Patricia Haftek of New York Concrete Washout Systems says, "The old way of washing out concrete trucks and equipment onto the ground was destined to end. After all, concrete wash water is nearly as caustic as Drano. No one in the industry should take the chance of being on the receiving end of a DEP or EPA fine, or on the evening news, for having one of their guys washing out a concrete chute onto the ground or into a storm drain."
New York CWS offers a complete solution to developers wanting the tidiness, safety and environmental compliance needed to solve the concrete washout problem. Developers simply call to order delivery of a patented Concrete Washout Systems container. When they need another, Haftek delivers a new container and picks up the full container for processing. State and Federal regulations require developers and contractors to contain washout waste and prevent it from leaving the job site, and fines can reach $40,000 per day.
Construction sites have long been identified as a large contributor to urban runoff pollution if the proper pollution prevention practices are not regularly performed. Materials washed into the storm drain have a direct impact on local waterways and habitat living in that environment.
Due to this high potential for urban runoff pollution, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has stepped up their efforts to keep Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans compliant to the National Pollution Discharge Elimination Systems. All of these mandated criteria are part of the U.S. Clean Water Act and mandates the utilization of best management practices on construction sites.
Potential discharges into the storm drain systems from concrete work has become a priority of the federal and state EPA, water quality control officials, regional and local inspectors as well as a strategic target of the advocacy and environmental groups.
The off-site recycling component of both the concrete material and wash-water decreases waste generation, increases concrete waste diversion from our shrinking landfills, ultimately creating an even more environmentally sound recycling application.
The EPA has released a fact sheet outlining the best management practices for the containment of concrete washout liquids and solids that result from the cleaning of concrete trucks and pumps. The fact sheet highlights the importance of proper containment of concrete washout at construction sites, "The wash water is alkaline and contains high levels of chromium, which can leach into the ground and contaminate groundwater. It can also migrate to a storm drain, which can increase the pH of area waters and harm aquatic life."
Alex Strauss, EPA water director, said, "The Clean Water Act requires developers to comply with permit requirements and take simple, basic steps to prevent pollutants from contaminating storm-water."
Some developers and contractors come to us primarily because of the tidiness and cost savings of eliminating a mess and safely containing the washout waste in one container, which reduces labor costs and safety concerns of having the material scattered across a jobsite. Others are primarily motivated by avoiding fines and negative publicity. Our goal is to save owners, developers,and contractors money, increase safety and reduce their environmental liability.
New York Concrete Washout's commitment to reducing builder's legal exposure can be seen in the system of treating the concrete washout once it leaves the job site. While the residual concrete washout solids remain in the specialized container for later recycling - one container holds enough washout for about a 400 to 500 cubic yard pour - the remaining caustic liquid must be vacuumed from the container and treated by CWS's proprietary concrete wash-water treatment system. Haftek provides service in the Northern New Jersey and New York region with such a system. Knowing that all of the material is being properly disposed of is critical. No one wants an agency or private party alleging improper or illegal disposal of material. Historically, there are parties, such as waste oil producers, that were held liable for illegal dumping by third parties. We want our customers to have complete peace of mind. Tags: