The project is to grasp the current status of pollution emissions from the surface coating process industries in Kaohsiung. To understand the emission characteristics of this industry of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In addition to on-site surveys and visiting to the industry, to grasp of actual operating conditions. And then provide the reference of reduction assessment and improvement by detecting and handling counseling meetings. Finally, combining the results of the inventory, detecting and counseling. By grasping the VOCs emission situation of surface coating related industries, as a reference for the follow-up promotion of the control of VOCs in surface coating operations.
The implementation results of this project could be aggregated into four main categories, including “the inventory of surface coating process related industries,” “VOCs emission sampling,” “forward-looking infrared (FLIR) monitoring and toxic vapor analyzer (TVA) detecting,” and “pollution prevention and control counseling.” The execution time of the project was from April 15, 2020 to December 31, 2020. The execution progress of all work was consistent with the planned timetable, as shown in Table 1.
About the section of “inventory of surface coating process related industries,” there are 77 public and private places would be implemented under this project, including 3 manufacturing of locomotives and units, 18 manufacturing industry of the ships and floating facilities, 2 manufacturing industry of other unclassified transportation vehicle, 39 manufacturing industry of the metal products, 4 manufacturing industry of plastic products, 5 manufacturing industry of furniture, 5 manufacturing industry of wood and bamboo products and 1 manufacturing of pulp, paper and paper products. Review the summary results of inventory, the prevention measures adopted by public and private places can be mainly divided into 3 methods, such as source reduction, pipe end treatment and direct escape. The inventory objects which adopt the source reduction technology are mainly concentrated in the manufacturing industry of the metal products. They use the raw material with low VOCs content such as water-based paint or powder paint or requires standard operating procedures when on-site personnel work; the inventory objects which adopt the end of pipe treatment technology are mainly concentrated in the manufacturing of locomotives and units, manufacturing industry of other unclassified transportation vehicle, manufacturing industry of the metal products, manufacturing industry of plastic products. They installed the gas gathering and controlling equipment to treat the waste gas in process. Most of controlling equipment is like incineration treatment, activated carbon adsorption or scrubbers, etc.; and the inventory objects for direct escape treatment are mainly concentrated in the manufacturing industry of the mental products and the manufacturing industry of the ship and floating facilities. Due to the large volume of some steel components or ship hulls and other factors such as limited working space, it is difficult to install the gas gathering and controlling equipment in the working area. Because the cost of installation and maintenance of control equipment is too high to afford by the small and medium enterprise, such as some of the inventory objects of manufacturing industry of furniture and wood and bamboo products. Therefore, they only use the simple water curtain spray booths to reduce VOCs emissions or even no gas collection and control equipment.
About the section of “VOCs emission sampling,” it had completed 18 VOCs emission sampling in the factory area. And the sample had be sent for the inspection company to analyze by the detection method of VOCs in the air-stainless steel sampling tube/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (NIEA A715.15B). It is mainly carried out sampling at the upper, lower wind or perimeter of each factory area and inspected the results of sampling and analysis. Most of the measuring results of the species came from the paint components or cleaning organic solvents used in the surface coating process of the factory, such as toluene, xylene, acetone and methanol, etc.
About the section of “forward-looking infrared (FLIR) monitoring and toxic vapor analyzer (TVA) detecting,” it had completed 15 process of monitoring and detecting by FLIR and TVA. It is implemented in the surface coating operation area of each factory. And reviewing the results of monitoring and detecting, it found that VOCs dissipating could be happened at the paint bucket stocking area, surface coating operation area (such as paint dipping centrifuge, spraying area, etc.), paint mixing area, surface drying area, the inlet and outlet of drying furnace. And it would also check and confirm the concentration of the pollution source by using TVA. In addition to remind the operators or the environmental safety personnel of the plant to deal with it immediately or to give some relevant improvement suggestions It is suggested that the manufacturer can evaluate the storage area of the paint bucket stocking, surface coating operation area (such as paint dipping centrifuge, spraying area, etc.), paint mixing area, surface drying area, the inlet and outlet of drying furnace. The feasibility of enclosing or setting up relevant gas gathering equipment and controlling equipment to reduce VOCs pollution and odor emission.
Besides, about the section of “pollution prevention and control counseling,” it had completed the handling of 5 sessions of pollution prevention and control counseling. In addition to the implementation of the list of suspected pollution sources based on the FTIR monitoring results of the Luke dormitory's odor source and the members’ opinions, the VOCs reported in the "Fixed Pollution Source Air Pollution Fee and Emissions Declaration Integrated Management System" are also large and consolidated. On-site inspections were conducted to sort out those with strong odor in the factory, and to investigate the willingness of the factory to be counseled to select the remaining three public and private places for counseling, and invite two experts and scholars to work together with the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct counseling in the factory. It is completed 5 sessions of pollution prevention and control counseling. The counseling industry will take part in the opinions of experts and scholars and conduct evaluations and it will follow up on improvement and follow-up according to the reply of the instructions by the factory.
During the period, we can review the surface coating operations of public and private places based on the above work items, and estimate the VOCs emissions based on the project results to let the Environmental Protection Agency to grasp the VOCs emissions status. It can also be provided for the Environmental Protection Agency as the reference to assess the feasibility of tightening control on surface coating operations, and clarify and regulate collection efficiency, emission standards and reporting system to reduce VOCs pollution emissions from surface coating operations.
