Waste management plan
In 2005 MIW won the Dulux Accredited Painter of the Year NSW for our environmental management plan.
The plan focused on minimising wastewater production and separating paint from the waste water.
I documented our treatment of water based wash up water using a process of Flocculation.
Flocculation is used to clean swimming pools. Fine particles are clumped together into a floc. The floc may float to the top of the liquid or settle at the bottom.
The flocs can be filtered from the liquid or the liquid decanted to leave the floc slurry.
The slurry which can be turned into solid waste by adding an absorbent material (kitty litter, plaster, cement).
The clean water can be disposed of responsibly.
In 2005 MIW used readily available Aluminium Sulphate Pool Floc. We switched to the Reclamite Flocculation
Cleaning the roller in a rota-cota roller cleaner:
Spinning the roller clean:
Adding flocculent and stirring the grey wastewater to mix the flocculant with the water:
Removing floating flocs:
Decanting the settled water – to separate the clear water from the flocs of paint:
The flocs of paint form a slurry:
The dry slurry:
Diagram showing the process:
Brush washing process:
Process overview:
