Recycled glass proves a hit with U.S. Army

Author:  Bronnie Allen, WRAP
Source:  The Shot Peener magazine, Vol 20 / Issue 3, Summer 2006
Doc ID:  2006026
Year of Publication:  2006
Abstract:  
This case study has been printed with permission. For more information, contact: Bronnie Allen, WRAP, The Old Academy, 21 Horse Fair, Banbury OX16 0AH, Tel: 0808 100 2040, Please quote ref no. 21GLA, Website: www.wrap.org.uk The US Army Field Support Battalion Unit, based in Hythe, Southampton, is a US Army Centre of Excellence for the maintenance of land vehicles and watercraft. Military support equipment - including mobile cranes, generators, trailers and watercraft - is shipped in from war zones across the world to be completely stripped and cleaned before being released again into service. As part of this maintenance process, drive engines and running gear are replaced and chassis are stripped to bare metal for repainting in the appropriate camouflage colour, depending on the intended destination of the vehicle. Many of the vehicles have suffered significant war damage so it is necessary to strip back all the paint to see what metal damage has been caused. Until recently, the Unit had used copper slag as the blasting media for cleaning and surface preparation of the vehicles prior to painting. However, following the introduction of US HAZMAT regulations governing the use of hazardous materials, the Unit decided to investigate more environmentally friendly alternatives to the copper slag. It was also important to identify a suitable alternative without compromising on performance requirements or incurring additional costs.