Repairing Auto-Body Repair
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA 
on 09.18.08
Image source: Clean Green Collision
We've heard of do-it yourself car repair to save money and the planet. Heading over to a local junkyard to find replacement parts is a great way to recycle. But, an actual green auto-body shop? Who knew. Clean Green Collision in Oakland, CA now offers what may be the first green auto repair.
Some of the best ideas come from personal experience, and that is the story of Clean Green Collision. Owner Jacque Andres had an intense reaction after driving away from the car lot with a newly purchased car. He realized that the car was recently painted and that particulates and emissions made their way into the interior of the car and eventually into his lungs. From that moment on, he vowed to clean up auto body repair and Clean Green Collision was born. Nowadays, Andres makes sure to seal all vents first thing so that paint particles due not enter the interior of the car and harm customers. You don't get that "freshly painted smell" inside your car when you leave the shop.
Carcinogens like isocyanates, methylene chloride, toluene and xylene are commonly used in body shops. Eliminating these benefits the customers and the environment, but actually benefits the employees more than anyone, who have daily, acute exposure to the toxins. Andres hopes that he can not only offer a better product to customers but also that by making a profitable, eco-friendly body shop, he will force other shops to clean up their act too in order to compete. The shop offers a 5 year warranty on the paint job, proving that they stand by their eco-product and that it can compete with other methods.
So how did Andres do it? Well, partly by redesigning the shop and inventing several collection and filtration systems to complete his vision. Aside from the usual recycling, and changing out lightbulbs and other common-place "green" practices, the shop deconstructed auto-body repair to pinpoint areas to improve.
The shop uses water-borne paints, with low VOC content, that are air dried and thus eliminate the need for solvents. A UV-curing system also eliminates the need for solvents. Andres designed a multi-stage dust filter, called an "eco-plenum" that recirculates and captures the sanding and the paint-booth emissions. He also added additional ceiling dust filters to capture additional dust releases. All car parts and paint are either recycled or properly disposed of.
Well aware that water is a scarce resource in California, the shop installed high-pressure hoses to eliminate water used and now uses biodegradable soaps. All water is filtered before it leaves the shop via drains. The shop is also a Certified Green Business in Alameda County.
Andres has spent 25 years in the auto industry getting degrees in auto engineering, designing specific aerodynamic and suspension systems and racing mini coopers. Clean Green Collision opened in 2004 and has been cleaning up its auto act ever since. ::Clean Green Collision
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I like this article.
I've worked in the auto industry before, and am a competent in auto body repair.
I now direct an environmental group and work on the issue of toxins in our lives.
I'm very nervous about the fact that I need to do auto body work on my compact pickup I use for expeditions into the bush, and also do fiberglass repair on my canoe. My vintage city bicycles could use some attention as well. I've painted my house with homemade non-toxic paints, but can't figure out how to fix my car- and boat-fixing.
I'll do the research the UV-drying process and the water-born paints.
Mr. Andrews is using his head. With the green craze that has hit the nation he must have more business than he can handle. I wouldn't be surprised to see more green repair shops here in the near future.
In terms of the water based paints:
I've researched them and have found that the water based formulas are only available for the color-tinted layers while the primers and clear coat layers are still solvent based.
I'm posting out of curiosity to see if any company offers water based primers and clears.
Are they available?
Does this shop use them?
Which companies produce them (if applicable)?