Eco-Friendly Blasting Solutions: Sustainable Practices and Materials for Media Blasting
Blasting media is a vital tool used for eliminating coatings and paint from metals and other materials. The main goal of using blasting media is to have a clean, contaminant-free surface that’s perfect for painting, refinishing, or coating applications.
Another belief is that to get rid of contaminants such as grease, rust, paint, or soot damage, dangerous chemicals or toxins must be used. However, media blasting uses eco-friendly “media” such as corn cob, baking soda, crushed, recycled glass, crushed garnet, and walnut shells. These green media decrease the carbon footprint while efficiently eliminating and cleaning harsh substances.
Items deemed for destruction can be cleaned, repurposed, and fixed, avoiding needless destruction and waste.
How Media Blasting Works
Media blasting can successfully peel paint off steel girders, eliminate rust from boats, and even remove serious smoke damage from wood. To do this necessitates substantial power and the proper media for each substance.
For example, mellow abrasives such as walnut shells or corn cob might be better fitted for blasting more gentle surfaces such as metal baby cribs and brass fixtures while rougher materials such as crushed recycled glass can be used for tougher substances like getting rid of graffiti from stone buildings.
Once the right eco-friendly “media” is chosen, a blasting tool is used. Consisting of a nozzle and blasting pot, it produces a strong force to get rid of damage and different substances economically. But this powerful force could make a messy situation, so when blasting outside or in residential zones, to limit dust emissions into the environment, plastic containment around the work area may be used.
Media blasting averts using silica or sand, which can be cancerous, choosing safer alternatives for the worker, neighbors, and the earth. Once the processing has concluded, spent environmentally friendly media and debris are appropriately disposed of.
When you want to remove rust, paint, or other substances from substrate, media blast cleaning could be highly effective. However, if you work for a company that’s serious about reducing its effect on the environment, you might be worried that the technique lacks green credentials. You might wonder if media blasting can be eco-friendly. Media blasting is more sustainable and environmentally friendly than you may think.
The Many Uses of Media Blasting
Media blasting could save innumerable labor hours from manual cleaning, is a less pricey option than chemical stripping, and is effectively used for numerous purposes such as:
- Refurbishing damaged and masonry to stone walls
- Eliminate peeling paint from steel girders, parking lot or driveway paint, or graffiti from buildings
- Remove organics on hard surfaces like gravestones, monuments, or stone facia
- Cleaning old ink from the rollers and wells of ink presses
- Gets rid of rust from boats, cars, vehicles, or industrial equipment to ready for resurfacing
- Restoring materials and houses affected by soot, smoke, and mold damage
- Remove obstinate building materials like stiff foam insulation
What is Media Blasting?
Media blasting, also referred to as abrasive blasting, is a process used to clean surfaces. It plays a critical role in eliminating surface contaminants or getting ready a surface for coating. While there are many choices available, from steel shot to crushed glass, modern businesses are now offering plant-based blasting media made from walnut shells and olive stones.
Such products are not only effective in their application but also green and fully biodegradable, having high ecological standards. When choosing blasting media, it’s critical to think about both the environmental impact and the technical requirements.
Media Blasting Types
There are many types of blasting media. Usually, glass, metal, or sand powders have been used for typical blasting applications. Additionally, garnet grits are vastly used for blasting fiberglass or aluminum materials. With the increasing awareness about sustainability, plant-based, all-natural, or organic blasting media have been on the rise.
Walnut shell blast media has particularly become popular, especially due to the particle’s resistance and sharpness. However, walnut shells might contain nut allergens, which is why several conscious abrasive media suppliers have chosen blasting media made from almond shells or olive stones instead.
Eco-Friendly Blast Media Reduces Harmful Risks
When thinking about the safety and health of the environment and media blasting operators, one part of media blasting that comes to mind is the eco-friendly characteristics of the media itself.
While a changing number of media are effective and typical in handling both commercial and industrial surface preparations in the coatings industry, some media could cause health risks and inevitable hazards to the blasting workforce. Therefore, certain safety measures must be applied to safeguard blast operators and others working around the blasting job.
However, even when these safety measures are upheld to their greatest standards, the possible negative consequences that can be suffered by the environment become another concern. Although measures like waste disposal and containment can be used, individuals can reduce their environmental impact and, potentially, their disposal costs by choosing inert and eco-friendly abrasive media. Some examples of eco-friendly media include:
- Dry ice
- Baking soda
- Crushed glass
- Garnet
- Walnut shells
- Glass beads
- Corn cob grits
These media can be used for numerous applications without the danger of harming operators or the surrounding atmosphere.
How To Choose a Media
If you’re unsure whether the surface you are blasting can handle a more aggressive abrasive media, you’re likely better off beginning with a softer media. Corn cobs or walnut shells could be great options for gentler surfaces like wood since they won’t create etching. They also offer the extra advantage of being biodegradable, making them among the most eco-friendly blasting media.
Another top pick for media is recycled crushed or bottled glass. It is eco-friendly, cost-effective, and clean, right for a vast range of projects. Glass-like smoothness and sharpness characterize this media. This media is sub-angular and has a faster cleaning action than sand, but is gentler than other media types like stainless steel grit.
It’s typically used for surface preparation on plaster surfaces, paint removal, and metal cleaning among others.
Be sure that your media is high-quality and has consistent particle sizes.
Benefits of Eco-Friendly Blasting Media
Increased Efficiency
An environmentally friendly blast could help save money by increasing efficiency compared to standard methods, such as direct abrasion. This is because standard techniques require additional labor and time whereas eco-friendly methods are crafted to be more efficient and quicker. This means that tasks can be finished in less time and with lesser resources, resulting in reduced overall costs.
Reduced Environmental Impact
Eco-friendly blasting media is biodegradable and non-toxic, making it a sustainable choice for industrial cleaning and surface preparation. Unlike traditional blasting media that may contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals, eco-friendly options break down naturally over time, leaving no harmful residues.
This significantly reduces the risk of soil and water contamination, contributing to a cleaner and healthier environment. By minimizing pollution, businesses can also enhance their green credentials and meet stringent environmental regulations, ultimately promoting a more sustainable industry.
Better Working Conditions
Eco-friendly blasting media are free from harmful chemicals and heavy metals, creating a safer work environment and reducing health risks for operators. Traditional media can release toxic substances, but eco-friendly options mitigate these dangers. However, it’s still vital for workers to wear respirators and protective equipment, as the blasting process can produce dust and particulates that require protection.
Cost Savings
The use of eco-friendly media can lead to significant cost savings over time. These savings arise from reduced disposal fees and extended equipment life. By minimizing hazardous waste, businesses can cut down on expensive disposal processes. Additionally, gentler media help prolong the lifespan of blasting equipment, reducing maintenance and replacement expenses.
How to Reduce Dust During Media Blasting
Media blasting is a dependable way to clean and prep surfaces, eliminating paint, rust, and other debris. However, during the job, a lot of dust is generated. This could create health issues for operators and harm the surroundings. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can reduce dust when blasting. Let’s look at a couple of them.
Blast Rooms
Blast rooms are an efficient tool for regulating dust levels. A blast room is made with sealed ceilings and walls holding all the airborne particles discharged during sandblasting operations. They also have an exhaust system that will pull out any leftover particles and keep them from going outdoors or into other workspaces.
Using Water Sprays
Using water sprays alongside your blasting equipment is another excellent way to decrease dust levels during blasting jobs. The water will gather most of the particles before they can get airborne, mitigating dust egress into the wider environment, which is useful when processing in residential zones.
Contact Us to Get Help with Your Blasting Media Choice
To learn more about the environmentally-friendliness of various blasting media, contact Airblast AFC today. We provide a range of professional blast cleaning services and can discuss your options with you. Our experts are available to provide reliable media selection advice.
