13 small businesses in Minnesota were given more than $500,000 to reduce Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). These projects will eliminate almost seven tons of VOC emissions every year, equal to more than 13,000 cans of spray paint.

Valley Craft – Lake City

Valley Craft, a manufacturer of material-handling equipment, received a $100,000 grant toward its $150,000 conversion to a powder-coating paint system. Unlike liquid, powder coating doesn’t contain solvents and releases little or no VOCs. The company expects to reduce VOCs by more than 3 tons per year. Valley Craft now limits use of liquid paint to objects that can’t withstand the 370-degree powder-coating oven. Operations Manager Tom Balow said the company only used one gallon of wet paint in the first two months after the conversion.

Less wet paint means less hazardous waste. It also means less air regulation from the MPCA. The new system has reduced VOC and HAP emissions by well over 90%. This will allow them to move from a Part 70 General Air Permit to a Registration permit (saving on administrative/staff time and eventually lower permit fees).

 “Powder coating is a lot easier to apply and to train employees to use,” Balow said. “It’s a higher quality, more durable finish. Unlike wet paint, the powder finish won’t give under pressure from a fastener." There has been an 85 percent reduction in cost due to rework. It’s also been essential in retaining and obtaining customers.

 “It’s been great to work with Balow and Valley Craft,” states Eric David, MPCA nonpoint air lead, “The state is happy to help a great small business that wants to do the right thing by improving employee health and reducing its air pollution.

Show me the money! Sign up for the MPCA VOC email updates to keep track of upcoming funding opportunities available soon for degreasing projects.

Why VOCs?

VOCs come from vehicles and wood burning as well as thousands of small, widespread sources such as paint shops, printers, and metal finishers. Ground-level ozone, or smog, is formed when VOCs combine with small particles and chemicals in the air and cook in the sun.  To cut smog, we need to cut VOCs.

Ozone is unhealthy. Breathing even small amounts can be harmful - something like getting sunburn in the lungs. Minnesota is close to exceeding the new EPA ozone standard of 70 ppb in some areas. It is important for us as a state to continue to reduce emissions, both for the environment and our health.

This project is part of a larger statewide partnership known as Clean Air Minnesota, which, in total, has reduced VOCs by more than 68 tons per year, equivalent to about 136,000 cans of spray paint. Visit the MPCA VOC reduction page, for a full list of grantees.

See a grant video about another small shop - Oscar’s Auto Body

Big, older diesel engines spew a lot of pollution — changing even one of them to a newer, cleaner-burning model can be the same as taking thousands of cars off the road.

That’s why the MPCA offers grants to replace or retrofit smoky old engines. Diesels are built like tanks and last for decades. MPCA plans to offer about $270,000 in grants to help diesel owners get rid of older engines that still work fine, but produce a lot of pollutants.

Another reason to consider a swap: newer diesels not only burn much cleaner, but are often much more fuel-efficient. Fleet owners can cut  fuel bills up to half and maintenance costs by thousands per year.

Thanks to a 2014 grant, Action Moving of Burnsville bought a new, more efficient moving truck with a diesel engine that uses only half the fuel of the truck it replaced. President Bill Everson said, “The new truck is a dream compared to the old one. We've had no problems with it. It’s averaging 10 miles per gallon, compared to 4.4 for the truck we replaced. I only wish all our trucks were as good as this one.”

That’s an exceptional mileage gain, but even with a 10 or 20 percent improvement, it's well worth it to most owners to make a switch. New equipment is also quieter, smoother, and has other advantages.

“It’s remarkable how clean the emissions are from new diesel engines,” said Mark Sulzbach, MPCA clean diesel grants manager. “They’ve cut major pollutants by 90 percent from pre-2007 engines, while also improving fuel efficiency — a win for the environment and the owner.”

Grants typically pay for up to 25 percent of replacing or upgrading older diesel-powered vehicles. For off-road construction and marine equipment, the grants can fund up to 40 percent of an engine replacement. MPCA’s 2014 projects also included eight retrofits that added diesel particulate filters to long-haul trucks older than 2007.

Diesel grants are competitive and require that vehicles being replaced must be retired early and the engines scrapped. The MPCA encourages owners of off-road diesel construction equipment and on-road class 6-8 trucks to sign up for grant opportunities at Grants for clean diesel projects webpage.

Grants should be open for application mid-November. Contact: Mark Sulzbach, 651-757-2770.

Chances are most everyone reading this has, at some point in life been told, “you’re old enough to know right from wrong.” And most people grow up wanting to do the right things; doing right by your family, your friends, and even our land and water resources. Valmont Industries, a metal fabricating facility in Farmington, is an example of a company doing right by minimizing stormwater pollution through best management practices.

Valmont, like any other similar industry, operates under a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency industrial stormwater permit that requires monitoring to meet standards for pollutants leaving their facility through stormwater runoff. In 2011, Valmont realized they were exceeding those standards for total suspended solids, iron and aluminum. After consulting with MPCA staff, Valmont began implementing a series of best management practices.

Through trial and error, continuing to research and install better options, and upgrading as they grew, Valmont has succeeded in filtering more of those pollutants out of their stormwater runoff. Valmont Engineer Steve Tietz tells the story of his company’s efforts in this Best Management Practice Options video, recently produced by the MPCA.

For its persistence and commitment to doing right by our resources, the MPCA thanks Valmont Industries for going above and beyond for industrial stormwater management.

The new Stormwater Manual wiki offers the latest in stormwater management, including BMPs, models and regulations.

By January 1, 2016, owners of commercial property in the seven-county metro area need to have recycling services along with garbage collection. The new law (Minn. Stat. 115A.151) applies to most commercial buildings that have service for 4 cubic yards (or more) of trash per week, and requires at least three material types be recycled.

Even if the law does not apply to you, it is still an opportunity to increase recycling. Most businesses don’t think about how much their trash is really costing them. With a 17 percent state tax on garbage, and sometimes an even higher county fee, trashing recyclables can be expensive.

Minnesotans spend a lot of money throwing away recyclables every year. When they could be adding additional value to the economy. Recycling directly and indirectly supports nearly 37,000 jobs, and the materials have a value of over $250 million.

Many businesses find recycling good for business, as customers increasingly support companies committed to sustainable practices in their operations.

Setting up recycling can take some work, but assistance is available, often from cities and counties in the form of financial or technical support. There are also several local resources for signage and training, including the Recycling Association of Minnesota and Rethink Recycling. All of these resources, and more, can be found on the MPCA’s commercial recycling page. Questions can be directed to Emily Barker, emily.barker@state.mn.us or (651) 757-2030.

An extra set of eyes: MnTAP interns identify savings

The Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) is  seeking proposals from Minnesota businesses for its 2016 summer intern program. Businesses interested in reducing waste, conserving water, and improving energy efficiency are encouraged to apply for an intern in 2016. Proposed projects are evaluated for impact potential, project scope, and company interest and commitment. Interns are chosen based on outstanding educational background and leadership capabilities.

We anticipate supporting up to 15 projects this summer, with at least one project focused on paint efficiency and at least three projects on water conservation. Other projects will focus on source reduction, energy efficiency, and pollution prevention.

Applications are being accepted until February 1, 2016 and will be reviewed upon receipt. Apply online today!

If you work with Minnesota companies, please spread the word to those companies you think might be a good fit. Find out more at MnTAP’s intern page, or call MnTAP at 612-624-1300.

Improve transfer efficiency with painter training - December 2, 2015 in Owatonna

The Twin Cities Chemical Coaters Association and MnTAP are hosting a four hour spray painting technique training  for industrial painting operations using virtual application technology. Expert trainers from the Iowa Waste Reduction Center at the University of Northern Iowa will provide experienced hands-on virtual training that allows for realistic, instantaneous feedback on technique and materials use for either wood or metal industrial liquid painting applications.

The class begins at 8 a.m. at the Steele County Administration Building in Owatonna, Minnesota. The cost is $25 for CCAI members and $35 for non-members; lunch is included with registration. For more information, click here. To register, click here.

Are your furnace, door seals, recycling program, and lighting working at their best?  If you answered ‘I don’t know’, consider contacting RETAP.

The Minnesota Retiree Environmental Technical Assistance Program (RETAP) provides free energy efficiency and waste reduction assessments for small businesses and institutions in Minnesota.

When you have an assessment done, an experienced team of retired professionals will:

• Analyze your utility bills,
• Visit your facility, and
• Give you a written report with prioritized recommendations and estimated financial and environmental savings.

Recommendations may be behavior changes, maintenance improvements, or retrofits. While you are under no obligation to implement the recommendations, a high percentage of surveyed clients implement many of them. Average savings from RETAP recommendations implemented last year is over $2,000 per client. 

Since RETAP's start in 2001, over 200 businesses and institutions – including dry cleaners, coffee shops, and fire stations – have benefited from RETAP assessments. To find out more or to request a free assessment, visit www.pca.state.mn.us/retap or contact Mike Vennewitz, RETAP Coordinator, at 612-781-1307 or mvennewitz@yahoo.com