Melting Powder Coating for Disposal

Question:

I would like to bake out our used powder paint before disposing. I would like to know if there is a material or chemical that powder will not adhere to after baking. I would want a reusable container that would also be able to handle < 400°F. S. D.

Answer:

The only materials that come to mind are tin foil or Nomex fabric to line your metal drum. Please be careful and use a metal container and do not put a large quantity of raw powder into the oven at one time (less than 100 pounds).

I had a client burn his oven to the ground when he put 10 plus cardboard boxes (500 pounds) of powder in the oven at one time to melt before disposal. The powder oven was shut-off and the plant personnel left for the evening, checking the boxes in the oven before they left. However, since powder coating curing is an exothermic reaction (gives off heat) the temperature eventually reached the ignition temperature of the cardboard, even though the oven was off. The resultant fire consumed the oven before the fire department put out the blaze. They did save the plant, however.

This practice of melting powder coating for disposal has been discussed by myself and my fellow members of the Powder Coating Institute for years as being unsafe. We all know people do it on a regular basis, but we don’t like it. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!