Case Study: 3M Pharmaceuticals

The process of manufacturing prescription drug products creates halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) that are dispersed into the atmosphere.  3M was required by the EPA and other local regulatory agencies to maintain a 95% VOC destruction efficiency. 

Pacific Environmental was selected to determine the most economically efficient and environmentally protective pollution control system for this specific plant.  Pacific Environmental analyzed the characteristics of the exhaust and found that the process stream carried Isopropyl Alcohol, Ethyl Acetate, and Methyl Alcohol. The VOC-laden process air had an average contaminant loading of 45 lb/hr and a maximum loading of 73 lb/hr at a waste stream temperature ranging from 70^oF – 150^oF.