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While large-scale spills of toxic materials are rare, every method of material transportation carries risk. When derailments, leaks, or accidents occur, the right equipment and adherence to best practices is necessary. The correct steps, taken quickly, help ensure the safety of the environment, protect businesses and prevent additional threats to the health and well-being of all those nearby.
Identifying Substances of Concern
After containing or stopping a spill, the next immediate need is to determine the contents in question: are they hazardous or non-hazardous; wet or dry; solid or sludge? The materials of concern will determine the manner of clean up and the containers and equipment necessary to remain in compliance throughout the entire process.
“When we receive a call to clean up, store, or transport spilled or leaked matter, our initial conversation with those at the scene helps us move quickly to the solution,” says Brent Killough, regional sales manager for Specialized Waste Systems. “Knowing what questions to ask directed to the appropriate people can determine the success of an operation from the start.”
While this initial process may seem straightforward, Killough recommends working with highly trained professionals to avoid costly and dangerous mistakes. “Unfamiliarity with the materials of concern is simply dangerous. If the material is something a responder has never encountered, it can put people and the environment at risk of exposure,” Killough says. “A lack of understanding about the chemical components can lead to recommending the wrong equipment, damaging the equipment, and increasing the time it takes to clean up while raising the total cost for containment substantially.”
Ensuring Safe Storage and Clean Up
Once the exact materials are known, Specialized dispatches the teams and appropriate containers and equipment for clean-up, temporary storage, and transportation. “With one of the largest and best maintained fleets of equipment available in the region, we have the ability to quickly provide the appropriate containers,” Killough says.
Following the assessment, samples are pulled and sent to a third-party lab that provides the analytics needed to profile the waste. Once the labs are complete, Specialized assists in profiling the waste and generating manifests for shipping purposes.
Various sizes and quantities of trash boxes, roll offs, vacuum boxes, and frac tanks are available to be mobilized by Specialized directly or as supplemental services to customers and other environmental service providers. Finding experienced teams, drivers, and operators is just as important as well-maintained, reliable equipment. “Look for high experience levels and applicable knowledge in the team members who respond to these jobs,” says Killough. “In these instances, experience translates to greater compliance and efficiency.”
From accident clean up to preventative storage and maintenance, the specialized nature of the equipment needed to safely manage and store materials for industries in the Gulf is substantial. “We provide containment solutions for power generation companies, chemical manufacturers, refiners, pipeline operations, and industrial manufacturers,” says Killough. “Understanding the materials involved along with any treatments and processes used within those industries, plays an important part in determining the way every situation is handled.”
Transportation and Disposal
Working from the official manifest, the Specialized team consults with customers to determine the best method for transportation and disposal among three options: 1) recycling; 2) non-hazardous material disposal to a landfill, or 3) hazardous material treatment, incineration, and/or disposal according to strict regulations.
Killough says it’s important to make that decision together with the customer, considering company environmental policies and goals. “Recycling is always a preferred option when possible. Being completely transparent about all of the options and associated costs allows the customer to make the choice best for the situation,” he says.
When handling hazardous materials, it’s also necessary to coordinate closely with disposal sites to ensure compliance. The material must arrive in a condition that is suitable for a particular disposal process, and upon delivery, certification paperwork validates the manner and amount of material for reporting. “Be sure to ask for documentation that shows what was shipped and disposed of on your behalf. Disposal and recycling sites generally have a stamp or authorized signature which is specific to that facility,” Killough says.
By quickly and competently identifying materials for clean-up, choosing the right equipment and teams with experience, and working closely with internal teams and disposal sites, damage from spills and leaks can be minimized.
Specialized Waste Systems is called on frequently to coordinate, manage, and provide containment solutions for all types of storage or disposal needs.
Learn more about how to minimize damage and coordinate even the largest jobs successfully by contacting Brent Killough at bkillough@taslp.com, call 281-452-1735, and visit specializedwaste.com.
