Best Management Practices For Treating Waste Polyester-Resin and Gelcoat

Best Management Practices for
Minnesota Treating Waste Polyester-Resin

Pollution
Control and Gelcoat
Agency
Hazardous Waste Division Fact Sheet #4.50 September 1997
This fact sheet is intended Introduction

for businesses that
generate polyester-resin wastes are typically disposed of in off-
Polyester-resin materials often are used
and gelcoat wastes. site industrial landfills.
These might include: in the production of boats, canoes, tub
and shower enclosures, pick-up truck
toppers, archery arrows, tanks, and Polyester resin and gelcoat wastes can
• archery suppliers
vanity tops. As part of the also be generated as:
and manufacturers
of - manufacturing process, hazardous resin
and gelcoat wastes are generated. • outdated or expired product,
• boats and canoes
• a color mismatch,
• tubs and showers
Recently, the Minnesota Pollution • excess from a one-time project, or
• truck-toppers
Control Agency (MPCA) proposed a • product that has deteriorated due to
“Best Management Practice” for onsite exposure to excess cold or heat.
treatment of these hazardous wastes
produced. This Best Management These unused, uncatalyzed product
Practice will allow businesses to treat materials are typically found in the
quantities of the waste resin and gelcoat original, purchased container, which
onsite in open containers, without a usually ranges in size from a 5-gallon
treatment permit, providing that the pail to a 55-gallon drum. When these
generator complies with all other materials become unusable for their
applicable storage requirements. intended purpose, they must be managed
as hazardous waste because they are
ignitable, and possibly contain toxic
Generating Resin Wastes in the metals.
Fiberglass Industry
Polyester wastes (resin and gelcoat) are The Best Management Practice
generated in several situations. First, for Liquid and Semi-Solid
and probably most commonly, these Resin and Gelcoat Wastes
wastes are generated during the
production process. Typically, liquid The necessary steps to treat waste resin
resins and gel coats are chemically and gelcoat closely parallel the steps
catalyzed immediately before involved in producing a polyester
application, and thus, have a limited product. In other words, both situations
useful product life. As the resin/gelcoat require mixing resin and catalyst and
and catalyst mixture bonds together, the allowing time for the mixture to
reaction eventually proceeds to a point polymerize and cure. Thus, the
where the mixture hardens into a solid treatment of the hazardous wastes should
that cannot be further processed or resemble typical processing methods
utilized. These nonhazardous, solid employed at your facility.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Road North, St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-4194
(612) 296-6300, TDD (612) 282-5332, toll-free (800) 657-3864
Upon request, this material can be made available in alternative formats for people with disabilities.
Printed on recycled paper containing at least 20 percent fibers from paper recycled by consumers.
Hazardous Waste Fact Sheet # 4.50 September 1997
The major health and safety concerns surrounding the assistance to businesses, including fact sheets, site
treatment of gelled or semi-solid resin or gelcoat wastes visits and help with emission calculations.
are the organic emissions released as the mixture
hardens. During the curing process, the mixture will Please contact the following programs for assistance:
emit styrene into the air. Locate the treatment area
appropriately with respect to plant ventilation and • Small Business Compliance Assistance Program
pollution control equipment to minimize employee (for businesses with 100 or fewer employees):
exposure, in compliance with OSHA regulations. (800) 657-3938 OR (612) 282-6143
The following Best Management Practice is • Permit Technical Assistance Program:

recommended when polymerizing gelled or semi-solid (800) 646-6247 OR (612) 282-5844
resin and gelcoat hazardous waste:
Reporting Requirements
1. Where justifiable, identify and implement changes
to your present operation that reduce the generation Obtain Approval
of waste resin and gelcoat.
6. In accordance with Minn. R. 7045.0450, subp. 3,
Treatment item K, because you are treating a hazardous waste
2. For safety reasons, treat your hazardous resin and in open accumulation containers, you must submit
gelcoat wastes in an open-top accumulation for approval a copy of your treatment proposal to
container in quantities small enough (five gallons or the MPCA Hazardous Waste Division, Permit and
less) to adequately dissipate the heat generated Review Unit. The treatment proposal should
from the chemical reaction. Chemical treatment include relevant and appropriate information
via catalyzation is the only treatment method required under Minn. R. 7045.0539, subp. 2, items
approved under this Best Management Practice. A to C, and Best Management Practices discussed
in this fact sheet. You must receive notification by
3. The location of the treatment area should be the Commissioner that the treatment activity is
adequately ventilated to minimize worker exposure approved. Once approved, the treatment procedure
to the emissions, and to take advantage of should be maintained onsite.
pollution-control equipment. A suitable location
for treatment may be within a gelcoat booth, for Keep Records
example.
7. You should keep a record of your treatment
4. Once solidification appears complete (usually a activities in accordance with Minn. R. 7045.0294.
matter of minutes), break up the solidified mass to Examples of information you may want to keep
verify complete polymerization. If free liquids are track of include: description, date, and quantity of
still present after treatment, conduct further each hazardous waste treated, results of waste
treatment or dispose of the partially solid mass as a analysis, and which solid waste disposal facility
hazardous waste. you sent the treated waste for disposal.
Monitoring Air Emissions During Treatment Dispose Treated Waste

5. Styrene is a hazardous air-pollutant. Although
styrene emissions from the treatment process 8. Before shipping your treated waste offsite, please
should be small, calculate the emissions quantity to verify with the MPCA that your solid waste
verify compliance with applicable air-quality disposal facility is acceptable for handling resin
permit requirements. Emissions from treatment and gelcoat cured wastes. You may also want to
may be less than 1 percent of total emissions from contact facility personnel yourself to make sure
production. If you need assistance with your they accept these kinds of wastes.
existing permit, or in obtaining a permit, help is
available. The MPCA Air Quality Division offers
2
For more information on:
• Hazardous waste management and storage

requirements — MPCA Hazardous Waste
Division, Business Assistance Unit 297-8363, or
(800) 657-3724.
• Obtaining approval to treat liquid and semi-solid

resin and gelcoat wastes.— MPCA Hazardous
Waste Division, Permit and Review Unit 297-
8380.
• Resin and gelcoat waste treatment questions.—

MNTAP 627-4646, or (800)247-0015.
• Industrial solid waste facilities that are approved to

accept cured resin and gelcoat wastes.— MPCA
Solid Waste Division 296-8621.
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Best Management Practices for

Minnesota Treating Waste Polyester-Resin

This fact sheet is intended Introduction

The following Best Management Practice is • Permit Technical Assistance Program:

Monitoring Air Emissions During Treatment Dispose Treated Waste

For more information on:

• Hazardous waste management and storage

• Obtaining approval to treat liquid and semi-solid

• Resin and gelcoat waste treatment questions.—

• Industrial solid waste facilities that are approved to

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