There are times when we find forward-thinking people and companies with a concern for the environment. In tonight's Be Green 2, Kirk Matthews finds those people in a place you might not think of - an Auto Body Repair Shop.
Acme Fender uses a type of auto-paint first utilized in Europe during the 1990's.
"The normal paint uses solvents to transfer the pigments onto the surface of the car. And this new technology uses water - water vapor," says Van Takemoto, Island Fender.The normal paint uses solvents to transfer the pigments onto the surface of the car. And this new technology uses water - water vapor," says Van Takemoto, Island Fender.
Water vapor is used to transfer the pigment to the car. what's the difference?
"The solvents of course evaporate and move up into the atmosphere and destroy the ozone. Plus it's not healthy, it's very unsafe for our employees and the people that are spraying it or the people that may be breathing it as it exhausts out our exhaust stacks," says Takemoto.
Seeing the move to be green, Acme, along with Island Fender, Kuroda Autobody and Oka's Auto Body have made a commitment to the environment.
"It's been in Europe for years now and actually in california also because it's regulated in California and you have to shoot a waterborne paint in California and in places in Canada," says Takemoto.
There was no small cost involved in retro-fitting the painting booths to accommodate the water-borne technology. There are now no hazardous materials left over at the end of the day. And customers will notice no difference in the work, including in their wallets.
"The quality is excellent in the water borne in talking to a lot of our friends who own shops in California, it's really what got us to make that decision. It was a win-win for everybody," says Takemoto.
Takemoto says he sleeps well at night because of this transition.
As far as consumers are concerned, there's no difference whether we're spraying with solvents or whether we're spraying with waterborne. The cost is about the same," says Takemoto.
"It's the right thing to do right now for us to do it so we weren't waiting for legislation, we just went ahead and did it," says Takemoto.
