# wash out disposal



## Jonathan Johnson (Aug 16, 2015)

Hi, 

I have done screen printing in a shop. I am thinking of setting up in my garage. How do you dispose of the wash out waste after washing out a screen? Can you just put it down the drain in your house?

Thanks, 

Jon


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## Jonathan Johnson (Aug 16, 2015)

Does anybody actually reply to the actual questions on here?


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## ParrotPrinting (Feb 23, 2015)

Jonathan I throw mine down the drain


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

Most screen chemicals these days are water soluble and biodegradable. Some manufacturers actually state in writing that their products are "drain safe." So, if you're using plastisol ink there should be no waste water that is hazardous to the environment or toxic. Every city has it's own regulations about what you can and can't put in a sewer drain, and most of the banned substances are oils, toxic chemicals, and biohazards.


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## Screen Medics (Feb 23, 2015)

Many local municipalities prohibit conducting any manufacturing business from a residential location. If it is prohibited probably sooner than later one of your neighbors or a competitor (if you show any degree of success) will alert the city or county zoning department and you will receive an unpleasant visit from the zoning enforcement officer. I have friends who were shut down because of this violation but not before they continued printing in violation of the stop order and were fined over a thousand dollars in the interim. Then the fire marshal inspected and found they did not meet code, had many extension cords in use that each generated a separate fine and no fire extinguishers and were fined for that too. They had one employee by this time and when he found out he was being laid off reported them to O.H.S.A. who found volumes of violations than generated more fines for for such things as no posted emergency evacuation plan, a hand railing that was too low and thus was deemed fall hazard, no files of MSDS's, no eye-wash station, etc. 
Ironically, dumping discarded ink down the municipal drain was permitted by the city.
Ridiculous? Completely. But the fines were not reversed and last time we spoke he was going to work for a big local shop to avoid all future hassles with the government.


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## ParrotPrinting (Feb 23, 2015)

I love my country but I FEAR my government


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