How long can solvents and paints be stored?
We know that packages of organic solvents, chemical solvents or halogenated solvents used in the industrial sector and paint cans can be stored for a long time, if the case containing the product is tightly sealed. So long, that they often deteriorate to the point that they can no longer be used; it doesn’t take much, in fact, to alter these materials, even just by closing the package badly.
The time usually indicated by manufacturers for the preservation of most products for industrial use is two years: after this period, it is advisable to check the condition of the material. If you notice a bad smell coming from inside the package, it is likely time to dispose of the product.
How are solvents and paints classified in disposal?
Dealing with the disposal of this type of material is a fairly complex operation that must necessarily be carried out rigorously, since both solvents and paints are special industrial waste and must be disposed of according to special procedures, in accordance with the law. For the purpose of disposal, it should therefore be clarified that paints are classified into:
- paints with organic solvents or other hazardous substances
- paints without organic solvents or other hazardous substances
Solvent-free paints and solvent-based paints. Examples
Paints that do not contain hazardous materials are water-based paints, water-based acrylics, paints with vegetable binders and natural solvents, which do not have hazard statements on the container. Dangerous ones, on the other hand, such as solvent-based paints and are easily recognizable by the hazard pictograms on the packaging and the CER code which has an asterisk. Examples include turpentine, nitro, synthetic trichloroethylene, paints based on polymeric resins (silicone, alkyd, polyurethane, etc.), products for cleaning windows and floors, but also adhesives, glues and sealants.
Organic solvents and chemical solvents
Alongside paints, however, it is also necessary to mention solvents, most of which, whether organic or chemical solvents, contain different percentages of toxic substances such as arsenic and antimony which are highly harmful at high temperatures. These solvents are mainly used in manufacturing: not surprisingly, one of the sectors considered among the most polluting.
Disposal operations of paints and solvents
The disposal of paints and solvents goes through various actions: first of all, it is essential to collect the special waste inside a specific container for solvents or paints, taking care not to fill it to the brim to avoid the risk of spillage of the liquid during transport, which goes from the site of use to the disposal site. Only empty containers or buckets containing residues of the substances are disposed of as “packaging”.
Paint and solvent disposal operations: labelling and sample analysis
Before delivering the waste to the company in charge, the law provides that each type of solvent to be disposed of must contain special labels to identify the liquid, so that it can be disposed of correctly. And then?
Once on site, the Eurocorporation team will carry out the analysis of a sample of the waste to identify it correctly and identify the best procedure based on the customer’s needs.
Paint and solvent disposal operations: collection and transport
Eurocorporation will then take the toxic waste from the headquarters and then transfer it to specialized disposal centers.
Disposal operations of paints and solvents: release of documentation of disposal
Once all appropriate procedures have been completed, the company will issue a document that ascertains that the waste has been disposed of, as well as that it has fulfilled all legal obligations in full compliance with current regulations.
Discover Eurocorporation’s solutions for the disposal of special waste. Ask for a quote, without obligation, for the disposal of paints and solvents
We also remind you that Eurocorporation also assists its clients in administrative management through the compilation of identification forms and environmental practices (including the Single Environmental Declaration Model – MUD). In this way, the customer is protected and accompanied in all phases of paint disposal, from collection to final procedures, with a simplified and safe process.
