and can ultimately cause cancer and other adverse health effects. Many of the solvents used in parts cleaning can be extremely toxic and are suspected of causing cancer, liver and kidney damage, and neurological disorders. In one of this issue's articles ("Metal Finishing Wastes in the Environment: Why Are We Concerned?") the risks associated with the substances commonly found in metal finishing releases are characterized by explaining their toxicities and potential exposures.

Industry requirements and programs

To reduce the risks associated with releases of metals to the environment, metal finishers are subject to pretreatment requirements and are not allowed to release directly any metal wastes that they generate to the waters of the state. Metal finishers must pretreat their wastewater and reduce metal concentrations to levels that will allow the POTW to meet its permit limits. POTWs and metal finishers must work hand-in-hand to see that wastes are treated properly and effectively; in that way, POTWs can reach the goal of reducing the release of metals into the environment.

Many facilities that have metal finishing operations have found ways to reduce both the use and the release of toxic substances in their cleaning, coating, and plating processes. The article on the "NYS Governor's Awards for Pollution Prevention" describes how two companies reduced their releases of solvents, in some cases totally eliminating their use, and significantly reduced operational costs. This article also describes how New York State recognizes companies that find innovative ways to reduce the use and release of toxics.

State requirements and programs

For smaller companies that are looking for ways to improve their processes and better manage their wastes, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation offers a range of technical and compliance assistance programs. NYSDEC's Division of Water and its Division of Environmental Permits offer assistance in obtaining wastewater permits (see "Direct Discharge of Treated Metal Finishing Wastewater"). NYSDEC's Pollution Prevention Unit, along with the USEPA and several local government agencies, offers a performance-based program of incentives and benefits to metal finishers who will commit to a cleaner, cheaper, and smarter way of doing business and improve their image. This is our Strategic Goals Project (SGP). Through it, metal finishers develop environmental managements systems and implement pollution prevention strategies to help achieve the goals of the SGP program. NYSDEC provides assistance to them. Details on how to participate in this program are provided in the article "New York State—Strategic Goals Program for Metal Finishers."

The Pollution Prevention Unit also coordinates a multimedia pollution prevention (M2P2) program in each of NYSDEC's regional offices. With M2P2, facilities are addressed through an integrated and comprehensive program that involves multimedia inspections and pollution prevention assessments. Last year, NYSDEC's Commissioner selected metal finishers as a sector to be targeted by this program, and each region was directed to include this sector in its M2P2 work plans. As a result, more metal finishers have been the subject of NYSDEC's compliance program activities.

You can learn more about environmental assistance opportunities in the article "Pollution Prevention Unit Works with Metal Finishers." It describes the resources that are available to help metal finishers reduce the use of toxic and harmful materials and improve their environmental performance through pollution prevention. P2 works both to bring facilities into compliance and to go beyond!

The Pollution Prevention Unit looks forward to working with the New York Water Environment Association and the readers of CLEARWATERS to help metal finishers improve their image and contribute to overall reductions in toxic releases to the waters of New York State as well as its air and land resources.

Left to right:
Front: Rosita DiCioccio, Ann DiStefano, Mary Werner, Kathy Danaher, Laurie Rizzo
Center: Pat Bologna, Cheryl O'Brien, Sitansu Ghosh, Tanya Lahr, Dottie O'Hare, Sue Wither
Back: Dan DeMicco, Carlos Montes, Mike Flynn, Dennis Lucia, Jim Reagan, Bob McCarty

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Mary Werner is the Director of the NYSDEC Pollution Prevention Unit.

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