NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER HOSTS ANNUAL VIRTUAL FALL SEMINAR
On September 18, 2024 the New England Chapter of NASF hosted their annual Fall Webinar for the benefit of their membership and the entire non-NENASF metal finishing community. This year’s event featured a cross section of varied technical presentations designed to enhance and broaden the knowledge of Wastewater Professionals as well as all interested members of the metal finishing community. The event was presented free of charge to NENASF members, and at a modest fee for other interested parties, as an educational and bonding opportunity for the metal finishing community.
The Webinar was conducted by means of Zoom format and attracted about three dozen attendees. It consisted of three segments featuring three presenters over a two-hour period from 10:00am to 12:00 pm offering a user-friendly Zoom format for all attendees. In addition to offering vital regulatory and technical information the event also made available two Continuing Education Wastewater Treatment Operator Contact Hours needed for WWT Operator License renewal.
Fernando Carminholi from Hubbard-Hall opened the Webinar with a presentation on Membrane Filtration for a Cleaner and More Sustainable Future. His presentation showed factual technical data on the use of microfiltration as a means of removing saturated oil from cleaning solutions, thus adding to the life of the cleaning solution resulting in chemical make-up cost savings and disposal cost savings, thus reducing the impact to the environment with beneficial cost savings to the company. Fernando offered case studies that resulted in 35 to 45 % cost savings using membrane filtration over a multi-year period.
This was followed by a presentation by Brian Morrill, vice president of GZA GeoEnvironmental giving a detailed update on the rapidly evolving PFAS discharge regulation front. The EPA has already issued regulations on PFAS in public drinking water supplies, and wastewater discharge PFAS limit regulations are being mandated in the near future. The EPA is using the data accumulated by the comprehensive PFAS Survey that most metal finishers completed in early 2024 as a basis for promulgating PFAS discharge limits for our industry.
The webinar was concluded with a presentation by James Mitchell, R & D Associate chemist for PAVCO, who spoke on the use of inert Ion-Exchange Membrane Anodes used in acid zinc and zinc-nickel solutions as a means of minimizing metal growth in bathes thus offering cost and environmental savings resulting from not having to “cut” and dispose of plating solutions over time.
Once again, we want to give special thanks to Chris Capalbo, moderator, all the member of the NENASF who contributed to this successful Program, and a special thanks to the talented speakers who offered their time and talent to make this presentation come to fruition for the benefit of the Metal Finishing Community.
New England Chapter of NASF is an official chapter of