If you want to prevent industrial pollution, the #1 way to do that is consistent remediation. The company must have impeccable industrial hygiene and espouse a culture of ongoing, steady remediation.
Still, you need to understand the specifics and identify the best environmental remediation services and techniques to suit the situation and your needs. Making that identification is the role of a strong service provider.
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Preventing Industrial Waste Pollution with Comprehensive Environmental Remediation
You need a sound, conscientious strategy to approach environmental remediation in the right way. Only then can you effectively use its practices to curb industrial pollution.
Our approach to stopping industrial waste pollution at AOTC is essentially a three-part process:
- Strategic planning (see below)
- Assessments (see below)
- Development & implementation of a work plan of hazardous and waste management solutions – We customize our problem-solving to your situation, providing recommendations to comprehensively address industrial pollution. One core solution we typically recommend is training. Our Sr. EHS Specialist/Trainer provides comprehensive training backed up by deep industry knowledge and insight.
In the next section, you will see how those three parts are implemented for waste management, followed by our approach to assessments and the services we typically recommend to be included within work plans. Again, consistent remediation is the key to sustainability and environmental compliance.
Prevent Industrial Pollution with a Plan: Steps to an Industrial Waste Management Program
Effective waste management will yield many different benefits. It protects your workers’ safety and health, helps cut your disposal costs, addresses logistical hurdles, maintains your regulatory compliance, and optimizes your environmental sustainability. Plus, it can significantly reduce industrial pollution.
Waste management should be approached in the same manner as described above:
- Strategic planning – Our planning efforts take into account industrial pollution prevention factors along with your future use objectives, timeline, and budget.
- Assessments – Facility surveys, compliance assessments, and Phase I ESAs are conducted. These processes better inform the work plan.
- Developing & implementing a work plan – We then craft customized solutions and services. We are comprehensive industrial pollution protection – ready to handle all types of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes produced through remediation or site demolition.
Here are other sample steps we may take in an industrial waste management program:
- Run a waste audit to determine the waste your facility produces and better design your strategy.
- Determine and assess your waste streams, as well as totals for liquid vs. solid waste and hazardous vs. non-hazardous waste.
- Review the current protocols you have in place for waste disposal. Look for improvements that could be made.
- Filter waste and properly hierarchize it: reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, and dispose.
- Create waste reduction targets, such as avoiding compliance violations and/or cutting waste disposal by 25% over twelve months.
- Put together an industrial waste management action plan. An action plan will help your employees know how to separate waste appropriately.
- Keep your employees well-trained. To get people to feel comfortable and invested in the program, they need to understand it.
- Measure and refine. By tracking your progress, you can use the information to make adjustments and improve your program.
- Find industrial waste management specialists to support your sustainability efforts. Tap extensive experience dealing with your type of waste.
Again, throughout your waste management efforts, remember your core focus: consistent remediation will help you prevent industrial pollution.
Assessments, Assessment Phases, and Developing Plans – AOTC Solutions
Assessments and planning are critical to your relationships with environmental experts. These processes allow for an organized and practical approach to compliance.
Our specialists determine areas for improvement that would be most impactful in cutting industrial pollution. To remove or minimize future risks, one of our Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIHs) determines workplace hazards and delivers a comprehensive assessment. We also offer assessments in occupational health, fire protection, oil storage/control, air/water compliance, hazardous waste compliance, and safety (general/construction). Planning solutions include process risk management/safety planning and accident prevention planning development.
Top Industrial Pollution Prevention Services
To prevent industrial pollution, it is important to incorporate a variety of services:
1. Waste Characterization & Sampling
Through waste characterization, you analyze your waste stream to determine the amount of food waste, glass, paper, and other elements. This step is crucial because it allows you to save money, cut waste, and establish recycling programs through better planning. In many cases, waste sampling is also necessary. If your organization creates potentially hazardous products or byproducts, hazardous waste sampling may be required to maintain EPA and OSHA compliance.
2. Hazardous Waste Management
Preventing industrial pollution through environmental remediation is critical. Genetic defects, nerve damage, and cancer can all arise from human exposure to hazardous waste. If the waste gets into the groundwater, the total financial cost incurred for cleanup and remediation can become staggering. Plus, you need proper hazardous waste management, including training and PPE, to maintain regulatory compliance. If you do not manage waste in a compliant manner, you could face fines, as well as civil lawsuits.
3. Waste Manifesting & Profiling
Waste manifesting is a cradle-to-grave effort to monitor hazardous waste transport. To maintain compliance, the generator or shipper of the waste must prepare a manifest. To maintain safety, you also need to ensure proper profiling. Profiling protects the environment and your workers, as well as protects your organization from fines, sanctions, and prosecution.
4. Interim Measures & Site Remediation
Before a final remedy is chosen, interim measures are sometimes used to address human health or environmental hazards in the short term. Regulations often require that remediation occurs to prevent or address industrial pollution. The regulations exist to protect the ecosystem, water, land, and human health, but they may also help structurally preserve your buildings.
5. Equipment & Facility Decontamination
You do not want hazardous compounds to transfer to key elements of your workplace: the equipment or facility. It is important to decontaminate field equipment, at a minimum washing it with detergent and water. Facility decontamination is critical if your storage units or operations create contamination, such as chemical leaks.
6. Waste Minimization Planning
Waste minimization is a way to cut costs while also helping the environment and improving working conditions. The EPA encourages waste minimization and waste minimization planning.
Are you in need of an industrial waste pollution mitigation partner? At AOTC, we proactively and cost-effectively deliver innovative and compliant solutions to expedite your project. Fast-track your schedule today!