Creating sustainable wastewater solutions

CIRCON Environmental prides itself on delivering sustainable solutions to clients, offering innovative methods to turn waste streams into products of value across the company's various service lines. CIRCON's wastewater treatment methods are no exception, and they stand out as a prime example of the quantifiable benefits that can be created by green, technology- driven thinking: In the past five years, the company has recycled more than 500 million gallons of water.

“CIRCON is prepared to take our customers into that sustainable future.”— Clint Willis, CIRCON Environmental

That figure is a product of the foundation upon which CIRCON was built. The "Four Rs" -- Recover, Recycle, Repurpose, Results -- represent the company's commitment to sustainability. When CIRCON receives hazardous or nonhazardous wastewater from clients, the shipments are carrying petroleum products and contaminants. Step one of any job is to recover those materials, separating the water from contaminants and materials.

Recovered oils and fuel parts are then repurposed and used to create waste-derived fuels that can help power other parts of the oil and gas industry, rather than being disposed of as pure waste. That particular benefit is twofold: Those waste-derived fuels create fresh economic value for clients and keep pure waste from being disposed of in ways that can harm the environment.

Remaining water is treated and recycled in partnership with the Gulf Coast Authority in Houston and ultimately sent back into Galveston Bay.

"We create fuel stocks that will re-enter the market with renewed value, once again ready to power the industry," said Clint Willis, a division manager at CIRCON who oversees its wastewater operations. "And as far as results go? Over 500 million gallons of water recycled in the past five years is a pretty good track record."

Those kinds of impactful results represent a significant win for both CIRCON and the oil industry. Alternative methods of disposal and waste management include sending those challenging materials to a landfill for solidification or utilizing deep well injection -- both of which create lifetime liability for businesses. In contrast, CIRCON's wastewater treatment and recycling services create peace of mind for a customer. At the end of a project, the job can truly be considered complete and final, and the client will receive a detailed report quantifying sustainability benefits so it knows exactly how its choice has helped create better results for the industry.

It's easy to assume that these innovative, environmentally focused technologies might come with a larger price tag than alternative, less sustainable methods of disposal. But in reality, CIRCON's sustainable offerings do not require additional investment and, in some cases, can even save clients money.

"Landfill solidification is a fairly expensive option in terms of managing materials, especially compared to our wastewater solutions," Willis said. "Which means choosing green really comes down to that: choice."

As more businesses across the industry increasingly make sustainable choices, CIRCON is equipped to efficiently deliver its services and benefits to a growing roster of clients. That's thanks not only to innovative solutions, but to the company's two centralized waste treatment facilities located near the Houston Ship Channel that allow CIRCON to manage hazardous and nonhazardous waste as well as high-flash and low-flash recyclable materials.

"It really makes us unique within the industry, having those two locations in close proximity to each other," Willis said of CIRCON's Bayport and Bay Park facilities. "It allows us to quickly ramp up for projects if needed and creates flexibility. We can operate 24/7 at either location."

Each facility specializes in a different technology and method, allowing CIRCON to better process a variety of hazardous and nonhazardous waste streams. The Bayport facility, for example, utilizes dissolved air flotation (DAF), a process by which impurities within wastewater float to the surface of the material. At Bay Park, a clarifier methodology uses the force of gravity to pull impurities to the bottom of wastewater, collecting those materials for easier removal.

"As our business has grown, we've seen a greater variety of waste streams," Willis said. "And some of those are better suited for one process than another, depending on the impurities in the water and whether they're more inclined to settle or float out. Being able to offer two methods creates more efficiency and ease for clients who choose to work with CIRCON."

The company continues to push forward with providing sustainable solutions for wastewater treatment and is currently exploring additional technologies that could expand its offering of green solutions.

CIRCON's R&D team, Willis said, is working on wastewater-treatment trials testing electrocoagulation and oxidation. The processes would help reduce total organic carbon in wastewater and aid in some metal removal, creating another path toward recovered components and recycled, usable water.

"It would be one more method to add to our repertoire, a great compliment to what we already do and an additional enhanced offering," Willis said. "CIRCON is constantly researching advanced treatment methods to improve our processes and operations, which in turn creates more long-term sustainable solutions for our clients that also boost their bottom line."

As CIRCON continues to evolve its offerings and deliver quantifiable, sustainable, industry-leading results to clients, each added service or technology will uphold the company's commitment to its foundational Four Rs: Recover, Recycle, Repurpose, Results.

"The idea of constantly improving is what drives the R&D part of CIRCON's business," Willis said. "Any business leader within our industry knows that making greener choices is the way of the future. And CIRCON is prepared to take our customers into that sustainable future."

For more information, visit www.circonenviro.com or call (281) 474-4210.