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Hazardous Chemical Process Decommissioning
As part of this project, MARCOR installed a vapor recovery system to eliminate hazardous discharge into the atmosphere.
Project Details
- Client: Photographic Film Manufacturer, New York
- Contaminants: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Regulatory Agency: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- Contract Value: $500,000
Remediation Photos
Related Services
Background
One of the key elements in a product manufacturing cycle is often overlooked: the necessity of decommissioning. The decision to change a manufacturing process, close a plant, or sell an industrial property requires the equipment to be properly decommissioned. Remaining product must be disposed of, and equipment must be cleaned and decontaminated. How a process line is decommissioned has a direct bearing on how readily that equipment can be sold or converted to another use.
Job Description
Primary concerns were removal of various wastes safely, quickly, at the least cost, and without releasing fugitive emissions.
The manufacturing plant had been shut down for years, with its storage tanks still containing various processing liquids. The manufacturing process had involved dissolving cellulose acetate in a solvent mixture made of methylene chloride and methanol. MARCOR's decommissioning work applied to all film casting tanks, vessels, ancillary equipment, and piping in five buildings. One hundred twenty aboveground storage tanks ranging in size from 275 to 15,000 gallons, five underground chemical storage tanks ranging in size from 3,000 to 5,000 gallons, and three miles of pipeline containing virgin and spent solvent were cleaned and decommissioned. All equipment and wastes were carefully inventoried for re-sale or disposal.
Work was completed not only in compliance with strict health and safety procedures, but with stringent chemical emissions requirements, as well. We installed a state-of-the-art vapor recovery system to condense vapors generated by the use of cleaning solvents. The innovative system, capable of handling a mixed vapor stream with acetone, methanol, and methylene chloride, prevented vapor discharge into the atmosphere.
Conclusion
You can take pride in knowing that your work crew developed some very creative, productive methods, many of which had not been considered.
—Plant engineer
Each decommissioning job presents a unique set of circumstances. This particular project involved volatile organic compounds. In other plants, asbestos, lead paint, metal dust, acids/bases, or petroleum compounds may need to be addressed. We are experienced in confined space entry permits and procedures, if needed.
Proper decommissioning and related hazardous waste management is critical in today's highly regulated business climate. In fact, proper decommissioning today can prevent yesterday's plant from turning into tomorrow's Superfund site.
For additional information, call MARCOR's corporate headquarters at 1-800-547-0128 or send email to info@marcor.com.
