Industrial Solvent Recovery and Recycling Programme Assessment at a Paint Factory in Delta State, South South Nigeria

Solvent recovery and recycling programmes reduce raw material procurement costs, decrease hazardous waste disposal liabilities, and lower volatile organic compound emissions, making them a high-priority sustainability investment for paint and coatings manufacturing companies in Nigeria. This study assesses an existing solvent recovery and recycling programme at a decorative and industrial paint factory in Delta State, South South Nigeria. Recovery system performance is evaluated by measuring solvent recovery efficiency for dominant solvents including xylene, butyl acetate, and naphtha using mass balance calculations across the distillation recovery unit. Distillate quality is characterised by gas chromatographic purity analysis and compared against virgin solvent specifications and the factory's internal quality acceptance criteria for recycled solvent use in paint formulation. Operational parameters including distillation temperature profiles, throughput rates, energy consumption, and still residue generation rates are benchmarked against published industry performance data. The economic analysis calculates annual savings from solvent recovery and compares them against operating costs, maintenance expenses, and energy input. Environmental performance is quantified in terms of avoided volatile organic compound emissions and reduced hazardous waste volume. Deficiencies in condenser cooling efficiency and still residue management are identified and corrective recommendations formulated. A professionally structured programme performance report and improvement action plan are produced as deliverables for the factory's environmental management system review. Keywords: solvent recovery, recycling, paint factory, volatile organic compounds, Delta State