An elegant sorbent for a greasy problem

Every owner of a workshop, machine hall or other place where heavy equipment is operated or repaired knows what a problem a leakage of petroleum substances and other industrial working fluids can be. All it takes is a small puddle to give an Environmental Protection Inspector a heart attack. Most fluids used for drive, lubrication or cooling, as well as hydraulic working fluids used in modern machines, are environmentally unfriendly substances. While twenty or thirty years ago, small amounts of this type of substances getting into groundwater, surface water and soil were not a problem, because the environment was able to deal with them effectively, today the pressure exerted on the ecosphere is so great that even the smallest amounts of hazardous substances can cause a local ecological disaster. A small leak of fuel, oil, grease or a small leak in the hydraulic system requires neutralization with the use of specialized sorbents.

How to respond to a leak of hazardous substances?

In the event of finding such a leak, first of all, you should take care of your own safety and make sure that the leak does not pose a risk of, for example, ignition or explosion. Many substances, especially oil derivatives, are flammable and volatile, so the risk of self-ignition is high here. When the danger of explosion and/or ignition has been eliminated, the cause of such leakage must be eliminated by stopping it. The most important thing is to use the appropriate personal protective equipment required for a given situation, so that contact with the leak does not endanger our lives and health.

Leak absorption.

Once the spill has been stopped and the containment team is safe, the resulting spill should be surrounded by a small dike of sorbent to prevent it from spreading further. Then, a sorbent layer must be formed on the surface of the liquid, the thickness of which will depend on the size of the leak, thus leading to the absorption process. It can be accelerated by brushing the spilled sorbent with the liquid so as to ensure maximum contact between these substances. Under the pressure of the liquid, the sorbent will change its color from light to darker, and after it is completely soaked, remove the remains to the prepared container. The entire absorption and cleaning process should be repeated until the spillage is completely removed.

Removing the infiltrate.

After removing the leak, start removing the infiltration formed on the substrate. If it was on a hard, non-absorbent surface, e.g. tiles, tiles, concrete, asphalt, etc., remove the stain with appropriate degreasing agents, in accordance with their intended use and instructions for use. In the event of a spill on an absorbent surface, such as: gravel, sand or other loose substrates, all soaked material should be removed in accordance with the regulations applicable to the given substance.

The soaked sorbent and the material removed from the leak should be disposed of properly selected for the type of substance, based on the relevant regulations.

In sum. When proceeding to remove the leak, you should:

The sorbent should be stored in a safe and designated place. If a leak occurs, it is worth knowing in advance where the sorbent is located and how to deal with the leak and whom to notify. There is nothing more dangerous than improvisation in an emergency situation.

Comments

Posted by Marcin StatOil (unverified) on Tue, 27/12/2016 - 14:24

Could you post some model procedure for petrol stations? Not for a catastrophe but spilling a few liters of fuel, how to remove it one by one?

Posted by Lukasz Admin on Fri, 30/12/2016 - 11:05

Unfortunately, Mr. Marcin, neither distripark.com nor the manufacturer of the sorbent have such general materials that could constitute any guidelines or a model. The procedure to be followed in the event of spilling petroleum products at a specific petrol station should be written by a person with appropriate knowledge and qualifications in the field of health and safety for a specific situation at a given station. Each station has a different layout, the container with the sorbent is placed elsewhere, the soaked sorbent intended for disposal should be placed elsewhere, etc. etc. That is why we are unable to help.

Unfortunately, for technical reasons, adding new comments to posts and discussion under posts is temporarily suspended. We try to make this important communication channel available to our customers as soon as possible .

*This article is for informational purposes only. The presented description, in particular the use of the products, is exemplary and constitutes non-binding information about the characteristics and possibilities of their use/application. In any case, before using the product, consult a specialist whether the specific use is safe and justified. We do not bear any responsibility for the use of the proposed solutions, even in very similar situations.