THE PROBLEM:The US Coast Guard has estimated that less oil is spilled in tanker accidents like the Exxon Valdez or Braer incidents than seeps into coastal waters and groundwater from land spills every year. Some estimates range as high as 200 million gallons annually on US soil and water alone and probably an equivalent amount in Western Europe.
THE RESULTS: One pint of oil can create a one acre slick on water. A quart of motor oil will foul the taste of one quarter million gallons of drinking water. Degradation of oil requires oxygen, reducing the amount available to aquatic life. On land spilled oil destroys plant life.
THE SOLUTION: Accidental spills will happen. Fast effective spill response procedures are a part of the solution to this problem. Peat Sorb products are key parts in any response plans. They are easy to use, effective and disposable. The most environmentally friendly and responsible sorbent products available today.
ENVIRONMENTAL, FACTORS NEW ATTITUDES AND LAWS
Over the past few years, major oil spills and the removal of hazardous contaminates from the industrial workplace have received a high level of attention. In North America both government authorities and businesses have been put under increased public pressure to improve their environmental performance.
Although not as far advanced as in America this trend is becoming evident in Europe as well. In all of the industrialized countries of the Western world there is a major emphasis on waste reduction and water and air quality. On the practical level this emphasis has been translated into new legal and moral codes of environmental responsibility.
These codes do not apply only to fresh oil spills. Increased concerns over the cleanup of contaminates that were dumped and neglected for many years have led to requirements for environmentally safe and effective clean up services, equipment and products. These new laws affect every phase of the clean up process.
CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LIABILITIES
In the United States the laws relating to oil spill clean ups and hazardous waste are complex and constantly being changed and updated. A variety of federal, state and local laws and regulations apply to the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal and clean up of wastes and hazardous materials. The requirements differ for land and water contamination. Enforcement of these laws varies from state to state. A particular spill situation can fall within the jurisdiction of a multitude of government agencies. The result is that an alleged offender can face enforcement and penalty action from numerous sources. Multi-million dollar penalties and settlements are increasingly evident in pollution cases and jail sentences have been handed down.
Under existing laws at least one toxic waste offender has been reported to have been sentenced to a jail term. As of April 1992 new laws in the U.K. have imposed a new Duty of Care on anyone who produces, imports, stores, treats, processes. transports, recycles or disposes of any household, commercial or industrial waste Not only can major fines result from a breach of this duty there is a strong possibility that the E.C.’s “fifth environmental action program” will impose civil liability for damage caused by the waste. This latter program would usher in no-fault civil liability for “damage” and “impairment of the environment” without reference to best available practices for an industry, without any financial or time limits and without any mandatory insurance.
In addition the public will have increased access to information (as they have had in the United States for many years) and individuals and public interest groups will have greater access to the courts to enforce their environmental interests. Increasing public awareness of environmental issues means that these new laws will be more strictly enforced, thereby requiring us to rethink how we deal with contamination problems. What will be required in the future are services and products that provide safe, effective, cost efficient methods for responding to oil and other spills on land and water and for cleaning up and disposing of contaminates.
Peat Sorb products provide safe, efficient, cost effective methods for responding to spills on land and water and for cleaning up and disposing of contaminates…….reducing exposure to both civil and criminal liabilities.
CLEAN UP & DISPOSAL
Clean up of hydrocarbons, PCB’s, resins, and fatty acids are difficult for numerous reasons. Recently enacted laws and directives in all jurisdictions affect and restrict tried and true methods of the way we contain, control, pickup, transport and dispose of contaminates. These new regulations bring increased liabilities for waste producers, landfill and incinerator users and everyone involved in the clean up process. Gone are the days where once the ‘contaminates were picked up, we could breathe a sigh of relief and go back to the business at hand.
In addition to new liabilities major expenses now accompany all spills. The same is true of the storage, transportation, and disposal of contaminates. In some jurisdictions over one half of the total cleanup cost is for disposal alone. Over the next few years, disposal costs will increase significantly. New laws governing disposal methods leave few disposal options This creates higher storage fees, insurance costs and legal fees, particularly in the event of litigation In some cases, “disposal laws” may be retroactive, requiring additional clean up of landfill sites.
Obtaining regulatory permission to build new state-of-the-art incineration facilities has become almost impossible. Even when approved, construction funding is too hard to generate in today’s economy. The general public is reluctant to allow new incinerators to be built in their own neighbourhoods and in some cases have successfully blocked construction of new facilities. A proposed high-tech waste incinerator in East Liverpool, Ohio has been under review since 1970 notwithstanding that the closest existing facility emits over 1500% more dioxins than the proposed plant. People are concerned with present and future air quality along with additional contaminates that may filter into their neighbourhoods resulting from stack emissions. Without new facilities we will have to burden existing incineration systems that clearly require high levels of maintenance and new additions to conform to clean air laws.
In Britain 90% of all waste is land filled; somewhat less in North America, in part because of the success of recycling programs. New landfill space is difficult to find even for non-hazardous waste. Municipal trash and contaminates labelled non-hazardous are often shipped long distances to their final destination Hazardous waste landfills are expensive and are also subject to changing legislation, in the future storage of contaminates will become more difficult. Ground water contamination in landfills and leaks from underground fuel tanks pose serious environmental problems.
The anticipated European Community Landfill Directive will impose new standards for waste disposal and landfill design. Liquid wastes may be banned completely from landfill. Sorbents like Peat Sorb will be particularly useful because they stabilize and solidify liquid waste and provide a medium within which the contaminants can biodegrade without leaching. This will be particularly important since both the operator of the site and the clients of the site may be liable for any adverse environmental effects.
Liability for contaminates in a hazardous landfill may extend to the landfill owner and all of his clients and their hazardous waste. Serious efforts are underway in most Western countries to reduce the volume of hazardous materials disposed of in landfills. As a result, landfill owners will be able to charge a premium for space. They will also have to become increasing selective on the types of contaminates stored at their site, going as far as rejecting clean up products made of synthetic materials that add to contamination problems.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
All aspect of the process must be taken into account when considering the cleanup of spilled materials- equal consideration must be given to emergency response, containment, control, pick up, storage, transportation and disposal. All of these steps are regulated by different laws that are changing rapidly. Products utilized in cleanup must conform to laws regulating transportation and disposal Sorbents must have the flexibility to work under a variety of clan up conditions and quickly clean up different types of contaminates. Using sorbents that cause additional disposal problems can be both counterproductive and costly.
Peat Sorb 2011 Inc. is constantly working to solve difficult spill problems. We have developed natural products to meet the practical requirements of all stages of the clean up cycle while complying with applicable laws. Peat Sorb products can be used as standalone products or work in conjunction with other equipment on larger spills. Our absorbents are efficient, cost effective and minimize disposal costs. They are products that are totally compatible with today’s “green” outlook.
PEAT SORB 2011 INC. PROVIDES A GREEN SOLUTION TO THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF OIL SPILL POLLUTION.
Can a spill site be returned to its former pristine state
Well actually, it can and it has. In May of 1994 a Brazilian land oil pipeline ruptured and dumped 2.7 million litres of oil into the environment. Within hours the oil had found its way into the Atlantic Ocean and soon contaminated an exotic local beach, threatening the natural ecosystem and destroying the local bathing and recreational facilities. The area was declared an environmental disaster of enormous proportions.
After valiant though futile attempts were made to clean up with mechanical means by local authorities, the area Peat Sorb distributor demonstrated the efficacy of the Peat Sorb product and soon tons of Peat Sorb was applied to the shoreline.
With two applications in just one day, the beach was virtually restored to its former state and after two weeks of sporadic applications to counter new contamination, the beach was opened, safely, to the public once again. Since then, Peat Sorb has performed oil spill clean-ups worldwide.
What else should I know about Peat Sorb
Peat Sorb 2011 Inc north of Edmonton, Alberta, is the exclusive manufacturer of Peat Sorb. The manufacturing end of the business was purchased in order to ensure the quality and supply of Peat Sorb. Since then we have continued to grow and develop new, greener ways of running our business. We can help you do the same.
Why is Peat Sorb better than kitty litter and other clay products
Peat Sorb is more cost effective overall, by using less product and providing for easier, greener disposal. Peat Sorb is environmentally safe in that it does not leach the hydrocarbon back into the soil or the groundwater.
Why does Peat Sorb absorb hydrocarbons and repel water
Because peat is one of the building blocks of hydrocarbons the fibers are able to draw hydrocarbons inside their structure. The natural wax released from the cells now prevents the hydrocarbon from leaching out of the Peat Sorb. These natural waxes also prevent water from being absorbed into the Peat Sorb.
Peat Sorb’s Commitment to the Environment.
Peat Sorb 2011 Inc.’s environmental management system as it relates to the production of Peat Sorb and related products is ISO 14001 certified.
Does Peat Sorb leach out the hydrocarbon
Once Peat Sorb has absorbed the hydrocarbon, it will not release it even under pressure. Peat Sorb has passed the Toxicity Characteristic Leachate Procedure (T.C.L.P.).
Peat Sorb will retain the hydrocarbon until the naturally occurring microbes found in the soil break down the hydrocarbon to its basic elements. We have also had the Peat Sorb tested at Michigan State University in a series of grass tests. When grass is exposed to an oil spill the grass will die if left untreated. Where the spill is treated with Peat Sorb the grass continues to grow even when the Peat Sorb is left in place, proving that the hydrocarbon does not leach out of the Peat Sorb.
Does Peat Sorb reduce VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds)
Peat Sorb is an effective product in the suppression of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Peat Sorb has the ability to absorb flammable liquids and aid in the prevention of flashbacks. Peat Sorb will reduce the VOC’s from 100% to around 10%.
How do I dispose of used Peat Sorb
Please follow your local disposal requirements as they relate to the hydrocarbon. Peat Sorbcan take a liquid hazardous hydrocarbon and solidify it to make it non-hazardous, but if the liquid is a toxic liquid it remains toxic in solid form.
Save energy by using your used Peat Sorb as a source of fuel for burning! It will contribute about 15,000 – 15,500 BTU’s per pound and will assist in the incineration of absorbed oils. It is another way that Peat Sorb helps you contribute to an efficient, green and environmentally responsible way of running your business. If ignited accidentally, Peat Sorb burns with a controlled wick action and helps reduce the potential for explosive combustion. Peat Sorb does not leach the hydrocarbon back into the environment, so it can safely be buried in landfill PEA SOHO according to your local regulations. Soil and groundwater will not be contaminated by the hydrocarbon.