Creating a Strategic Approach to Fluid Management Services

Wondering how to dispose of hazardous liquids without risking fines, lawsuits, or a surprise visit from the EPA? This guide breaks it down: collection, transport, treatment, recycling, and disposal. Q&As include:

1. What’s the difference between a liquid hazardous waste and a solid one?
2. What does the EPA mean by “solid waste?”
3. What kinds of companies or industries typically require management of hazardous waste fluids?
4. What are the key components of management services for hazardous waste fluids?
5. Is there a comprehensive source for learning about hazardous waste fluid management services?

1. What’s the difference between a liquid hazardous waste and a solid one?

You’d think this would be an easy question, wouldn’t you?

Common sense would dictate (or at least strongly suggest) that the main difference between liquid vs. solid hazardous waste would lie in their physical state. Thus, in a world where down is down and up is up, waste in a solid form would include things like contaminated soil, used rags with toxic residues, spent filters, industrial sludge, and certain chemical powders. In contrast, waste in liquid form would include solvents, acids, oils, and other fluid chemicals that are dangerous to health or the environment.

But within the Kafkaesque environs of Beltline Bureaucracy—where down might be up and up could be down—the distinction between solid and liquid is based not only on physical form, but also upon how a waste is defined and regulated under RCRA. I.e., “solid” vs. “liquid” are legal/administrative adjectives for the EPA, not necessarily physical ones. Thereby, the term “solid waste” is actually broader than it sounds. Capeesh? If not, see Q.2.

2. What does the EPA mean by “solid waste?”

Per the EPA, solid waste means any garbage, refuse, sludge, or other discarded material, including solids, liquids, semi-solids, or gases deemed RCRA hazardous. So, both liquids and solids can be considered “solid waste.” But nonetheless, the physical form (as opposed to the administrative one described in Q.1) does affect how liquid hazardous waste must be treated differently from the solid stuff. (See source.)

For example, solid hazmat must be stored in drums or roll-off bins, while liquid hazardous waste requires sealed drums or tanks with secondary containment. And while both solid and liquid hazmat require specific labeling and precautions to prevent spills or dust, liquid hazmat requires more sophisticated & specialized spill containment precautions and specific DOT labeling. (See source.)

Treatment requirements also differ for solid vs. liquid waste (e.g., stabilization vs. neutralization)—and this is where we typically urge the reading audience to get expert advice.

3. What kinds of companies or industries typically require management of hazardous waste fluids?

The sorts of companies that generate liquid hazardous waste (and therefore require liquid waste management) are manifold. Consider:

• Oil & gas enterprises for drilling fluids, produced water, and flowback from hydraulic fracturing. E.g., Shell, Chevron, Halliburton
• Automotive & transportation companies for spent oils, coolants, brake fluids, and cleaning solvents. E.g., General Motors, Ford, major trucking fleets
• Chemical & pharmaceutical manufacturers for corrosive liquids, solvents, lab waste, and process wastewater. E.g., Dow Chemical, BASF, Pfizer
• Metal processing & finishing concerns for plating solutions, acidic rinses, and oily wastewater. E.g., ArcelorMittal, Alcoa
• Utilities & power generation companies for boiler blowdown water, lubricants, and cleaning chemicals. E.g., Duke Energy, Exelon
• Mining companies for managing tailings, slurry, and chemical reagents. E.g., Rio Tinto, Newmont Corporation

4. What are the key components of management services for hazardous waste fluids?

It depends on how you count, but we would say there are six essential components to managing hazardous waste fluids. And you should consider each when selecting a hazardous waste management company to handle your liquid wastes. They are:

1. Collection & containment. Using vacuum trucks, tanks, or portable containers to collect hazardous liquids, with necessary precautions to prevent spills or leaks during collection and storage, followed by safe and compliant transportation (per DOT hazardous materials rules) to properly licensed treatment or disposal facilities.
2. Treatment & disposal. Neutralizing or processing hazardous liquids so they can be safely disposed of, which might include chemical treatment, incineration, or deep well injection.
3. Recycling & reuse. Minimizing waste volumes to reduce environmental impact. Recovering usable materials (e.g., used oil recovery or solvent distillation).
4. On-site fluid management. Managing fluids during industrial processes, including filtration, separation, or dewatering.
5. Compliance & reporting. Ensuring that all fluid handling meets EPA, OSHA, state, and local regulations (the latter two of which are typically more restrictive than their federal counterparts).
6. Documentation and e-Manifesting for tracking hazardous waste. These services should be available through the company you select to manage your liquid hazmat.

5. Is there a comprehensive source for learning about hazardous waste fluid management services?

Hazardous Waste Experts provides comprehensive services for the removal, transportation, and disposal of various hazardous liquids, including crude oil, solvents, acids, produced water, methanol, glycol, and amines. We use specialized equipment such as pressure trucks, hydro vacs, and vacuum trucks to ensure safe and efficient fluid management. Other services include but aren’t limited to:

• Chemical packing, handling, and stabilization
• Comprehensive waste profiling and laboratory analysis
• Customized waste disposal plans
• Fluid handling and transportation, including oil, gas, liquids, and sludges
• Industrial liquid waste treatment, recycling, and disposal
• Micro- and macro-encapsulation treatments
• Onsite cleaning of tanks, pipelines, and equipment
• Pre-handling and transportation inspection
• Recycling and reclamation options
• Transportation of bulk liquids, drummed waste, and reactive chemicals
• Used oil collection, solvent recycling, and parts washing
• Wastewater treatment services

In sum, Hazardous Waste Experts offers you unsurpassed and documentable experience providing comprehensive information, education, and hazmat management services essential to regulatory compliance and the minimization of environmental liabilities.

When it comes to how to dispose of hazardous liquids, don’t go it alone. Contact us today and let us help you develop a strategic approach to managing your hazardous waste fluids—or call us at our new number: 425.414.3485.

And thank you for reading our blog!