WASTE WASHING

There have been suggestions within the industry that hazardous waste can be washed to reduce the concentrations of CCA it contains, thereby reducing the disposal costs.
Dolphin Bay applauds all initiatives in which treatment companies seek to reduce the footprint of their waste. The less hazardous waste that ends up in landfills, the better for our environment and our industry. At the same time, we urge companies to adopt caution, and make sure that the exercise of washing waste really will achieve your aims.
The downsides of washing your waste are that it will require specialised equipment, and there is a high probability of spillage if the process is not managed properly. In addition, even after washing, the waste will still need to be disposed of by a registered service provider, at a designated landfill.
“We therefore applaud the initiative if your aim is to reduce your waste footprint. However, if your attempt is purely a financial one, please note that washing your waste could save just a small proportion of the disposal costs in some instances,” says Bertus. “It also adds several possibly problematic extra steps.
“For small quantities of waste, the process of washing could be practical but will not be cost-effective. For large quantities, it will be a difficult process with a risk of spillage, which would contaminate your site. Also, for larger quantities you would need special equipment to analyse the waste before and after the cleaning process, to establish how the CCA concentrations have diminished and get an estimate on the reduction in your disposal costs. After all this, you will still have to dispose of your waste in a responsible manner.
“If you do choose to wash your waste, Dolphin Bay will support your decision and provide you with any more information you require. We simply urge you to take all the factors into consideration, before making a decision.
“Of course, please contact us if you have any other queries about this issue.”