Paint thinner dumped down drain

Along with the beauty that comes with oil paintings emerging from the Fine Arts buildings comes a danger caused by chemicals aspiring artists use to create their masterpieces.
 

Art student Paul Lent, left, works with faculty member Brian Sanderson without benefit of a ventilation fan, although the door is opened.

"It is disgusting," said former CSULB art student Emily Quest. "People would have paint thinner on their brushes and rinse them in the sink. Thereâs no alternative."

Paint thinner disposed of improperly, usually by being washed down sinks, contaminates the water-purification system into which it flows and can seep into the soil through pipe leaks, campus and city officials acknowledge.

In addition, some students charge that ventilation systems do not work well, exposing them to potentially harmful fumes. Nine complaints alleging the rooms in FA4 were too hot were filed in the past two years, according to Facilities Management records. Exhaust fans required repair four times during that period.

By breathing paint thinner, victims can become dizzy, vomit or faint, according to Kardol Quality Products Material Safety Finishings.

"Sometimes the smell would make me sick," said senior illustration major Carrie Erickson. "You can get headaches from it."
Students are instructed to properly dispose of their paint thinner in buckets, and art department chair Jay Kvapil believes they do just that. Signs are posted, Kvapil said, and the procedure is outlined in class syllabi. Thinner is supposed to be deposited into buckets.

"It's not a big problem right now," Kvapil said. "If there is a big problem, we don't know about it."

However, Marla Michika, a junior art major, knows of at least one instance when a student simply poured thinner down the drain. Erickson, the illustration major, said she routinely rinses her brushes in the sink. Facilities Management has received 15 complaints of stopped-up sinks in FA4 the past two years, records show.

"The chemicals can clog the sink," said Scott Charmack, associate vice president of physical planning. "It doesn't dissolve very well."

Even residual thinner from rinsing contaminates the environment, according to David Evans, operations manager for the city of Long Beach's planning and buildings department. And, Evans said, it is illegal.

"Chemicals of any kind are not permitted," Evans said , noting that the water is eventually returned to the environment. Long Beach's reclaimed water is pumped back into the ground following treatment to replace oil that has been extracted.

Paint thinner inhibits bacteria from breaking down the sewage of the waste water, so water contaminated by thinner must be specially treated, Evans said, adding to taxpayers' expense.
 

Art student Sara Sheen  displays a jar that holds turpentine in which paint brushes are supposed to be cleaned. She said the turpentine eventually evaporates, and the toxic residue is then supposed to be disposed of properly.

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One of the countryâs best environmental websites is that of the Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov). Easy access to the massive number of environmental reports produced by the agency is only one draw. You'll find more there on the hazard of paint thinner.