METAL AND ACID RECOVERY OPTIONS FOR THE PLATING INDUSTRY

The metal plating and finishing industry loses large amounts of raw ma terials, and while pollution prevention (P2) techniques and technologi es are being used, there appears to be a disparity among platers in th e extent of implementation. Surveys and interviews of South Carolina m etal platers and finishers were conducted to explore the reasons for t he lack of implementation of P2, to assess the extent of metal and aci d recovery practiced, and to determine interest in various options for increasing recovery. Both standard recovery options (in-house recover y and centralized recovery facilities for sludge, spent solutions, and equipment rental) and innovative recovery options (rotating or shared recovery equipment and plating-industry specific and integrated indus trial parks) were examined. All recovery options were compared with co nventional treatment and each other based on technical, economic, and institutional factors. Although all the recovery options examined are conceptually feasible and have similar benefits, they are not all econ omically and institutionally feasible at this time for South Carolina platers. Based on the results of this research. it is recommended that platers, regulators, trade associations, and other parties in South C arolina focus on in-house recovery, including encouraging departments within captive plating shops to share recovery equipment. Platers in o ther regions as well as other industries win also find this research a pplicable. The two main variables that could change the results are ge ographic location, which affects transportation costs, and the politic al climate, which affects the desire to attract industry and the flexi bility of the regulatory agencies. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.