Ethanol Waste Recycling Program at the TTB National Laboratory Center
The still used by the TTB NLC to recycle its waste ethanol.
The TTB Scientific Services Division (SSD) had a problem. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations prohibit the National Laboratory Center (NLC) in Beltsville, Maryland from disposing of alcohol beverage samples that contain 24 percent or more alcohol by volume by introduction to the sewer system. The EPA also does not allow the dilution of high proof alcohol beverages, such as the distilled spirits samples received by our Beverage Alcohol Laboratory, for disposal in the sewer system. These samples must be treated as hazardous waste and removed from the NLC premises by a licensed waste management service at a cost of $250 per 55 gallons. This service gets expensive, with more than 200 gallons of distilled spirits samples sent to our Laboratory annually. Equally unattractive is the detrimental impact that destroying distilled spirits has on the environment.
Distilled spirits samples awaiting recycling.
SSD has solved this waste disposal problem by initiating an Ethanol Waste Recycling Program. This program recycles the pure ethanol from samples on the NLC premises and uses the recycled denatured alcohol as a fuel mix for the building’s power generators.
To recycle the ethanol, the Laboratory installed a new 25-gallon, water-cooled copper still with an electric heating unit. SSD also obtained distilled spirits plant permits for the still from the National Revenue Center as well as the appropriate Maryland State authority. The Lab is now able to properly dispose of the distillation pot residue (a water/alcohol mix with less than 24 percent alcohol by volume) in the building sewer in accordance with EPA regulations.
