Pollution Control, Spill and Firewater Containment: Background Theory
Most sites to varying degrees are at risk from chemical oil spills either due to the nature of their business or during deliveries of items such as fuel oils or foodstuffs. However, virtually every site is at risk from firewater the run off from fighting a fire. The site owner is 100% responsible for the containment of firewater and the fact that they have called 999 or 911 doesn't pass this responsibility onto the emergency services. The drawing above shows an example of the risks due to spillage on a site and the drawing below the massively increased risk due to fire water.
Spill and Fire water containment rather than absorption is acknowledged to offer major environmental advantages and is recommended under PPG11, PPG18, PPG21 and the new ELD Environmental Liability Directive 2004/35/EC. By using our Flapstopper Check Valve fire water or a spill can be contained within the drain and then simply pumped/sucked up ready for recycling, whereas if an absorbent material is used it is too often condemned to landfill or incineration and there is no chance of collecting the spilt agent for recycling. In the UK, the Environment Agency (EA) now recognise this fact and are happy to accept the use of containment apparatus as part of a spill mitigation/pollution management programme for those seeking site operators licences.
Now even hazardous materials can be safely contained thanks to semi or fully automated pneumatic bladder or pneumatic nonreturn valve systems. This overcomes the many situations where sending an operator into a spill area would be dangerous and in breach of H&S regulations.