Governor's Pollution Prevention Award Recipient - Chrysler Corporation Toledo Machining Plant

The Governor's Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Pollution Prevention have been presented since 1986. Chrysler Corp. Toledo Machining Plant was one of eight recipients to receive the Award in 1996. These awards recognize outstanding commitment to improve Ohio's environment through pollution prevention. Evaluation criteria for the awards include: the reduction of waste at the source, recycling or recovery of materials, cost-effectiveness, ability of the program to serve as a model for others, and effectiveness in promoting prevention as the preferred long-term approach.

What is Pollution Prevention?

Pollution prevention is the use of source reduction techniques to reduce risk to public health, safety, welfare and the environment and, as a second preference, the use of environmentally sound recycling to achieve these same goals. Pollution prevention avoids cross media transfer (of wastes and/or pollutants) and is multi-media in scope, addressing all waste and environmental releases to the air, water and land.

Chrysler Corporation Toledo Machining Plant

The Toledo Machining Plant (TMP) is a parts manufacturer for Chrysler Corp.'s passenger cars and trucks. Operations at the facility include machining, stamping, assembly, heat treating, cleaning, and anodizing. The plant manufactures the following vehicle parts: steering columns, torque converters, drive plates, flywheels, ring gears, master brake cylinders, disc brakes, wheel cylinders, and spring hangers.

Chrysler Corp. Toledo Machining Plant was recognized for establishing a waste management team at the machining plant to facilitate pollution prevention efforts. The team identified and implemented many projects that have reduced more than 137 million pounds of waste since 1990. This includes 79,000 pounds of toxic chemical releases; 73,000 pounds of hazardous waste; 135 million pounds of nonhazardous waste; 2.39 million pounds of general refuse; 40,000 pounds of emissions of volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants; and 278,000 pounds of hazardous chemical usage.

The TMP recognizes pollution prevention is a key to success in the competitive automotive market. Preventing pollution before it is created and minimizing the need for even more costly methods of controlling it, makes good environmental and economic sense. It is truly a cost-effective way to protect the environment. This approach to reducing pollution has lowered plant operating costs as well as provide added value to their products.

Pollution Prevention Activities

TMP has demonstrated its environmental commitment through a successful, strategic approach to pollution prevention. This section briefly describes the major projects and initiatives that have been instrumental in the plant's pollution prevention success.

Removal of Ethylene Glycol

Ethylene glycol was a component of copper brazing compound, used in the production of torque converters. This chemical was eliminated from the copper brazing compound at the beginning of 1994 by purchasing the material from a different supplier, one that did not include ethylene glycol in the copper brazing compound.

Removal of Hazardous Wastes from Paint Shop

In 1995, the oil-based paints were replaced with water-based paints. The change to water-based paints eliminated the generation of hazardous waste paints and lacquer thinner. This eliminated of 16,500 pounds per year of VOC.

Removal of Hazardous Waste Mineral Spirits

Mineral spirits is used by maintenance and production departments to remove oil and grease from parts during machinery and product repairs. The reduction of waste mineral spirit generation from 1988 to 1994 was accomplished by eliminating unnecessary parts cleaning tanks and reducing tank cleaning frequencies. In 1995, 18 of the 19 tanks in the plant were switched over to a water-based cleaner. This eliminated of 11,100 pounds of VOCs and HAPs emitted to the atmosphere from the mineral spirits and elimination of off-site disposal requirements.

Steering Column Paint Line

The steering column lock housing was a cast aluminum part that was painted in a spray booth at TMP. The steering column design team redesigned the process with material substitution. The aluminum lock housing was replaced with a pre-colored plastic part. This change eliminated the generation of hazardous waste paints, solvents and VOC emissions. The WWTP generated of 58% less used oil sludge as a result of this program.

Methyl Chloroform Elimination

Methyl chloroform solvent had been used in two vapor degreasers to clean brake wheel cylinders of oil and residue, before assembly. The use of methyl-chloroform was eliminated by replacing the vapor degreasers with a parts washer that cleans with soap and hot water. This replacement eliminated the generation of hazardous waste and 10,500 pounds of VOC and HAP emissions.

Elimination of Rust Preventative

The steel torque converters needed to be protected from corrosion. The corrosion protection was a petroleum-based rust preventative. A team designed a returnable steel container that surrounded plastic-wrapped torque converters, eliminating the rust preventative.

Used Oil Sludge Reduction

In a 1991 pollution prevention program, "Leaker-Seeker" was implemented to identify and repair oil and water leaks in plant machinery. The program reduced the amount of oils entering the WWTP, resulting in a 58 percent reduction of sludge generated.

Elimination of Spring Hanger Painting

The spring hangers were painted so they were not noticeable on the minivans' exterior. Design changes in the 1996 minivans eliminated the need for the painting operation. This eliminated the paint dip tank, tank mixer, monorail, paint purchases, waste paint disposal, and associated production and maintenance labor.

Return of Surplus Products to Suppliers

Plant personnel identified obsolete materials and their original suppliers. TMP determined that some oils could be used in other plant processes. TMP found that the suppliers of the remaining materials would accept a return. The company prevented 20,000 pounds of wastes by using some of the materials in other processes and returning the remaining materials to their suppliers.

Ohio Prevention First

TMP is an active participant in the Ohio Prevention First initiative. Ohio Prevention First, established at the request of Governor Voinovich, is a voluntary planning initiative seeking a reduction in pollution generated throughout Ohio. This initiative provides an important opportunity for Businesses and industries to take a leadership role in environmental protection without the need for additional regulatory mandates.

Environmental and Economical Benefits

The projects improved the environment by either reducing the pounds of pollution that are released into the environment or by replacing a toxic pollutant with a less toxic material. The many pollution prevention activities have resulted in waste reductions of approximately 137,860,000 pounds since 1990. These changes have resulted in a total cost savings of over $1 million since 1990.

Management Commitment and Employee Involvement

Pollution prevention is promoted by corporate policy, the corporate pollution prevention team, corporate funding of pollution prevention projects, the Product Quality Improvement Partnership (PQIP), and the plant manager's commitment to the plant waste minimization plan. The PQIP is an employee involvement process that deals with quality, productivity, and manufacturing process improvements and operating cost reduction issues.

Transferability

The technology explained above has been adopted at other Chrysler Assembly Plants and could be transferred to other industries. Competitive assembly plants also have the potential to benefit from these projects.

For More Information

Marilyn Bladel
Senior Environmental Specialist
Chrysler Corp. Jeep Parkway Assembly Plant
1000 Jeep Parkway
Toledo Ohio 43657
(419) 470-7292

This is the 38th in a series of of fact sheets Ohio EPA has prepared on pollution prevention. For more information, call the Office of Pollution Prevention at (614) 644-3469.