Boat Building and Repair
Topic Hub for the Ship Building and Repair Industry from the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange - provides industry basics, pollution prevention opportunities, and a list of links.
Waste Reduction in Fiberglass - methods of waste reduction for open molding, close molding, vacuum bag molding, and a few other methods. Provides information on handling spent solvents and hazardous materials.
Issued: January 2003
Small Business Technical Assistance Program
Contacts: Roy Krout, Julie Churchill
1-800-789-9802 (toll-free) or 207-287-8550
roy.t.krout@maine.gov
Small Business Assistance
For: Boat Building & Repair Businesses
Benefits/Background: The following is a list of some important suggestions for best managing your business to help reduce your costs, reduce waste, keep hazardous substances out of the environment and protect your health. Although not all may be specifically required, we recommend that you read through and check how your business is doing.
Here are some materials associated with boat repair and servicing businesses. Do you know how your materials are being used and wastes being handled?
Fiberglass construction chemicals (liquid resins, fiberglass)
Cleaning Solvents (acetone, etc.)
Marine paints and coatings
Fuels
Engine Oil, transmission, and hydraulic fluids
Mercury switches
Batteries
Rags and Absorbents
Check the list below to see how your business is doing. Do you do all of the following?…
For Potential worker health and chemical exposure issues (see Safetyworks! program below.) Fugitive emissions from chemicals used in the workspace can be a workplace hazard.
Hazardous Materials Management
Are all your fluids, including any hazardous wastes, handled cleanly and used or disposed of properly?
Have any spills, inside or outside, been properly cleaned up such that contamination of soils and groundwater is no longer a concern?
Are your fluids and fuels properly stored for safety, spill prevention, and risk protection?
Is your transfer efficiency of paint and other sprayed materials at its maximum?
Do all your containers of chemicals have properly fitting lids that are closed when not in use?
Pollution Prevention
Sources for pollution prevention information and environmentally preferable purchasing options specific for boat building and repair, can be found at http://www.p2gems.org and http://www.p2rx.org.
Our Small Business Assistance Program at DEP offers free on-site assistance services under our protective Small Business Compliance Incentives Policy. This policy provides protection from regulatory enforcement in addition to clear time frames for correcting possible violations. On-site business visits are typically helpful, low stress and designed to give clear and helpful information related directly to the individual small business at their location. A summary letter from the assistance staff provides your status and recommendations for your business in an easy to understand format. The program staff is also a contact for pollution prevention and compliance information, if you prefer other than on-site assistance. Call us toll-free at 1-800-789-9802 to find out more.
Other free assistance can be provided by our Maine Dept. of Labor, Safetyworks! program to help with air sampling, noise monitoring, ergonomic assessment, as well as general safety and health consultation. Contact David Wacker, Director of Workplace Health and Safety (phone number: 624-6400), for information regarding a free audit to assist your small business to be in compliance with worker safety issues.
This guide sheet is provided by the Small Business Assistance Program at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for assistance with pollution prevention and regulatory compliance issues. Drafted in January, 2003.
