For all manufacturers, environmental clean-up and industrial waste is a costly but necessary fact of life. Not only are business owners responsible for things like dirty fluids and metal scrap, but there is the paperwork and regulatory mandates that add to the headache.  

MMA has helped ease those headaches for members thanks to their long-time partnership with Crystal Clean (HCC), the second largest parts cleaning and industrial waste services provider in the U.S. For more than a decade, HCC has provided a 25 percent discount to MMA members on all services including waste collection and disposal, parts cleaning and consultation.

With more than 85 offices spread nationally, HCC has a long and illustrious track record of providing environmental solutions and helping to navigate the regulatory environment for their customers.

According to Dean Popovich, Business Development Manager for HCC, if you can’t put it down the drain or in the garbage, they will pick it up.

“We service a large number of local and national manufacturers,” says Popovich, and many of those manufacturers have the need to drain and replenish the fluids in their CNC machines. Many of the chemicals and waste products they collect are recyclable.

HCC also works with automotive businesses that need to dispose of used motor oil and antifreeze, and food companies because they also generate waste. Many of the chemicals and products they collect are recyclable and HCC will resell as part of an active aftermarket.

“We’ll drain all the dirty fluids from those machines and we'll put fresh chemistry in,” says Popovich. “And then we take the fluids to our re-refinery in Indianapolis, where it will go through a process where we pull all the impurities out of it.”

Parts washing is a process that has evolved substantially over the years. Popovich says now they use automated parts washing machines that, for example, clean parts from CNC machines or cars in less than 20 minutes.

As all manufacturing business owners can attest to, recycling their dirty fluids and metal scrap parts is a necessary but time-consuming process. However, managing all of the paperwork and meeting regulatory standards is an altogether different sort of headache.

HCC takes care of their customers’ environmental paperwork, helps to navigate the regulatory environment and conducts an assessment of their waste and recycling needs.

“We will generate their paperwork for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, their state paperwork, and all they do is sign it,” says Popovich. “As soon as our truck picks up that dirty fluid, then we assume the liability for it. They're off the hook. We will absorb all of that liability in case something goes wrong, and the customer always really appreciates that.”

Preparing for the oncoming growth of the electric vehicle market and expanded battery manufacturing, HCC recently announced a partnership with two other companies to launch Heritage Battery Recycling (HBR). The partnership will address the growing market demand for safe, sustainable solutions for lithium-ion batteries near or at end-of-life. HBR’s goal is to recover and reuse critical battery precursor resources that exist in finite supply across the globe.

The future for HCC looks bright with new opportunities in the battery field and beyond. Popovich sees the relationship with MMA as a key strategic partnership to support that growth.

“I believe MMA and HCC have mutually benefited from our 10-plus year relationship as both organizations support and promote manufacturing in Michigan,” says Popovich. “We’re looking forward to providing solutions for industrial waste and cleaning to members for another 10 years.”

See Member Benefits to learn more about HCC’s industrial waste solutions for members or contact MMA's Brenda Nalett at 517-487-8512 or nalett@mimfg.org.

• Used anti-freeze pick-up and disposal
• Parts cleaning services (solvent and aqueous)
• Drum waste management
• Environmental audits
• Vacuum Services
• Universal Waste Services