Industrial sludge can be highly toxic, unpleasant to handle, and difficult to remove and dispose of correctly.
If you are faced with the issue of disposing of residual semi-solid waste products left over from industrial processes, then you should consider buying or renting the appropriate equipment to ensure the safe and successful removal of the waste.
The Challenges of Coping With Sludge
Sludge is difficult to deal with because it is often sticky or fibrous, and tends to dry out and adhere to pumps.
It is important that sludge is dealt with quickly because if it is allowed to get out into the environment it can be a danger to wildlife and to nearby residents.
The national guidelines for sewerage systems and biosolids management make it clear that businesses are required to manage their industrial waste.
This ensures that sludge is treated efficiently and that waste is minimal.
It is also important to try to separate contaminants at the source to ensure that the treatment is correct and efficient.
Vacuum Suction for Sludge Removal
It is not safe to simply ‘wash away’ sludge. It is important that sludge is separated from other less complex waste as part of its correct management and disposal.
Sludge should always be suctioned into sealed storage so it can then be taken to a waste treatment plant for proper disposal.
The industrial vacuums that are used to remove sludge are designed to be able to cope with the challenges of dealing with this type of waste.
Traditional water pumps may get clogged by fibrous or sticky waste, but vacuum suction pumps can handle heavy sludge and slurry with ease, making them a good choice for cleaning sewers, sumps, pits or tanks.
There are a number of health hazards associated with working with sludge and sewage.
Anyone who works in and around sewage is at risk of exposure to the contaminants.
Most people who work with sewage will be fortunate enough to only experience mild cases of gastroenteritis, but other more serious issues are possible.
For example, sewer workers are at risk of Weil’s disease and hepatitis.
It is for this reason that workers take extra care to protect themselves from exposure to the sludge, both through inhalation and skin exposure.
Gloves, footwear, eyewear, and respiratory protection are important. In some circumstances, a face visor may be recommended to help reduce exposure.
High Volume Removal Processes
Any sludge collected is loaded into a sealed container on a truck and transported to a treatment plant that can work with that specific type of waste.
Standard trucks can hold as much as 3,500 litres, but there are even bigger trucks that can transport as much as 20,000 litres.
The tanks on these trucks are corrosion resistant and suitable for carrying highly toxic materials.
The tanks are designed to be safe and secure and can work with small pumps for liquid waste as well as the bigger pumps that are designed to be used with more viscous or fibrous sludge varieties.
If you are worried about the safe handling of waste products associated with your project, then you should contact the relevant authorities to determine what your obligations are.
These authorities will be happy to advise you on your obligations. From there you can select the best transportation and extraction methods based on your needs.
Pressure Works are specialists when it comes to the removal of heavy sludge and other types of liquid waste.
We employ highly trained technicians and the latest technology to help remove most types of sludge and liquid waste that require correct disposal.
If you have a project that requires heavy sludge removal, please call us today on 0419 577 441 or contact us through our website https://www.pressureworks.com.au/contact/.