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  • Go Green: Auto Industry 
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    Reported by: Katrina Irwin

    Thursday, Aug 20, 2009 @11:12am EDT

    Newer, more environmentally friendly products, are replacing much of the grease and grime typically associated with the auto industry. One local auto shop is making that transition.


    The paint color may be red, but what's behind this operation is all green.

    At Gates Automotive, one eye is on the environment.


    "It made a lot of sense to look at what we could do to go green, and also do it in a real sustainable way," says Jim Fonzi, President of Gates Automotive.

    They just opened this new facility in Henrietta, a few months ago. They are using more energy efficient lights and heat, and they have changed the way they paint cars.


    "We were able to implement the use of water borne paint. Which is a green certified product.  It's 97% solvent free," says Fonzi.  "    Instead of dealing with solvent going up into the air, we just have humidity that going out into the air", he adds.

    Their system also dries the paint faster, cutting down energy costs by about half.

    And that's not all they've done.


    Fonzi says, "In the past parts were washed in a solvent bath and that generated a drum of hazardous waste that had to be sent out and either recycled or burned our something."

    Now we use a giant dishwasher to do that essentially. It's a biodegradable soap that's used and it has an oil separator in it.  Recently some graduate students from cornell university studied their go green efforts.

    They hope to set an example for others to follow.


    For more information, click here
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