Original Date: 05/23/1994
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Environmentally compliant paint stripping processes and techniques have become an industry wide problem. Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Keyport experienced numerous practices that over time became too costly to dispose of by-products or had increased employee exposure to hazardous materials beyond allowable limits. For example, prior to 1989, Keyport used a liquid chemical paint stripping process (immersion and brush-on application) that generated over 650,000 pounds of costly hazardous waste per year. In 1989, it converted to plastic media blasting for paint stripping. This process reduced the waste stream to less than 85,000 pounds per year, however, the plastic media blasting process increased worker exposure to airborne lead.

To ensure continued compliance to environmental regulations, Keyport has installed and implemented a sodium bicarbonate stripping process. This process employs the use of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and utilizes it as a soluble abrasive, shielded with water to strip away paint under high pressure. The Keyport technical staff performed a number of formal studies and trials on various stripping processes before making the determination for the sodium bicarbonate stripping process.

Through the use of this technique, airborne particles are reduced to near zero levels. Effluent materials can be filtered, extracting the solids from solution and recycling the water for further use.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.