An oil-spill-eating product from A&S International has been used at a facility of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK to reduce Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) levels to non-hazardous status.
The high levels of TPH were present in the by-products of a street-sweepings washing process. Specifically, TPH levels were high in the filter cake outputs of the washing process, which meant that the output was classified as hazardous waste, and therefore could not be used to supply material for other projects.
Oil Spill Eater II (OSE II) was added to the main water reservoir tank to bring it into contact with the material to be processed.
OSE II was also applied to the filter cake stockpile with a hand pump spray to address any additional TPH that might still have been present.
According to the group, TPH levels dropped over a period of days to non-hazardous requirements.
These levels have subsequently remained low, with OSE II only having been added to the water tank on a second occasion after two months.
OSE II is still applied via hand spray to the filter cake where it is not practical to dose the main water tank, due to the water being changed on a regular basis. This has also resulted in TPH levels dropping below target levels, according to the group.
Shaun Macdonald, DIRECTOR, A&S International, commented:
“We are excited to be working with SUEZ recycling and recovery UK.
“The trial showed very quicky how OSE II lowers TPH levels well below targets in a short amount of time, and not only that but also keeps the TPH levels consistently low.
“This has helped SUEZ to reduce both costs and also the amount of output that has to go to landfill which is great news for them from a sustainability point of view.
“OSE II is also an ideal one step solution for the SUEZ team to clean up any onsite oil and fuel spills without having to use toxic chemicals or absorbents – the latter would also normally have to be disposed of correctly.”
The benefits listed for the product on A&S International’s website include:
- More cost effective than removing contaminated material off-site as the spill can be treated in-situ
- Concentrated product mixed 50:1 with natural water to produce low cost treatment
- No secondary clean-up reduces labour costs
- Non-toxic and biodegradable
- Natural ingredients with no chemicals
- Removes slip hazards from fuel spills
- Renders fuel spills non-flammable in minutes
- Removes odours from hydrocarbon spills
- Will not harm flora or fauna
- No PPE necessary for use
