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NPEP Success Story: Material Sciences Corporation
Disclaimer Note
The success stories provided on this website were obtained from NPEP partners. EPA edited the descriptions for space, stylistic consistency, and clarity, but they were not written or officially endorsed by EPA. Reference herein to any specific company or commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government.
Material Sciences Corporation Reduces Naphthalene Through Product Substitution
The Material Sciences Corporation (MSC) was formed in 1971 and since
then it has been a pioneer and an industry leader developing material-based
solutions for electronic applications to the energy management, acoustical/thermal,
and coated metal applications markets. Currently, MSC is recognized around
the world with facilities located in the United States, Germany, Brazil,
Singapore, and Malaysia. The company's stock is traded on the New York
Stock Exchange and is included in the Standard and Poor's SmallCap 600
Index and the Russell 2000.
Since 1998, MSC has participated in both U.S. EPA and Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection (PADEP) voluntary Pollution Prevention (P2)
programs, seeking environmentally sound ways to do business. Recently,
PADEP published the following: "In the past few years, on its own
initiative, MSC conducted internal P2 assessments that resulted in process
changes that saved the company $65,000 per year, and that lowered the
waste stream both in volume and toxicity. The list of these measures shows
creative responses to both simple and complex waste-generating problems."
In addition, MSC has had the honor of receiving a proclamation that declares
October 20, 2004 as the Bucks County of Pennsylvania "MATERIAL SCIENCES
CORPORATION DAY" for recognition of MSC's participation in voluntary
programs to reduce waste and prevent pollution.
 EPA officials present an NPEP Achievement Award to Raquel Almeida-Khodash of Material Sciences Corporation on October 25, 2005. |
The MSC division located in Morrisville, Pennsylvania has conducted
coil coating operations as the primary commercial activity since
the company's inception. The coil coating process utilizes coils
of cold roll steel, galvanized steel, or aluminum. The coil strip
is cleaned with an alkaline cleaner, receives a chemical conversion
coating that provides corrosion and adhesion protection, and is
then subsequently painted. The coil travels through a baking oven
to cure the paint and is finally recoiled for packaging.
Wastes generated from the manufacturing process are primarily from two areas: pretreatment and coater/paint line. Pretreatment wastes consist of metal hydroxide sludge from the water treatment system. Coater room wastes consist of spent solvents and spent paint sludge. |
Material Sciences Corporation's main goal was to reduce or eliminate naphthalene from its painting system. One high volume paint contains approximately 2.5% naphthalene. In addition, MSC utilized a cleanup and cutting solvent that contained 10% naphthalene. In 2002, MSC reported almost 50,000 pounds of naphthalene from the paints and solvents used at the facility. MSC focused on material substitution for the high volume paint to a naphthalene-free paint along with a naphthalene-free solvent in order to reduce the amount of total naphthalene stored, processed, emitted, and disposed from the facility at Morrisville, Pennsylvania.
Hurdles Faced
MSC identified naphthalene as an ingredient in the paint used in large
quantities for a particular segment of our business. MSC began to search
for an alternative paint that utilized naphthalene-free solvent. Shortly
after our commitment to participate in NPEP, PPG Industries, a large supplier
to MSC, agreed to partner with our efforts.
PPG Industries engaged in extensive research to develop an alternate paint
that did not contain naphthalene, would meet or exceed all of the end
use specifications, could be applied at MSC's Morrisville facility, and
was economical. After several line trials and adjustments MSC and PPG
Industries were able to replace the old paint with PPG's new naphthalene-free
paint formulation. MSC also evaluated the cleanup and cutting solvents
used and switched to a naphthalene-free solvent for use in the coating
line operations.
Waste Minimization Results
In 2003, MSC began the switch to PPG's new paint and reduced the amount
of reported naphthalene from the high volume coating by 20,739 pounds
and naphthalene from the solvent by 7,961 pounds. In 2004 naphthalene
reductions were 24,186 pounds for the new paint and 16,394 pounds for
the alternate solvent. By the end of 2005, the reduction of naphthalene
is expected to be 29,000 pounds.
Lessons Learned
Minimizing instead of treating waste is a sensible way of making a
contribution to protect the environment and save on waste disposal costs.
Material Sciences Corporation gained experience in practicing pollution
prevention. The approach to waste minimization rather than waste treatment
allowed MSC to reduce the amount of waste containing naphthalene and encouraged
us to search for other waste minimization opportunities.
MSC is happy to be part of the NPEP program and participate with other U.S. industries in reducing the use of priority chemicals in our operations and will continue to look for methods to integrate pollution prevention within our production and make a positive contribution to the surrounding environment. MSC is actively engaged in achieving continuous improvement on product quality in a safe and environmentally sound manner.
The partnership developed with EPA, PPG Industries, and MSC top management was essential to achieve the desired naphthalene waste minimization goals. Material Sciences Corporation would like to thank the NPEP Team for the incentive and opportunity given to participate in NPEP and to contribute to a better environment. The Team's willingness to help and their guidance during the Naphthalene reduction project was inspirational to us.
NPEP offers an excellent opportunity to industries to adopt the pollution prevention goals and practices that could not be otherwise achieved. The MSC partnership with NPEP helped reduce the amount of naphthalene in the process, which also helps to address costumer's demanding requirements, is cost effective, and provides encouragement to continue with the environmental improvement goals through waste minimization practices.