A guide to spill cleanup products.
By David Miller
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like I went to bed one night and woke up the next morning to find this category of industrial wipers and spill control products called sorbents had arrived on the scene while I had been sleeping. That was several years ago, but I still marvel at how the business of cleaning up spills and drips transformed from rags and clay-based cat litter to this brave new world of sophistication while I was wrapped up in some forgettable dream upon my Sealy Posturepedic that fateful night.
Perhaps the same thing happened to you. Maybe you are still trying to figure out what’s the story with these fluffy sheets and socks and what makes them so special as to warrant their own section on your supplier’s Web site, separate and distinct from the other paper based wipers and fabric towels.
For the end user, the most important things to know about spill control sorbents are:
- They are chemically formulated to pick up many times their weight in liquids
- They come in many forms: sheets, socks, pillows, granules and booms
- Some sorbents have the ability to absorb specific liquids while repelling others
- They are usually (but not always) color-coded to indicate their purpose
What makes a sorbent different than a traditional wiper is its advanced ability to trap and absorb spills. They are constructed variously of treated recycled fibers or plastics using processes with names like Meltblown or Coldform, but the details of their construction aren’t nearly as significant as knowing what the sorbent is designed to pick up.
Universal vs. Oil-Only
The two most important classes of sorbent pads and socks for the waste industry are universal or oil-only. Universal will pick up any liquid—paint, Pepsi, petroleum or plain old water. Oil-only will selectively pick up oil and hydrocarbons—you can lay it over a pool of water and it will only attract the oil and gas floating on the surface of the pool. You can imagine the usefulness of being able to absorb just the oil-based waste when other liquids are present, or if you are trying to clean up a spill in the rain. When your wiper is targeted to the thing you are cleaning up, then you have a more efficient cleanup, and you use less sorbent because it isn’t getting saturated with extraneous liquids that you aren’t trying to collect.
Color Coding
In a typical spill kit, universal sorbents will be identified by a grey coloring, and oil-only will be white. Sorbent products designated for picking up hazardous spills will have a distinctive yellow color, although some suppliers use pink or green for their Hazmat color.
Sorbents designated for Hazmat duty do not differ in performance from universal (grey) sorbents; the color distinction is intended to ensure that the collected Hazmat waste receives the appropriate disposal without being mistaken for non-Hazmat material.
Pads, socks and booms have fairly obvious usage protocols. Socks and booms can effectively contain a spill by placement around the perimeter of the area. Pads can then be used to sop up the spill.
Since this article is oriented toward managing spills, I have not addressed the variety of finishes available on sorbent pads. Most sorbent pads and rolls sold for spill cleanup will have a “bonded” outside layer. There are other finish options such as fine fiber or laminated, and these finishes are intended to make the sorbent material more durable or shed less lint or both. Sorbents are often used as an underlayment of a work area in anticipation of leaks and spills. A typical use would be to lay out several feet of the roll to use as a work surface that can be walked or even driven over. After the mat has collected a sufficient amount of soil, drips and spills, it is replaced with a clean mat.
Relief in Powder Form
Beyond pads and socks, mineral granular absorbents are particularly useful for spills on smooth floors and concrete surfaces. Unlike the traditional clay-based absorbent granules that have been in use for generations, this newer breed of granular products contains no dusty silica and is far more absorbent. Sold under a variety of formulations and trade names, these products have the capability to convert virtually any liquid spill into a non-sticky pastry. You simply shake the product into the spill, work it back and forth a few times with a stiff broom, and it will easily sweep up with no residue.
There are also powders and liquids that exclusively work on oil and hydrocarbons. These tend to have a higher purchase price, but offer great savings on the back end because the hydrocarbons are transformed into an inert substance that may be disposed of without any EPA restrictions.
Speaking of Disposal
When planning a spill prevention strategy, it is essential to bear in mind that the wastes from the spills you may have to clean up will need to be properly dealt with. The spent sorbent sheets and socks you collect have to be bagged up and disposed of according to the contents of the waste. As much as possible, you will want to separate the uncontaminated wastes from the oily wastes and these both should be kept separate from hazmat wastes with the understanding that the less waste you have that requires special processing, the less you will have to pay.
It’s never been more consequential for waste companies to police their operations and respond quickly any time a disposal truck leaks something onto a residential street or a spill occurs in a processing facility. Having so many effective means available to deal with these spills makes it possible to handle them in a cost-effective manner.
David Miller is the Waste Industry Manager for HUB Industrial Supply (Lake City, FL). He is a Certified Safety Professional and works with managers to effectively implement and manage PPE and MRO programs in the waste industry. He may be reached at [email protected]. HUB Industrial Supply is an Applied MSSSM company.