Cadmium
Breathing high levels of cadmium severely damages the lungs and can
cause death. Eating food or drinking water with very high levels may lead to vomiting and
diarrhea. Long term exposure to lower levels of cadmium may lead to kidney disease. Other
potential long term effects are lung damage and fragile bones.
Cadmium: P2 Options: Painting
- Train employees in proper equipment and chemical handling procedures.
- Consider implementing paint purchasing and inventory tracking
procedures to minimize excess inventory.
- Mix only the amount of paint necessary.
- Donate unused paint to local trade schools or non-profit.
- Dispose of old paint through a hazardous waste disposal facility or
through a household hazardous waste disposal program.
- Consider switching to a high volume low pressure paint system.
[References]
Cadmium: P2 Options: Metal Finishing
- Train employees in proper equipment and chemical handling procedures.
- Consider replacing hazardous solvents with non-hazardous
alternatives.
- Install a solvent recycling system.
- Schedule batch processing so wastes or residue from one batch can be
used as input to the next.
- Reduce dragout and spilling by reducing the speed of parts lifted
from plating tanks.
- Consider replacing aqueous plating with ion vapor deposition.
[Related
links][References]
Cadmium: P2 Options: Plastics Manufacturing
- Train employees in proper equipment and chemical handling procedures.
- Train employees on proper spill control and cleanup.
- Keep chemicals well inventoried and in well marked containers.
- Substitute hazardous raw materials with less water soluble materials
to minimize water contamination.
- Consider using computer controlled systems to optimize use of
chemicals and processes.
- Educate customers about the possibility of eliminating hazardous
chemicals from batch specifications.
- Regularly inspect equipment, pumps and pipes. Fix leaks immediately.
- Install seamless pumps to prevent leaks.
- Switch to less toxic cleaning materials and solvents.
- Consider installing an automatic chemical dispensing system.
- Use inventory control system to avoid accruing expired materials.
- Consider implementing a wastewater reuse and recycling systems such
as a closed-loop water cooling and heating system.
[Related links][References]
Cadmium: P2 Options: Fertilizers
- Consider replacing fertilizers with organic compost.
- Xeriscape.
- Consider non-cadmium containing fertilizers.
[References]
Cadmium: P2 Options: Batteries
- Buy reusable batteries.
- Recycle batteries.
- Take batteries to a local household hazardous waste collection
facility.
[References]
Cadmium: References
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ToxFAQs
http://atsdr1.atsdr.cdc.gov:8080/toxfaq.html
The Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Sciences, Inc., A
Pollution Prevention Resource Manual for Metal Finishers: A Competitive Advantage Manual,
http://www.iams.org/p2irisde/metalfin.htm
Environmental Protection Agency, Profile of the Metal Fabrication
Industry,
http://es.epa.gov/oeca/sector/sectornote/pdf/fabmetsnpt2.pdf
Environmental Protection Agency, Profile of the Rubber and
Miscellaneous Plastics Products Industry,
http://es.epa.gov/oeca/sector/sectornote/pdf/rubplasnp2.pdf
Environmental Protection Agency, Profile of the Plastic Resin and
Manmade Fiber Industry,
http://es.epa.gov/oeca/sector/sectornote/pdf/resfibsnpt2.pdf
Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute, Alternatives to
Solvent-Based Coatings: Fact Sheet 5,
http://es.epa.gov/techinfo/facts/mass/tura-fs5.html
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, YardWise:
A Green Guide to Yard Care,
ftp://ftp.tnrcc.state.tx.us/pub/ExecutiveDirector/
AgencyCommunications/topdoc/gi/028.pdf
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