Spill Containment Blog

Spill Containment Blog

Spill Containment and Spill Cleanup Solutions

Don’t Cry Over Spilled Fluids — Recover Them!

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Wringer

You just spilled a container of fluid in your workplace. You’ve followed safety procedures, and cleaned up the mess with a sorbent mat, towel, or rag, but it’s impossible to recover the fluid you just wasted … right?

No matter how careful you are, spills are bound to happen. Besides being dangerous, spills also waste valuable resources. But having wringers on hand can help you recover much of what was spilled — and save your business money, too.

Did you know that wringers for absorbents can recover up to 90% of absorbed fluids from most sorbent mats, towels, or rags? When used with reusable absorbent pads, a wringer can greatly reduce spill costs and chemical fluid waste for your facility. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), using a wringer could save a company 51 to 75% a year, mainly on sorbent pad disposal costs. Furthermore, a wringer can pay for itself in just 2.8 to 5 weeks.

AbsorbentsOnline offers three different wringer models to suit your business’s needs. Each of these hand wringers offers a variety of benefits.

  • Economy Model Wringer — The all-steel frame is rust-proof, and the bearings never need to be lubricated. An adjustable screw in the center balances pressure over the length of the roller.
  • Standard Model Wringer — This model has dual gear-driven, 12-inch-wide chemical-resistant rollers and a built-in, anti-spill valve. You can mount this wringer to a closed-head 55 gallon drum.
  • Pro Model Wringer — This heavy-duty wringer has 19-inch rollers that can take 18-inch absorbent pads with no folding, and up to four 3-inch socks. A hands-free electric motor drive is optionally available for this model. AbsorbentsOnline can also provide the wringer with custom extractor widths and voltages for your specialized needs.

So the next time you spill fluid in your facility, don’t fret! Instead, use a wringer — which is good for the environment and your wallet.

AbsorbentsOnline is here to help. Feel free to contact us by email or call toll free at (800) 869-9633.

Are New Pesticide Regulations On The Horizon?

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Tractor spraying agricultural landThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed new changes to the country’s Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) in an effort to reduce agricultural workers’ exposure to toxic pesticides. There are around a dozen specific changes introduced, all of which are designed to protect farmers and other agricultural workers who handle pesticide-covered products on a daily basis.

According to Amy Liebman of the Migrant Clinicians Network, approximately 10,000-20,000 agricultural workers suffer from acute pesticide poisoning each year. While most cases are minor and leave no lasting health effects, others are more severe, resulting in neurological disorders, immune dysfunction, birth defects, and even cancer. The EPA hopes to turn these numbers in the opposite direction by incorporating a serious of changes in the current WPS.

“What we don’t know is the exact total number of occupational incidences involving pesticides. These incidences lead to sick days, lost wages, medical bills and absences at school. What we have found is that the most common types of incidents can be prevented with changes to our current worker protection standard,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

Under the new WPS revisions, farmers must create larger buffer zones surrounding the area where pesticides are used. Farm workers must then stay out of the buffer zone to reduce their exposure. Other changes proposed in the new EPA WPS revision include improved record keeping, on-going training for farm workers, and a minimum age requirement of 16 for handling certain types of chemical-based pesticides.

If these revisions go through, the biggest change will be the 25-100 foot buffer zone surrounding pesticide applications. In addition to creating this buffer zone, farm workers must place signs in a clear, visible areas to notify others that pesticide is present.

Like most major changes suggested by the EPA, there’s a 90-day period where the public is free to comment about it. Currently, there seems to be mixed reviews among farm workers regarding these changes. Some workers feel like the EPA is doing a good the right thing by adding regulations to create a safer working environment for the agricultural industry, while others believe it’s too little, too late.

So, when can you expect to see these changes enacted by the EPA? There’s still no official word, but Jim Jones stated that he plans to have them in effect by the end of the year.

How do you feel about the new EPA regulations on pesticide use?

EPA Issues New Restrictions on Sulfur Emissions In Gasoline

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Pumping gasolineOn Monday, officials with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new rule that would place restrictions on sulfur emissions in gasoline. This is one step in a larger plan for creating a cleaner environment, but not everyone is thrilled with the EPA’s decision to reduce sulfur emissions.

The recently proposed EPA rule is designed to cut about 2/3 of sulfur emissions from gasoline by 2017. Sulfur, as most auto junkies are well aware of, messes with vehicles’ ability to remove toxins and impurities before releasing them through the exhaust; therefore, cars running on “high-sulfur” gasoline are releasing a significantly higher amount of pollutants than cars running on “low-sulfur ” gasoline.

Vehicles are designed to remove pollutants using a device known as a catalytic converter. Unfortunately sulfur interferes with the catalytic converter so it’s no longer able to filter out such pollutants. By reducing the amount of sulfur in gas, vehicles will be able to remove more pollutants — at least that’s the theory behind the new EPA rule.

The EPA claims the new rule will prevent 20,000 deaths and over 50,000 cases of respiratory illness in children by the year 2030.

“This rule is all pain and no gain. This winter’s cold snap underscores just how vulnerable American families and businesses are to any increases in energy costs, and yet the administration is moving forward to raise prices at the pump,” said House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton.

Most lawmakers and U.S. citizens are in favor of the EPA’s new rule restricting the amount of sulfur emissions in gasoline; however, petrol companies have a different view. They believe the new rule will result in higher gas prices, which means less business for them. We already live in an age where people struggle to fill up their pump due to high costs and a struggling economy. Placing an even greater financial burden on drivers could make things worse.

The EPA responded to these allegations by saying the new rule would only raise gas by less than a penny per gallon. Petrol companies, on the other hand, claim it will raise prices by $.05 to $.10 cents per gallon.

The truth is that we really don’t know how the EPA’s new sulfur emissions rule will affect gas prices, and we probably won’t find out until it actually goes through in 2017. However, you can check back with our blog here for all of the latest news and developments surrounding the EPA’s rule on sulfur emissions.

How do you feel about the EPA’s new sulfur emissions rule?

EPA Seeks To Limit Carbon Emissions From Coal-Burning Plants

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Emissions from a power plantLast month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a new rule which would limit the carbon pollution of new coal-burning power plants. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy announced the proposed rule in Q4, 2013. However, it took officials several months to finalize the rule before making it available to the public. You can now access and view the new carbon emission rule proposed by the EPA at www.federalregister.gov.

What’s The Scoop?

The newly proposed bill requires all new coal-burning power plants to limit their carbon dioxide emissions to 1,110 pounds per megawatt-hour. According to some estimates, the average U.S. coal-burning power plant emits roughly 1,700 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour, which is a substantial amount more than the limit proposed in the rule.

But the EPA rule doesn’t end with coal-burning power plants. Depending on their size, new natural gas power plants in the U.S. must limit their carbon dioxide emissions to 1,000-1,100 pounds per megawatt-hour.

It’s important to note that the proposed rule would only affect new coal-burning and natural gas power plants in the U.S. Any pre-existing plants in operation may continue to operate without limiting their carbon dioxide emissions. A coal-burning power plant that emits 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour may continue to do so, assuming it’s already operational. If the bill passes, however, all future coal-burning and natural gas power plants must follow these guidelines.

The EPA is accepting comments from industry workers and the public about the newly proposed rule until March 5 2014.

Why Some People Aren’t Backing The EPA’s Rule

If passed, the EPA rule would make it increasingly difficult for new coal-burning power plants to be built in the U.S. In order to legally operate under the new rule, coal-burning power plants must capture 20-40% of their carbon emissions and store it underground. This process, known as carbon capture and storage (CCS) is still in development and not ready for widespread use.

Some people are also concerned how the new rule will affect the coal industry in the U.S. By placing more restrictions on coal plants, it’s bound to have a negative impact on the number of jobs.

Senator John Barrasso said the following in regards to the EPA’s proposed rule:

“The EPA just announced another regulation that will increase poverty in coal country. In addition to contradicting current law, this new regulation will put more Americans out of work and make it even harder for people to provide for their families.”

How do you feel about the new EPA rule? Let us know in the comments section below!

EPA Releases New Screening Data on 1,800 Chemicals

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data on a line graphEarlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released tons of new data found in roughly 1,800 chemicals. These chemicals are used in everything from processed foods to laundry detergents, skincare products, and even over-the-counter drugs. The EPA’s goal in screening the 1,800 everyday consumer chemicals is to predict health concerns and risks associated with common household products.

“EPA’s use of cost effective advanced chemical screening techniques has transformed this country’s knowledge of the safety of almost 2,000 chemicals currently in use. Today’s release marks an important milestone in communicating and improving our understanding of the impact chemicals have on human health and the environment,” said EPA Office of Research and Development assistant administrator Lek Kadeli.

The EPA used robotics screening technology to test and gauge the 1,800 chemicals listed in their report. Tox21 is the codename given to the robotics technology used by the EPA, National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences/National Toxicology Program, National Institutes of Health, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and the FDA.

Thankfully, they identified just a fraction of the chemicals as “high risk” for illness and/or health concerns. Even with just a fraction of the chemicals found to be dangerous, however, the EPA’s testing could prove to be a real life-saver. It’s not something most consumers want to think about, but very few products are inspected for safety before being released into the market. It’s usually not until class action lawsuits arise that a company begins to cease production on a their product(s) containing harmful chemicals or ingredients.

So, how did the EPA use this information to predict health problems associated with nearly 2,000 chemicals? They actually took an innovative approach to this large-scale operation by releasing a challenge to the science and tech community. This challenge, known as the ToxCast Data Challenge, allows organizations, companies and individuals in the science community to freely access this EPA’s data to identify possible health concerns.

This isn’t the first time the EPA has invited outside science and technology organizations to utilize their data, and it probably won’t be the last. While the EPA is a massive federal body with nearly 17,000 employees working throughout the country, they simply don’t have the manpower or resources necessary to screen and analyze data on every chemical. In an effort to take some of the burden off their shoulders, the EPA frequently runs challenges like the ToxCast Data Challenge mentioned above.

How The Recent Government Shutdown Affects The EPA

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hand holding a leaf

It’s official: the federal government has officially shut down for the first time in nearly two decades. While you’ve probably heard that most federal parks and attractions are closed as a result of the shutdown, a lesser-known but more important impact involves the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Whether your company directly deals with the EPA or not, you should be aware of the new changes incurred from the government shutdown.

According to some reports, the EPA will be hit the hardest from the government shutdown. With over 169 different facilities spanning throughout 50 states, the EPA is a massive organization that plays a key role in protecting public health and interest. As of 2013, they have  an estimated 16,204 employees working for them. Unfortunately, a significantly large portion of these workers will be forced to go home without pay.

So, how many EPA workers can expect to be furloughed? The EPA states that only essential personal whom are directly responsible for the public’s well-being will be allowed to show up for work. Of the agency’s 16,204 employees, this amounts to just 1,069 workers. The remaining 15,000+ are forced to go home without pay until further notice.

It’s important to note that non-essential EPA workers still play a key role in the public’s health. By sending them home due to a government shutdown, there’s a greater chance of accidents occurring. And to make matters worse, there’s no official date set for when these employees can get back to work. With both sides of congress playing a dangerous game of chicken, important organizations such as the EPA are getting caught in the crossfire.

To say the EPA is working with ‘limited’ resources now would be an understatement. They’re forced to prioritize spill sites to determine which ones pose an immediate threat to the public’s health. If there’s an on-site spill that’s not a direct danger, the EPA is forced to turn their head until for the time being. If left untreated, spill sites may continue to become more problematic, but the EPA simply doesn’t have the funds or manpower to handle them until the government is back in order.

For more information about these changes, read the official EPA contingency plan for a government shutdown. It’s a thorough 17-page document which outlines the agency’s plan in the event of a shutdown, which of course has already happened. The contingency plan covers everything from exempted activities to payroll access and shutdown implementation.

5 Important Tips For a Smoother EPA Inspection

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Person holding a clipboard in a warehouse

Is your business ready to face an EPA inspection?

Let’s face it, most companies don’t want to spend their valuable time and energy dealing with EPA inspections; however, it’s still a necessary task which ensures your company is compliant and abiding by all of the rules and regulations set forth by the EPA. Whether you have an inspection planned in the near future or not, you should familiarize yourself with the tips listed below. Doing so will allow for a smoother, faster inspection process, which benefits both you and the inspector.

#1 – Label Your Chemicals

The EPA requires companies to label certain chemicals. If an inspector finds chemicals which aren’t properly labeled, the company could be fined. To prevent this from happening, go through your workplace to check and make sure all of the necessary chemicals are labeled. You can read more about properly labeling PCBs on a previous blog post published here.

#2 – Spill Response

Of course, companies need to have a response plan in place in the event of a chemical spill. Let’s hope you never have to use it, but having one in place shows the inspector that you are ready and prepared. Placing just a few basic spill kits throughout your workplace is oftentimes more than enough to maintain a high level of preparedness while remaining compliant in the eyes of an EPA inspector.

#3 – Communication

I can’t stress enough the importance of communication during an EPA inspection. Closing yourself off in the office will only make the inspection more difficult. Instead, communicate openly with the inspector. If they have any questions, answer them in an honest and friendly manner. The more cooperative you are during the inspection, the smoother it will go. Inspectors are more likely to go easier on you if you remain cooperative throughout the process.

#4 – Documentation

Keep records of phone calls, documents, letters, emails and anything involving your company’s EPA inspection. It’s doubtful you will ever need this information, but having it on hand will give you the peace of mind knowing that all of your ducks are in order. If another agency or court asks for certain documentation, you’ll have it readily available to provide them.

#5 – Let Your Employees Know

If your company is about to receive an EPA inspection, make sure you let all of your employees know. This will give them time to go back over the workplace to check and make sure everything is ready for the inspection. Ideally, you should give your employees several days notice before an inspection.

EPA Issues Alert on Ammonium Nitrate

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seedlings growing in garden

Garden fertilizer contains ammonium nitrate

Are you aware of the risks Ammonium Nitrate may pose to your business?

Just weeks ago, the EPA issued a new alert on the storage of ammonium nitrate in an effort to increase the public’s awareness of its potential dangers. Ammonium nitrate is a nitrogen-rich compound that’s most commonly used in the production of garden fertilizer. Although it’s relatively safe when used correctly, it can lead to some pretty serious explosions and uncontrollable fires when exposed to heat. To better protect companies and individuals, the EPA teamed up with the ATF to issue this alert on the dangers of ammonium nitrate.

So, just how dangerous are ammonium nitrate fires? On April 17, 2013, the West Fertilizer Company’s storage and distribution factory caught fire. The town’s local firefighters were the first to respond, but unfortunately they were unable to put out the fire. Not long after, the plant exploded into a huge fireball, killing at least 15 and injuring 150 -160 more. This was one of the deadliest plant explosions in the history of Texas.

Investigators have yet to identify a cause for the West Fertilizer Company plant explosion. They’ve ruled out weather, rail car and natural causes, leaving some people to wonder if it was intentional. In any case, investigators believe the plant was storing more than the recommended maximum amount of ammonium nitrate. While the exact amount of ammonium nitrate is unknown, it’s believed there were around 28-34 tons of this compound on the premises. Once the fire reached the main supply of ammonium nitrate, it went up into a huge fireball, destroying the plant along with half a dozen or so nearby buildings and structures.

The EPA issued the alert on ammonium nitrate in direct response to this deadly Texas plant explosion. While there have been numerous other ammonium nitrate explosions in the past, this was by far one of the worst. The bottom line is that companies need to do a better job of storing and maintaining products containing this compound. Far too many people assume it’s safe since the toxicity of ammonium nitrate is relatively low. However, the real danger comes in the form of explosions and fires, which can be quite unpredictable.

For a complete breakdown of the EPA’s ammonium nitrate alert, check out the official PDF file located here. It’s broken down into several different categories, including “Problems,” “Accidents,” “Hazard Awareness,” “Process Safety Areas For Hazard Reduction” and “Information Resources.”

If you deal with ammonium nitrate in any way, shape or form, we recommended that you read through the EPA’s most recent alert.

Why Companies Should Perform Environmental Audits and Disclose Violations

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Don’t wait for the EPA to investigate your business. Learn how to fix environmental violations yourself

Environmental auditCompanies can benefit from performing internal environmental audits in several different ways. Rather than waiting around the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to investigate, owners should take the initiative to perform their own internal audits. By which we mean checking for any and all environmental violations and issues. For example, non-compliance with environmental regulations for emissions or wastewater discharge.

By performing an internal environmental audit, a company can take necessary corrective actions. The goal of which is fixing any regulatory violations and help fast-track its way towards compliance. Of course, this is just one of the many reasons why a company should perform its own environmental audits…

What is an environmental compliance audit?

In short, environmental auditing is a systematic process that objectively assesses your organization’s environmental impact. The end result is an audit report that documents findings or issues in complying with environmental laws.

Along with ensuring regulatory compliance, these types of environmental audits are an important aspect of best management practices. Just like your business’s internal policies and procedures around risk management. Measuring your organization’s compliance status is just one of many due diligence activities to prevent any breaches of legal requirements.

EPA audit incentive to prevent environmental issues

The EPA actually has an incentive program in place to encourage in-house audits along with disclosing environmental violations. The EPA’s Audit Policy is a program which rewards companies for voluntarily identifying, disclosing and fixing violations and compliance issues. (Before 2011, it was formally known as “Incentives for Self-Policing: Discovery, Disclosure, Correction and Prevention of Violations“).

In order for a company to qualify for the EPA Audit Policy program, it must meet a total of nine specific conditions. Here is a brief overview of these conditions set forth by the EPA:

  1. Discovery through the company’s own environmental audit or compliance management system (CMS).
  2. The discovery was made voluntarily and not through a monitoring or legal auditing procedure.
  3. Written disclosure of the violation was sent to the EPA within 21 days of discovery (some jurisdictions may require shorter times).
  4. Independent discovery of the violation was made before EPA.
  5. Remediation was made within 60 days of the violation’s discovery.
  6. New practices enacted to prevent similar violations in the future.
  7. This same violation can not occur within the next 3 years.
  8. Violations which result in serious or life-threatening harm are not eligible for the EPA Audit Policy program.
  9. The company or representative responsible for disclosing the violation must cooperate with the EPA.

How can an environmental audit report benefit your company?

If a company is able to meet the nine conditions above, it is eligible to receive incentives from the EPA. You can read the official PDF file for more information, but the incentives are based around penalty reductions. For instance, ‘gravity-based’ penalties are completely eliminated as long as the company meets all nine conditions. If the company met all conditions with the exception of systematic discovery, they will receive a 75% reduction of gravity-based penalties. This is a huge benefit that can yield a substantial financial savings for companies.

Companies that meet these nine conditions are also not recommended for criminal prosecution by the EPA.

[cta]Travis ZdrazilNeed help with environmental management systems or supplies for your business? Contact Travis Zdrazil at travis@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.[/cta]