As our industry works to create a more sustainable future for our planet and for our businesses, innovative processes will be the key to ongoing success.
Phrases like renewable fuel, waste-derived and alternative fuels have become the focus for many companies as they search for ways to support a greener future. And when those technologies have a positive impact on the environment, companies' ESG goals and their bottom lines, everyone wins.
The embrace of renewable fuels boosts customer benefits
CIRCON's refuel tanker transports the company's sustainable, renewable fuels.
CIRCON Environmental falls right in line. Its primary goal is to find ways to repurpose materials previously considered waste, giving new life to these streams as waste-derived or blended fuels that are used to power other sectors of the industry. In 2021, CIRCON generated 27.5 million gallons of waste-derived fuels doing exactly this.
But CIRCON doesn't stop at just creating renewable fuels. The company's commitment to forward-thinking solutions and the zero-waste ethos of the circular economy are helping drive clients' organizations forward by working smarter and taking advantage of existing industry exemptions that can incentivize sustainable behaviors.
Under the 2911 Oil Bearing Hazardous Secondary Material (OBHSM) exclusion, materials from refineries are received at our re-refinery in La Porte, Texas. Sludges, residuals, or other oil-bearing materials can be exchanged between petroleum refineries while avoiding Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) designation. Recovered oil is the end goal of this allowed exemption and represents a significant step toward making the industry more sustainable. Non-refinery chemicals and fuels from any industry that qualify for the Commercial Chemical Product (CCP) exemption can be transported on a bill of lading, avoiding waste designation as well. This allows small and small-quantity generators the ability to control their waste volumes, maintaining lower tier status requirements.
The embrace of renewable fuels boosts customer benefits
CIRCON's facility in Hodgkins, Ill., recently increased receiving capacity for exempted oil-bearing loads.
In 2021, CIRCON managed 15,264 tons of waste through these two exemptions, displacing 100,872 tons of coal. Embracing these business practices is a smart step toward decarbonization and joining the circular economy. These exemptions help drive the creation of renewable fuels and provide industry operators with new opportunities for residual wastewaters and solids to be managed and disposed of sustainably, rather than being sent to a landfill as post-treatment ash.
In addition, these exemptions and business practices can streamline operations by limiting rental needs and decreasing site safety risks. They can help drive security, safety and reliability, and they enable CIRCON and its partners to generate measurable sustainable results and powerful waste-derived fuels. By working together, we can all get on the path to a greener tomorrow.
For more information, visit circonenviro.com or call (281) 474-4210.
