Innovative Waste Control and Resource Recovery Technology for a Naval Air Rework Facility Electroplating Shop

During past several years, the electroplating industrial waste has attracted attention due to level of pollutants found in the waste stream, and difficulty associated with treatment and cost of waste disposal. The Environmental Protection Agency has enacted recent regulations to control the discharge from plating facilities and estimates that 140 million pounds of metal pollutants will be prevented from being discharged to publicly owned treatment works. The changes in metal prices, cost of treatment/disposal, and future environmental regulatory goals, dictate that water pollution control technology for plating industry be reevaluated. New alternatives should be developed which take advantage of resource recovery, minimization of sludge production and are compatible with new standards. This article discusses a recent evaluation of a Naval Air Rework Facility electroplating shop including electroplating process engineering, optimal plating performance flow reduction and innovative technology for treatment/recovery compatible with new standards based on Best Available Technology.