Hazardous Materials Management Spring 2012

management

HazMat

SPRING 2012 www.hazmatmag.com

Solutions for the Business of the Environment

Results From Our ENVIRONMENT INDUSTRY

SURVEY — page 8

An EcoLog Group Publication / CPMP no. 40069240

hmm_01_cover nl.indd 1

Accident Investigations Hydrogen Sulfide Biohazardous Waste Soil Remediation

13/03/12 9:12 AM

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CONTENTS : VOL 24 NO .2 SPRING 2012 22. My company or organiza9on uses the following technologies or systems to treat and dispose of its wastes:

on the cover

8

100%

ENVIRONMENT SURVEY RESULTS We polled reader opinions on a range of environmental topics, from what technologies they’re using to clean up contaminated sites to how they feel about government performance. We present the results, with commentary.

by Guy Crittenden

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%

39% 26% 19%

20%

7%

10%

9%

0% secure landfill

thermal (including neutraliza9on/stabiliza9on incinera9on, cement kiln, gasifica9on)

recycling

Other

features departments

16 HAZMAT: ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS

Investigating industrial accidents; maintaining the scene.

by Peter Knaack

26 HAZMAT: EMERGENCY RESPONSE Safe handling of Hydrogen Sulfide.

by Gordon Massingham

19 CLEANTECH: OPINION

Problems from unreliable government programs.

by Aaron Atcheson

20 CLEANTECH: MOBILE DESTRUCTION

Editorial

4

Up Front

6

Environment Business

31

Health & Safety

32

Spotlight

33

Ad Index

37

Legal Perspective

38

Eco Waste Solutions containerized mobile incinerators.

by Brad O'Brien

22 CLEANTECH: BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE Technology safely destroys biohazardous waste.

by Bruce Johnstone

36 CLEANTECH: WASTE TRANSPORTATION New Rotopress trucks and CNG fuel at WM.

by Wes Muir

28 REMEDATION: SOIL TECHNOLOGY

Ivey-sol surfactant technology for contaminated sites.

by Jamie Ross

COVER PHOTO: Simulated rescue from the Emergency Film Group in Edgartown, Massachusetts

next edition EDITORIAL FOCUS: Emergency Preparedness ◆ Confined Space Entry ◆ Analytical Testing ◆ Bioremediation Space closing: May 23 Artwork required: May 28 Call 1-888-702-1111 .

SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 3

HAZMAT : EDITORIAL

What You Don’t Know Can Kill You

I

by Guy Crittenden

“Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t touch a non-organic potato.”

n January I attended an evening class on “stoveless cuisine” presented by Alexi Bracey — former personal chef to actor Wil Smith and possibly the Martha Stewart of the raw and organic food movement. (See www.stovelesscuisine.com) The evening was a step in my personal journey to get off the industrial food gravy train and detoxify my body, which I’m chronicling in detail my online blog at www.hazmatmag.com. Bracey taught us to prepare dishes from uncooked fruit and veggies, preserving nutrients destroyed by the temperatures in normal cooking.

Bracey’s teaches that raw and organic foods can taste as good or better than the processed and chemical-laden fare we usually eat. I can attest that the “pasta” dish she served — made from vegetables and pureed nuts — tasted like creamy fettuccini Alfredo with bacon bits! And don’t even get me started on the non-flour raspberry ganache chocolate cake…

That evening I learned much about the common mistakes people make when trying to eat healthier. I feel compelled to share this information with readers, because our government is definitely not protecting us. Given the rise in cancer, diabetes and other diseases where prevention is the best cure, what you don’t know really can kill you!

Here are some highlights from my recent learnings, to help you reduce the carcinogens and “obesegens” in the bodies of you and your family members.

Most people are aware of animal cruelty, growth hormones and antibiotics in products from the industrial meat production industry, so I won’t belabor the point that we should reduce meat in our diet. We should also eliminate nutritionally-bankrupt processed foods that may contain a vast array of artificial colors and flavors, processed grains, sugar, and (lots of) salt. These should be replaced by real foods that people ate in ancient times: fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, seeds, and legumes. Buy organic, nonGM foods at health food stores and farmer’s markets.

We should also avoid anything with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), sugar or artificial sweeteners like aspartame (that increases sugar cravings). Agave is highly processed and contains high fructose. Look instead for dessert ingredients like e cinnamon, vanilla, and stevia. (Interestingly, the sugar industry is currently engaged in a legal tussle with the producers of HFCS, claiming the latter seeks to confuse HFCS in the minds of consumers with real sugar.)

Want to lose weight? Don’t just avoid fats: your body needs some healthy fats (in moderation) derived from nuts, seeds, coconut oil and avocados. The powerful dairy industry has taught us that we need milk, cheese, and yogurt for calcium and as a source of cultured probiotics. However,

Quinoa and fresh veggies: start thinking about it!

dairy consumption contributes to health problems, slows digestion and creates mucus in the body. We should instead seek calcium from dark leafy greens and sesame seeds, and cut back on acid-forming dairy and soft drinks.

An unfortunate side effect of the Neolithic revolution — which moved us from being hunter-gatherers to settled village dwellers — was that it ultimately set us on the path of filling our bellies with white rice, flour, and refined grains for which our metabolisms are poorly adapted. These break down quickly, have little nutritional value or fibre, and cause blood sugar spikes that lead to cravings, which boost obesity.

Yet they are now the bulk of our diet. Grains such as wheat are difficult for humans to process because they contain gluten (to which many of us are allergic). We must supplant these with high-fibre super grains like millet or quinoa.

I already knew that colorful, natural vegetables contain high vitamin levels. But I was surprised to learn that soy is a trypsinogen and goitrogen-blocker that slows thyroid function and can block the full assimilation of proteins. It’s extremely mucus and acid-forming, and is often genetically modified. In place of tofu, soymilk, soybean oil, and other soy products, we should seek better vegetable sources of protein such as quinoa, nuts, and seeds.

I now buy canned tomatoes and tomato sauce only in glass jars, as the resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenolA and the acid in tomatoes can cause 50 mcg of BPA per litre to leach out. Another no-no is microwave popcorn.

Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans and liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer in animal tests. Microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize into your popcorn.

Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t touch a nonorganic potato, or serve one to my kids. Same goes for apples, farmed salmon and corn-fed beef.

I hope I haven’t depressed you! My goal is to inspire you to conduct your own research and move toward a healthier diet. In the next edition I’ll address alternatives to toxin-laced home and personal care products.

HMM

Guy Crittenden is editor of this magazine. Email Guy at gcrittenden@hazmatmag.com 4 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

Clean Up Your World

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Produced By:

HazMat

SPRING 2012

HAZMAT: UP FRONT

management

Vol. 24, No. 2

Solutions for the Business of the Environment

Guy Crittenden EDITOR gcrittenden@hazmatmag.com Brad O’Brien PUBLISHER 416-510-6798 bobrien@hazmatmag.com Jamie Ross ACCOUNT MANAGER 416-510-5221 jross@hazmatmag.com Kimberly Collins PRODUCTION MANAGER 416-510-6779 kcollins@bizinfogroup.ca Anita Madden CIRCULATION MANAGER Carol Bell-LeNoury GENERAL MANAGER, ECOLOG GROUP Bruce Creighton PRESIDENT

AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE HazMat Management, USPS 016-506 is published four times a year by EcoLog Group, a division of BIG Magazines LP, a div. of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., a leading Canadian business-tobusiness information services company.

HazMat Management magazine provides strategic information and perspectives to North American industry and government on pollution prevention and waste management issues.

Readers include corporate executives, compliance and safe­­ ty officers, industrial plant managers and operators, municipal govern­ment environment officials, working scientists, and consulting engineers.

EcoLog Group products include Solid Waste & Recycling magazine, the ERIS risk information service, and a number of newsletters affiliated with EcoLog.com Head Office:

Internet: Email:

80 Valleybrook Drive Toronto, ON M3B 2S9, Call: (416) 442-5600 Fax: (416) 510-5133 www.hazmatmag.com bobrien@hazmatmag.com

Information contained in this publication has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, thus HazMat Man­age­ment cannot be responsible for the absolute correctness or sufficiency of articles or editorial contained herein. Al­though the information contained in this magazine is believed to be correct, no responsibility is assumed therefore, nor for the opinions ex­pressed by individual authors. Articles in this magazine are intended to convey information rather than give legal or other professional advice.

Reprint and list rental services are arranged through the Publisher at (416) 510-6780.

Subscription rates: Canada — $51.95 (add applicable taxes) per year, $82.95 (add applicable taxes) for 2 years, single copy $10.00. USA and all other foreign — $82.95 per year US single copy US10.00 Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40069240 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Circulation Department — HazMat Management magazine 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800 Toronto ON M3C4J2 From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-800-668-2374

Fax: 416-510-5133

Email: jhunter@bizinfogroup.ca Mail to: Privacy Officer

Business Information Group

12 Concorde Place, Suite 800

Toronto ON M3C 4J2

Hosty opens marine insurance

C

onsultant Captain John Hosty — a well-known HazMat specialist in Canada and contributing editor to HazMat Management magazine — has launched a new business venture, opening a Canadian office for marine survey and insurance specialist CSL Global. CSL Global (Canada) Ltd. will operate initially from key offices in Toronto and Vancouver and will be headed by Hosty.

Hosty is an experienced marine surveyor and business manager with over 25 years of specialist experience in marine, health and safety, hazardous materials manage-

$1.28 billion for radioactive cleanup

T

he federal government, through the Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI), is investing $1.28 billion over a 10-year period to remediate low-level radioactive waste in Ontario’s Port Hope area. The funding will be used to clean up 1.7 million cubic metres of historic low-level radioactive waste within the municipalities of Port Hope and Clarington.

The waste, currently stored at waste management facilities and other sites in Port Hope and Clarington, came from radium and uranium processing in Port

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

Hope between 1933 and 1988 by the former federal Crown corporation Eldorado Nuclear Limited and its private-sector predecessors. Port Hope and Clarington will each benefit from construction of a new long-term waste management facility and supporting infrastructure, the cleanup and restoration of contaminated sites, and longterm monitoring and maintenance of the facilities.

This news item first appeared in EcoLog News (1/20/12). To subscribe, visit www.ecolog.com

The Forest Stewardship Council® logo signifies that this magazine is printed on paper from responsibly managed forests. “To earn FSC® certification and the right to use the FSC label, an organization must first adapt its management and operations to conform to all applicable FSC requirements.”

©2011 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior consent.

Print edition: ISSN-1713-9511 Online edition: ISSN 1923-3469

For more information, visit www.fsc.org

Member

Canadian Business

ment, emergency response, and environmental protection. Other key members of the team include Andrew Rayner, Philip Vardon and Ken Rayner based in Toronto and Kaivan Chinoy in Vancouver, each bringing significant hands-on surveying and/or insurance industry experience to the business.

CSL Global (Canada) Ltd. provides a comprehensive range of specialist marine survey and claims handling services including Cargo, Transit, Hull & Machinery, and P&I. Visit www.cslglobal.com

Press

6 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

Hmm_06-07_Upfront.indd 6

13/03/12 10:00 AM

HAZMAT : UP FRONT

Gord Miller addresses ONEIA

O

n Tuesday, February 28, Ontario Environmental Commissioner Gordon (Gord) Miller spoke to members of the Ontario Environment Industry Association (ONEIA) at its monthly breakfast meeting. The well-attended event took place in the meeting room of law firm Gowlings at First Canadian Place.

Miller spoke about a range of concerns expressed in his annual 2010-2011 report Engaging Solutions tabled in the Ontario Legislature on November 29, 2011. Highlights included comments that Ontario is not doing enough and there is no “champion” to clean up the Great Lakes. The Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem is set to expire in June 2012, threatening to paralyze progress towards further cleanup. Yet, the US government has pledged $2.2 billion over five years to clean up the Great Lakes.

Neither the Ministry of the Environment nor the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) have enough resources to carry out their mandates effectively, Miller said, noting that from 1992 to 2011, the environment ministry’s budget was cut by 45 per cent, while the MNR’s budget was slashed by 22 per cent. Today the combined budgets amount to less than one per cent of Ontario’s annual budget, whereas health and education account for more than 70 per cent. This is affecting the ability of the ministries to conduct core responsibilities, Miller said, noting that the environment ministry hasn’t published an overview of performance parameters for municipal wastewater treatment plants since 1993.

Feds, Alberta sign oil sands research agreement

T

he federal and Alberta governments have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to conduct research on new and improved oil sands technologies.

Through the MOU, the two governments, in collaboration with industry, academics and other research organizations, will conduct research on new innovative technologies that will help the oil sands industry reduce its energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The research will be led by Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and Alberta Innovates Technology Futures.

In February 2012, the federal and Alberta governments unveiled a new oil sands environmental monitoring plan. Through this plan, the two governments will improve water, air, land, and biodiversity monitoring in Alberta’s oil sands region by, among other things: increasing the number of sampling sites, as well as the number and types of parameters being sampled; improving the methodologies for air and water monitoring; and, creating an integrated, open data management program.

This news item first appeared in EcoLog News (2/24/12). To subscribe, visit www.ecolog.com

Environment Commissioner Gord Miller (left) talks with Michael Berger of MB Energy Savings at the ONEIA breakfast on February 28.

Miller noted many other problem areas, including that facility owners across the province are failing (and are not required) to stormwater management systems, leading to pollution of waterways. He said that much could be accomplished at the provincial and federal level if the governments is held accountable to a multi-faceted biodiversity agreement signed in Japan.

The environmental commissioner’s rhe report is available at www. eco.on.ca/uploads/Reports-Annual/2010_11/Final-EnglishBookmarked-2010-AR.pdf Learn more about ONEIA and its upcoming Environment Industry Day at Queen’s Park on May 9, 2012 at www.oneia.ca

Disaster Management conference

T

he World Conference on Disaster Management (WCDM) will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario from June 25 to 27, 2012. Attended by disaster management professionals from 35 countries, WCDM is a premier annual industry event, with a theme this year of “Global Threats, Local Consequences.” The event will feature more than 70 educational workshops, and plenary and concurrent sessions.

Visit www.wcdm.org

EPA delays boiler and incinerator revisions

A

s reported by the U.S.-based Waste Business Journal (www. wastebusinessjournal.com), the US EPA will likely issue final revised air rules for boilers and incinerators in May 2012 rather than April 2012, as originally planned after a federal district court vacated the agency’s stay of the rules. In response to industry criticisms, EPA is reconsidering several provisions; the stay was challenged in court by Sierra Club and others who argued that EPA lacked the authority to do so.

SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 7

by Guy Crittenden

“Almost a quarter of organizations (21.5%) experienced a spill in the last 12 months; 78.5% did not.

Roughly half (52.1%) of reader businesses or organizations have an environmental management system (EMS) in place; 47.9% do not.”

The

Great Canadian Environment Survey

Interesting findings from our sampling of reader opinion

W

hen I inquired mid-February about the status of our recent online industry and readership survey, I was very happy when told that almost 500 readers had filled in the questionnaire.

That’s a huge response by survey standards and yields statistically significant results.

Heck, I’ve seen consultants like KPMG dine out on survey results from much tinier numbers of respondents.

8 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

So, without further build-up, here’s what you, our readers, said in answer to our questions about a range of topics concerning environmental protection and also our magazine.

REMEDIATION

We asked readers if their organizations have a property with contamination that currently requires (or is undergoing) soil or groundwater remediation. Answer? Yes 14.9%, No 85.1%. This was about what we

might have expected. Asked if they have a property that may require remediation in the future, slightly more (17.7%) said yes, while 82.3% said no.

It was interesting to learn from those who answered “yes” what technologies that are using (or may use) to clean up their contaminated sites.

One hundred per cent of respondents who answered “yes” listed at least one remediation technology or strategy.

It was an open-ended question so the

HAZMAT : COVER STORY

answers weren’t uniform, but most listed (not surprisingly) excavation with backhoe or variations of “dig and dump.” This was followed closely by pump and treat.

Other treatments listed included treatment in-place using techniques like in-situ bioremediation, interception wells, chemical oxidation, vapor barriers, aeration, etc.

Some referred to soil washing.

People who answered the second level (82.7%) and third level (57.3%) again referred to simple excavation and treatment offsite, but also listed more technical onsite treatments including multiphase vacuum extraction, in situ bioleaching, natural attenuation, and thermal treatment (among others). Phrases like reverse osmosis, phytoremediation, and chemical injection were included.

It’s hard to say whether the responses suggest we haven’t progress in contaminant destruction and soil recycling, relying too much on straight landfill. In that regard the next question was useful, which asked readers to rank the reasons they’re not taking action at this time according to a list of factors, ranked from not relevant to strongly relevant.

Between two-thirds and three-quarters of respondents felt that liability/risk was irrelevant, along with lack of cost-effective technology, no regulatory requirement or too expensive. Of those who thought these factors were relevant, the strongest responses were lack of cost-effective

“ So cost is a big factor,

along with lack of costeffective technology and regulatory requirements.“

technology (relevant: 14.8%), no regulatory requirement (relevant 13.4%) and too expensive (relevant 9.9% and strongly relevant 17%). Most people who checked “other” simply don’t own or control a contaminated site. So cost is a big factor, along with lack of cost-effective technology and regulatory requirements.

HAZMAT & EMERGENCY RESPONSE

We asked readers if their organization handles hazardous materials (flammables, chemicals, regulated substances, etc.) and were not surprised to learn that 67.2% do.

Eighty per cent have a written emergency response plan in place, and 72.6% conduct regular practice of the plan (e.g., facility evacuation, fire drills).

We were interested in whether com-

12. Which of the following kinds of emergency response or personal protec9ve 12. Which of the following kinds of emergency response or personal protective equipment is your operation likely to buy in the next 12 months? equipment is your opera9on likely to buy in the next 12 months?

(Check all the apply.)

(Check all that apply.)

100% 90% 80%

65%

70% 60%

67%

49%

50%

36%

40% 30% 20%

38% 26%

29% 20%

13%

18% 8%

10% 0%

Encapsula9on Gas detec9on suits devices

Respirators

Laboratory / Instrumenta9on HEPA vacuums Test kits / soil mobile lab samplers

Absorbents / Adsorbents

Filtra9on equipment

Air quality assessment services

Other

panies and organizations have the internal capability (personnel, equipment) to respond to an emergency such as an inplant spill, fire, or chemical release. Just over two-thirds (68.3%) do, and 31.7% do not. It made sense then that when we asked readers if their organization “contracts out emergency response services to an external contractor,” the numbers broke out along similar lines: 32.5% answered “yes” and 67.5% said “no.”

We were curious about whether readers’ organizations regularly arrange for emergency preparedness training of employees. Two-thirds (66.8%) do, and one third (33.2%) do not. It was interesting to learn that of those who answered “yes” 84% conduct training onsite, 34.7% arrange for offsite training, and 38.7% of training is conducted via computer or internet. (Of course, the percentages total more than 100% because many companies do combinations of all three.)

We asked readers if their organization has a person dedicated to environmental compliance. 56.1% answered yes, 40.9% said no. Of those who answered “yes,” 81.5% said this was a fulltime position and 23.1% said it was part-time. (This likely relates to the size of the organization.) Fulltime and part-time job titles carried many different names, and included environmental coordinator, regional HSE manager, health & safety officer, senior environmental auditor, compliance manager, environmental specialist, waste management technician, etc.

Our readers are apparently big purchasers of equipment and materials related to emergency preparedness and personal protection. We asked them what equipment

SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 9

HAZMAT: COVER STORY

cover-story

16. b) Has your organiza9on experienced a spill in the last 12 months?

16. b) Has your organization experienced a spill in the last 12 months?

strong number given the various sizes of reader companies. 78.3% are not ISO 14000 certified, nor plan to be.

We asked readers if their company/ organization is exposed to off-site spill liability through logistics equipment or transportation of dangerous goods? The answers were “yes” 37.4% and “no” 62.6%.

Almost a quarter of organizations (21.5%) experienced a spill in the last 12 months; 78.5% did not. Roughly half (52.1%) of reader businesses or organizations have an environmental management system (EMS) in place; 47.9% do not.

100% 90%

79%

80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%

21%

REGULATION AND COMPLIANCE

20% 10% 0% Yes

No

18. How do you rate the Canadian Council for Ministers of the Environment (CCME) in 18. How do you rate the Canadian Council for Ministers of the Environment (CCME) in terms of its performance addressing environmental protec9on issues (e.g., terms of its performance addressing environmental protec9on issues (e.g., harmonization of standards)? harmoniza9on of standards)?

100% 90% 80% 70% 60%

49%

50%

36%

40% 30% 20%

12%

4%

10% 0% Poor

Fair

their organization is likely to buy in the next 12 months and the breakdown was (in descending order): absorbents/adsorbents (67.4%), respirators (64.7%), gas detection devices (49.3%), air quality assessment services (37.7%), test kits/soil samplers (36.2%), instrumentation (29.1%), filtration equipment (26.4%), encapsulation suits (19.9%), HEPA vacuums (18.1%), laboratory/mobile lab (13.1%).

These are not surprising answers for readers of a magazine on HazMat management. The higher percentages related logically to items that need to be replaced frequently (like absorbents), whereas things 10 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

Good

Very good

like encapsulation suits can last for many years. (While you’re thinking of it, make a note to check your respirators soon!)

We asked readers if their organizations have taken special steps to help prevent a terrorist attack against its facilities (e.g., industrial, chemical or energy generation equipment, etc.)? 27% answered “yes” and 73% said “no.”

About half of you (51.3 per cent) have specific plans in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; 48.7% do not. Almost a quarter of readers’ organizations (21.7%) are ISO 14000 certified, or are in the process of being certified, which is a fairly

We asked readers to rate the Canadian Council for Ministers of the Environment (CCME) in terms of its performance addressing environmental protection issues (e.g., harmonization of standards). Readers answered as follows: Poor (11.7%), fair (49.1%), good (35.3%) and very good (3.9%). So the CCME is doing sort of “okay” in readers’ minds. The federal government fared a bit more poorly. Readers ranked the current federal government’s performance on environmental issues as poor (26.5%), fair (48.8%), good (22.7%) and very good (2.0%). Whether or not this would trouble Prime Minister Stephen Harper remains unknown.

We wanted to ask readers an open-ended question and invite them to list some of the main challenges they face improving their organizations environmental performance.

It’s impossible to rank the answers, but just listing some of the highlights provides a window into what’s top of mind for Canadian companies and institutions these days. Topics in their answers included: vehicle use and GHG, water use reduction, spill prevention, energy efficiency gains, better construction practices, reduced carbon footprint, upgrading current HazMat equipment, Toxics Reduction Act, increased recycling, more funds for remediation, Pb reduction, storm water plans, reducing office waste, install heat exchange equipment, contain leaking hoses promptly, SO2 and CO reduction, no-idling policy, reduced air travel, new oil separation equipment, capture landfill gas, report minor spills, increased staff training, replace fossil fuels with biodiesel, develop EMS plan, retain environmental consultants, get ISO certified, etc. (I rather enjoyed this more specific item: “placing test articles in the proper buckets: 100% of the time!”)

HAZMAT : COVER STORY

22.

My company or organization uses the following technologies or systems to treat 22. My company or organiza9on uses the following technologies or systems to treat and dispose of its wastes: and dispose of its wastes: 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%

39% 26% 19%

20%

9%

7%

10% 0% secure landfill

thermal (including neutraliza9on/stabiliza9on incinera9on, cement kiln, gasifica9on)

It was interesting to learn that 35.1% of readers’ organizations primarily manage their hazardous and industrial wastes onsite; 64.9% manage them offsite. Even more interesting was learning about the

recycling

Other

technologies or systems they use to treat and dispose of wastes. Recycling (we were pleased to learn) ranks highest at 39.3%, followed by secure landfill (26.5%), neutralization/stabilization (9%), and thermal

treatment (6.5%). Among “other” techniques (18.7%) people almost entirely listed “all of the above” or “contracted out” (including disposal via municipal facilities).

When we asked readers what are their biggest environmental challenges at work, they answered thus: staying on top of new legislation and industry news (50.3%), managing environmental, health and safety issues (44.8%), improving efficiency and developing new business (34.7%), keeping the organization in compliance (31.3%), site remediation and redevelopment (16.0%), understanding and adopting new clean technologies (15.0%), and managing industrial security (4.3%). In the “other” category, answers included “identifying training opportunities and related webinars, workshops, conferences and events,” and “staying current with response techniques and new equipment.”

If you are looking for a qualified list of Abatement Contractors and/or Environmental Consultants for your upcoming projects for Asbestos, Mould, Lead or any other Environmental projects, all EACO members carry Environmental and Pollution Insurance Coverage.

www.eacoontario.com Environmental Abatement Council of Ontario 70 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hill Ontario L4B 1H1 (416) 499-4000 Ext. 114 (416) 499-8752 fax SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 11

HAZMAT: COVER STORY

cover-story

OUR READERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR MAGAZINE

32. What are the biggest environmental challenges in your work?

32.

What are the biggest environmental challenges in your work?

100% 90% 80% 70%

50%

60%

45%

50% 40% 30%

31%

35% 16%

20%

15%

4%

10%

3%

0% Keeping the Improving Staying on top of Managing Managing Site remedia9on Understanding organiza9on in efficiency and new legisla9on environmental, industrial security and and adop9ng new compliance developing new and industry health and safety redevelopment clean business news issues technologies

Other

The final section of our survey delved into who our readers are and what they like or don’t like about HazMat Management magazine, and how they use it in their jobs.

The breakdown of survey respondents and job descriptions was somewhat similar to our overall magazine circulation. Top jobs were corporate manager (16.4%), environmental consultant (14.7%), technician/scientist (11.4%), health & safety manager (10.3%) and “other” (24.2%). Other included such things as fire chief, instructor or trainer, emergency response technician, laboratory staff, office manager, inspector, town clerk, plant or operations manager, engineer, environmental assessor, lawyer, chemist, and drilling superintendent (among others).

About three-quarters (76.7%) have a subscription; 12.2% get theirs

To solve the toughest problems you have to look at the world differently.

By focusing on recycling and recovery, we push beyond conventional thinking and find cost-effective solutions to transform industrial residues back into valuable products. For example, through our coast to coast facility network last year we recovered 1.9 million barrels of oil, creating millions of dollars in value for our customers. There are better ways to think about waste.

12 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

HAZMAT : COVER STORY

passed along by a colleague and 11.1% receive their magazine by other means (e.g., online or library). In terms of how they learned about our magazine, 39.4% simply started receiving it in the mail; others broke down as: from an Internet search (20.6%), referred by a colleague (18.6%), from a tradeshow (15.0%), other (6.4%). We enjoy a tremendous pass-along readership. When asked how many people read the same copy of the magazine, readers answered: only me (38.9%), two to three people (43.1%), more than three people (18.1%).

(Advertisers make note!)

We asked readers how often they visit the website (www. hazmatmag.com) and were told: daily (1.4%), weekly (19.4%), monthly (57.8%), never (21.4%). This tells us that while our online readership is growing, people still want the print publication. Our weekly email newsletter is popular. Our audience reads it often (40.3%), sometimes (50.6%) and never (9.2%).

We braced ourselves to be told we’re off-base in our coverage of Canada’s environmental services market, but were pleasantly surprised to learn that most readers think we’re doing a good job. According to you, HazMat Management magazine: keeps me up-to-date on the latest environmental protection news (76.9%), provides information not easy to find elsewhere (37.9%), is a “must read” publication (14.8%), helps me perform my job better (26.5%), I copy and circulate certain articles (35.7%), other (2.5%) (e.g., is the best source of up-to-date HazMat information).

Hey, thanks!

We asked readers if they’re satisfied with the current selection of conferences, trade shows and workshops provided in the environmental industry? Readers answered: “yes” (82.4%) and “no” (17.6%). Specifically, readers indicated that in the world of conferences, trade shows, workshops, or webinars, they’d like more focus on the following areas: hazardous materials/ waste issues (44.5%), brownfields redevelopment (17.2%), emergency preparedness/response (34.6%), environmental legislation (45.4%), environmental technologies/equipment (43.1%), other

(4.8%). Other ideas included mineral industry issues, liquid waste storage, farm waste and air permitting.

Sixty-two per cent of readers would you like more webinar or online training opportunities.

We asked readers to rate the usefulness of our leading columns and regular article features. All our regular features and columnists scored between 44% and 61.6% in the “somewhat useful” category and between 20.8% and 54% in the “useful” category. The percentage of readers who found any regular articles or columns “not useful” or “do not read” was mostly in the single digits. The editor’s page editorial had the highest “somewhat useful” score of 61.6% and the cover story features scored highest as “useful” at 54%. (Only 1.2% said they never read the cover story or don’t find it useful.)

When we asked readers what subjects would you like to know more about, it went like this: • health and safety protocols 50.3% • risk assessment / management systems 48.8% • hazardous waste treatment technologies 36.5% • contaminated site cleanup strategies 36.3% • clean environmental technologies 35.4% • renewable energy systems 33.9% • corporate social responsibility issues 27.2% • climate change issues 20.8% • emission trading opportunities 9.9% Other included innovations, applied research, emerging/sustainable/green technologies/approaches/best practices.

The answers were very interesting and mostly positive to our question “What would you suggest we do to improve content, service or delivery?” Answers included, “Nothing! Its great!” “I feel that the publication is often too ‘left of centre’ ... we all want to make the environment better (and have successful businesses), however, sometimes the ‘green’ agenda is over the top. A more balanced approach is needed if you want to be an industry leader.”

Another respondent stated, “Keep up the good work. I enjoy reading this magazine, I have even left it on a flight one day after reading it and handing it over to a passenger next to me.” Yet another suggested, “More information about response to spills and the handling of them,” and another said, “HMM is a very well rounded publication...keep doing the same thing.”

When asked if advertising they see in the magazine reflects the products or services you purchase, readers answered “yes” or “somewhat” (85.4%) and “no” (14.6%). We asked readers to please provide any other comment you may have about HazMat Management’s print magazine or on-line services. Replies included: “It provides insight into activities and changes in the industry.”

“Generally looks like a good, on-topic magazine... I look forward to getting to know it better in the future.” “Gives me somewhere to start looking for products.” And “The on-line version is very easy to read. Content is good.” (among other replies.)

Finally, we are considering changing the name of HazMat Management magazine but will have to think about that carefully as responses to our other title suggestions were mostly indifferent or negative, and in answer to “No, just keep HazMat Management magazine, 47.7% stated they “like it strongly” and 33.9% said they “like” it.

HMM

Guy Crittenden is editor of this magazine. Contact Guy at gcrittenden@hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 13

Copyright Tervita Corporation 2012. EARTH MATTERS and the TERVITA logo are the trademarks of Tervita Corporation. All rights reserved.

NO MATTER WHO HIRES US, WE WORK FOR HER. It could be an oil company that needs help squeezing the last few hundred barrels from a well.

Or a municipality that needs to de-commission an illegal meth lab. Either way, we will do the job professionally, safely and with an eye to the future. We are the 4,100 men and women of Hazco, Concord, Beck and nine other affiliated companies – formerly known collectively as CCS, now as Tervita. We apply knowledge, skill, technology and hard work to provide environmental and energy services that are best-in-class. Our goal is sustainability, both for the client companies who hire us and for the planet as a whole. Because it’s not just you counting on us. It’s everyone.

To learn more about our comprehensive range of services, visit tervita.com today.

A N O R T H A M E R I C A N L E A D E R I N E N V I R O N M E N TA L A N D E N E R G Y S E R V I C E S

HAZMAT: ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

How to Process an Accident Scene Important points to remember

W

orkplace mishaps and other emergency situations are by definition unforeseen events that can have grave repercussions. While most organizations in Canada and the United States are at least adequately prepared to deal with medical emergencies, first aid incidents, fires and chemical spills, the same level of preparedness is not always sufficiently in place with regard to the legislated need for employers to investigate workplace accidents or incidents. In many cases no formal team of investigators has been established nor trained and the necessary investigative and technical resources are similarly lacking.

Within reason, the scene of a hazardous occurrence must be investigated before any physical evidence has been handled or disturbed or production activities are resumed. Unfortunately scene integrity can be lost quite quickly. Ad hoc hazardous occurrence investigations generally fail due to a lack of experience, preparation and focus. The loss of scene integrity is also a serious legal concern representing one of the most commonly cited

reasons for regulators to lay charges of non-compliance.

Once established, a formal hazard notification process can ensure that investigators are activated and directed to a scene in the immediate aftermath of a workplace mishap.

A clearly defined internal notification system is also essential to ensure that investigators are able to access and process an accident scene as soon as is possible.

Additionally, such an internal notification system must be capable of contacting, as required, the provincial or federal regulator, emergency services and local law enforcement and any other similar resources. Most jurisdictions in Canada also mandate that the employer expeditiously notify the responsible joint health and safety committee. Prior to mobilizing a team of investigators to begin the process of investigation it is also essential that any remaining sources of danger are neutralized. These can include energized machinery, tools and equipment, gas, water and electrical utilities as well as any other active sources of harm.

by Peter Knaack

“Ad hoc hazardous occurrence investigations generally fail due to a lack of experience, preparation and focus.�

Simulated rescue at a tank farm. Photo courtesy of the Emergency Film Group.

16 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

HAZMAT : ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION Promptly Proceed to Accident Scene

Activate Internal Notification System

Ensure Sources of Danger are Neutralized

Advise Regulator / Police / Emergency Services

Power / Gas / Water / Other Utilities

Notify Joint HS Committee & Activate Investigative Team

Equipment / Tools Other Active Dangers

Secure Scene

Take Necessary Immediate Action

Observe Scene

Liaise with Other Investigators

Time

Assign Roles incl.

Scene Leadership

Weather Conditions

Establish Perimeter

Surroundings Witnesses

Plan How to Gather & Protect Evidence

Conduct Scene Survey

Localize Documentation

Interview Witnesses

Document Scene

Eye Witnesses

Measurements

Subject material Experts

Graph / Sketch Scene

First Responders

Maintenance Logs Manuals Other Documents

Photographs / Video

Generate Preliminary Observations

Collect Physical Evidence

Generate Crisis Plan

Business Continuity Crisis Communications

Steps in processing an accident scene.

Following the notification stage, the second most important aspect of a successful investigation into a hazardous occurrence is the need for investigators to properly secure and isolate the scene of the accident (in advance of collecting evidence and documenting the scene). Commonly the accident scene is already under the control of members of the local police or fire services supported by other first responders, supervisory personnel and concerned coworkers.

The investigators responsible for securing an accident scene can only assume control after the victim or victims have been removed and the scene itself has been formally released by the authority with jurisdiction.

A number of immediate actions must be undertaken once investigators have assumed responsibility for the scene.

Detailed notes must be taken of a number of important scene dynamics including: the detailed location, the exact time, the prevailing weather conditions, the number and location of witnesses, as well as any details relating to the immediate surroundings of a hazardous occurrence. An incident manager should also be appointed to coordinate and direct any future scene management activities including the establishment of a formal perimeter to protect and isolate an accident scene.

The Sullivan Mine Confined Space Incident

D

Oxygen-deficient environment kills four

uring the early afternoon of Monday, May 15, 2006, Doug Erickson — a 48-year-old environmental contractor with Pryzm Environmental — entered a 2.93 by 2.44 metre acid rock monitoring station with a 1.5m underground sump at the Teck Sullivan mine site near Kimberly, BC. The site had been inactive since December 2001.

For a number of years Erickson had routinely entered this monitoring station for the purpose of securing water samples and performing flow measurements on behalf of mine owner Teck Cominco.

Two days later, during the morning of Wednesday, May 17, 2006, Erickson’s lifeless body was discovered inside the monitoring station by Bob Newcombe, a 49-year-old Teck Cominco employee. While it was unclear at the time, Erickson had been overcome by an oxygen-deficient atmosphere, setting the stage for one of the worst mass casualty confined space incidents in recent memory.

Newcombe called 911 immediately after locating the missing contractor. As a result of the call two B.C. Ambulance paramedics, 44-year-old Kim Weitzel and 21-year-old Shawn Currier, were immediately dispatched to the scene.

After arriving at the scene and descending a ladder inside the sampling monitoring station, paramedic Weitzel unexpectedly came upon Newcombe. Her discovery of so alarmed her that she asked if gas was present. By the time she was able to ask that ominous question, though, it was no longer possible for her to extricate herself.

Realizing that his partner was in grave danger, paramedic Currier made the fateful decision to also enter the monitoring station. He too was overcome by the acutely oxygen-deficient atmosphere inside the station.

Laboratory sampling later confirmed that the atmosphere inside the monitoring station was severely oxygen deficient (0-2 per cent) and that Carbon Dioxide (7-8 per cent) and Nitrogen levels were elevated (89-91 per cent). The oxygen deficient environment that killed all four BC residents was the result of a sporadic geochemical process that consumed oxygen and generated carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Environmental monitoring subsequently conducted within the monitoring station confirmed that 18 per cent oxygen was present at a height of 1.5m from the ground, dropping to six per cent at a height of 1.0m and dipping to a mere two per cent below ground level.

Four people lost their lives as the hazards posed by the conditions inside the monitoring station had never been fully appreciated. The monitoring station had been accessed safely for several years with the most recent visit occurring on May 8, 2006 — a full week before the tragic fatalities. In the end this horrific mass casualty event became the subject of no less than three investigations, including one by the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (BCMEMPR), one by the BC Ambulance Service, and another by Teck Cominco.

SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 17

HAZMAT: ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

It’s also best that the incident manager develop a written plan with which to process the scene. Gathering and protecting evidence is best conducted as a planned, methodical activity. When properly led, a team of investigators can complete a scene survey in a coordinated and extremely time efficient manner. Steps taken to document the scene typically include the taking of detailed measurements of all relevant items found within a scene, the collection of physical exhibits where possible and appropriate, as well as the compilation of sketches, graphs, photographs and videos that depict the scene and important scene elements to the necessary level of detail.

Concurrently investigators must make sufficient efforts to localize any and all relevant documentation and conduct interviews with eyewitnesses as well as any subject material experts. Some of the documents that need to be secured during the process of investigation include:

maintenance logs, equipment manuals, inspection check lists and other similar items.

As memory typically is transitory it’s vital that every step taken during the completion of a hazardous occurrence investigation be done in a methodical and thoroughly documented way. All notes, photographs, drawings and other exhibits collected during the process must be carefully taken, preserved and retained, and detailed and properly referenced in the final report.

Accident investigations are a primary tool of prevention. Often it becomes necessary to generate preliminary observations as well as to release a scene for the resumption of production and operating functions as soon as is reasonably possible. Thus the groundwork established while an accident scene is processed will set the stage for the development of evidence-based countermeasures that reflect a solid understanding of all the relevant causal factors.

HMM

Peter Knaack, B.A., M.A., is a consultant in the field of occupational health and safety and workplace compliance. Contact

Peterad:Layout at pknaack@sympatico.ca GroundTech1-2 page 1 6/8/11 3:34 PM

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CLEANTECH: OPINION

The Answer is Blowing in the Wind

W

by Aaron Atcheson

“It’s confusing as to why non-neighbour advocates should be able to undermine such efforts”

hen government incentive programs are hampered by frustrating processes and unforeseen consequences, value is destroyed and questions are raised about the merit of doing business in our jurisdictions.

Consider Ontario’s renewable energy sector; the signature feed-in tariff program will have been on hold for the better part of a year by the time the current review is complete and the tap turned back on for the subsidized 20-year power purchase agreements. No matter your views on the green energy program, or its implementation: any industry subject to this kind of start and stop cannot thrive. The prospect of a true feed-in tariff program raised interest worldwide, but the frustrating processes, delays and political theatre (like holding up hundreds of contract offers for self-congratulatory political announcements) have sent many job creators home.

Consider also the near-guaranteed appeals of Renewable Energy Approvals (REAs) for wind farms in Ontario. To date, there have been four REAs issued for industrial-sized

wind farms, and four REAs appealed. While legislation created a significant hurdle for an appellant to clear (to have an approval revoked), there is no requirement that the appellants reside within any specific distance from the wind farm; this allows anti-wind advocates from anywhere in the province to add at least six months (and some very significant costs) to every project, even when the concerns of neighbours have been satisfied. Opponents of the technology can continue to object to the expansion of the wind industry at a political level, but while we have a government dedicated to moving it forward, it’s confusing as to why non-neighbour advocates should be able to undermine such efforts.

More important than the specific problems is that many governments seem to have difficulty overall in looking at their incentive programs from the perspective of business. There are so many good reasons to establish a business in Canada; in industries like CleanTech where governments are desperately seeking success, a little forethought would go a long way, as would a willingness to correct mistakes.

HMM

Aaron Atcheson is a Partner with Miller Thomson LLP in London, Ontario. Contact Aaron at aatcheson@millerthomson.com Env Cat bleed ad-may2010-B.qxd

5/25/10

12:49 PM

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The Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea, Department for Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Energy, promotes the protection of the environment through the realization of projects aimed at developing new technologies with high environmental efficiency and through activities around the world in cooperation with numerous international organizations.

Achieving great things together.

MINISTRY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT LAND AND SEA - ITALY

Italy:

your partner in clean technology Miller Thomson LLP’s CleanTech Practice Group applies its depth and breadth of knowledge and experience to help clients in a variety of industries. The CleanTech group provides integrated legal expertise in many areas, such as: • Renewable energy project financing and development • Innovative remediation technologies • Waste and recycling programs • Water and wastewater treatment projects • Carbon credit verification and trading For more information about our CleanTech legal services, contact: Aaron Atcheson, Partner 519.931.3526 aatcheson@millerthomson.com

Together, the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea and the Italian Trade Commission aim to promote the use of Italian technologies and the involvement of Italian companies in the NAFTA region by encouraging scientific and commercial collaboration, and the exchange of best practices and know-how.

The Italian Trade Commission is the official trade development and promotional agency of the Italian Government. Its mission is to support the internationalization of Italian firms and their consolidation in foreign markets. Headquartered in Rome, the ITC maintains a network of over 115 branch offices in more than 86 countries, including the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Added experience. Added clarity. Added value.

Miller Thomson LLP

millerthomson.com For further information: toronto@ice.it vancouver

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SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 19

CLEANTECH: MOBILE DESTRUCTION

Mobile Waste-to-Energy Eco Waste Solutions serves mining, defense and other sectors

by Brad O’Brien

“Air emissions claims have been verified

by Environment Canada’s ETV Program.”

Eco Waste Solutions’ mobile unit deployed at a remote NATO location.

E

co Waste Solutions (EWS) is a Canadian environmental technology that’s enjoying sales abroad — a concept often touted by the government but not always seen to play out in the real world. But this Burlington, Ontario-based company was awarded two new contracts last fall to bring point-of-need waste solutions to the mining and military sectors, on top of other contracts in North America, South America and Europe to treat biowaste, animal waste, so-called “camp waste” and more.

EWS claim to fame is the production and installation of mobile waste incinerators at remote locations.

The technology is best suited for places that generate waste but where transportation logistics and related costs are prohibitive for conventional haulage and disposal.

Clean-burning systems also minimize the environmental impacts of operations such as mining and are preferred to the long-term legacy of an onsite landfill.

Last fall a multinational mining company operating in West Africa selected EWS to supply three ECO Model batch incinerators. This equipment will process

20 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

23 tonnes per day — all the domestic waste generated onsite. With large camps, the installation of these facilities can improve sanitation by reducing vermin and disease vectors, enhancing personnel health and safety.

EWS also has been awarded a contract to supply its system to a foreign Department of Defense. The fully containerized mobile system has been procured as part of a readiness program for public health protection.

Another off-beat waste stream for which the systems are suited is animal waste. Recent crises such as the Avian Bird Flu and H1N1 have highlighted the need for governments to react quickly to quarantine and destroy diseased animals. In these emergencies, most agencies resort to open pit burning which is inadequate for infection containment and creates air pollution. The ECO Mobile provides rapid response to the site of a disease outbreak and operates at temperatures that destroy even the more resistant prion — the infectious agent associated with BSE (mad cow disease).

The ECO Mobile is designed to international mil-

CLEANTECH: MOBILE DESTRUCTION

11 8 9 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Continuous Loading System Primary Combustion of Waste Combustion of Volatile Gases Waste Heat Boiler - Heat Recovery Emission Controls - Acid Neutralization Emission Controls - Metals/Organics Emission Controls - Dust/Particulate Exit of Clean Gaseous Emissions Ash Removal - Conveyor Controlling and Monitoring of Process Emergency Bypass Stack

5 7

6

4 3

2 10

1

Schematic diagram of a typical setup.

itary specifications and has on-board pollution control and monitoring equipment to meet the strictest emissions standards.

THE SYSTEM EWS containerized mobile system is designed for rapid deployment; the scalable modular incinerators can offer heat recovery in the form of hot water, steam and small scale energy from waste. The system is available as either a batch or continuous feed operation.

The batch process involves the gasification of waste materials as a single batch load, without disturbance to the waste bed, and without adding more waste until the completion of the cycle. This design removes the need for constant attendance to the process, which is fully automated after loading and starting the machine. This is a starved-air, pyrolytic combustion process where oxygen levels are kept to a minimum. The minimal disturbance of the waste during the process results in a very thorough thermal conversion and very low emissions.

As waste burns in the primary chamber, the gases generated enter the high temperature, richly oxygenated and turbulent conditions of the secondary chamber for cleansing. Gases are retained for a minimum of two seconds at an internal temperature of 1000°C. After the completion of the burn and cooling cycles, residual materials are removed by manual or automated means and the complete process is repeated.

The continuous feed systems operate under the same

design principles — pyrolytic gasification in the first stage and thermal oxidation in the second. However, unlike the batch system, waste is charged on a continuous basis to the primary chamber and ash is conveyed out of the system automatically.

The continuous feed systems allow the ECO model to economically scale up to meet the need for larger capacities. Also the 24 hour operation is more conducive to energy recovery.

For optimal performance an Air Pollution Control Scrubber is added to any of the models. Scrubbers are selected depending on the waste type and are designed to meet specific air regulations. They can neutralize acid gases, remove particulate matter and may also capture heavy metals and other toxic compounds not treated by combustion alone.

After waste is processed the volume is reduced by over 90 per cent. What remains is a non-toxic, inert ash and non-combustible materials (primarily metals and glass).

The high temperature process will ensure that any infectious material is burned away. Metals and glass remaining will be sterile, safe to handle and can be recycled.

Eco Waste Solutions has subjected technology claims to this process to verify performance when processing both municipal solid waste and biomedical waste. The company’s air emissions data performance claims have been verified by Environment Canada’s ETV Program: Eco Waste Oxidizer (ETV 97005) and Bio Waste Oxidizer (ETV 00005).

HMM

Brad O’Brien is Publisher of this magazine. Contact Brad at bobrien@hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 21

CLEANTECH: BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE

Bio-Hazardous Waste Treatment Ozonator Industries destroys pathogens and toxins

O

by Bruce Johnstone

“Ozonator was approved by the Canadian Environmental Technology Verification program administered by ETV Canada.”

zonator Industries Ltd. (www.ozonatorindustries.com) of Regina, Saskatchewan, is manufacturer of the Ozonator — a zero-emission, ozonebased technology designed to turn bio-hazardous waste into inert material that can safely disposed of in a sanitary landfill. The company is poised to establish its technology in the North American waste treatment marketplace.

Company President Peter Klaptchuk is the inventor of the patented technology that utilizes ozone (a naturally occurring disinfectant) to destroy pathogens and toxins in bio-hazardous medical waste, without producing harmful emissions. The Ozonator has also proven to reduce the volume of output by 90 per cent.

Klaptchuk, who has spent more than 30 years in the waste disposal and treatment industry, recognized that ozone — used for sterilizing water for over a century — could be harnessed to remove pathogens from medical waste (like blood, sharps, and other infectious materials) without the use of heat.

Traditional methods of treating medical waste such as autoclaves and incinerators use expensive fossil fuels and complicated systems to produce heat or steam to sterilize the waste, but in so doing emit dioxins and other harmful pollutants caused by the breakdown of plastics, as well as greenhouse gases.

The first commercial unit, the Ozonator NG-1000, was installed at Union Hospital in Terra Haute, Indiana, in 2008. Three years later, the hospital has treated and safely disposed of approximatly eight million pounds of bio-hazardous waste. As an added benefit, Union Hospital noted a cost reduction of 40 per cent over conventional disposal methods, which require significant inputs of energy.

While the Ozonator initial cost may be higher than some conventional technologies, its low operating cost (which runs at mere pennies per pound) results in a very short payback period. Additionally, the units robust design, safety features and ease of operation have quickly made fans of those who chosen to use the technology.

VERIFICATION AND CHALLENGES In 2010, the Ozonator was approved by the Canadian Environmental Technology Verification program administered by ETV Canada (under license to 22 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

The Ozonator system replaces traditional autoclaves and incinerators, reducing energy requirements and emissions.

Environment Canada). The Ozonator technology also recently received regulatory approval from the states of Florida and California, which are widely regarded as tightly regulated jurisdictions. The Ozonator has also received many awards and recognition from governments, health care organizations and business groups in Canada and the US. With an estimated 14,500 tonnes of bio-hazardous waste produced every year in North America, and rising concern about environmental liability, energy costs and emissions, one might thing the Ozonator would have quickly become a major player in the medical waste industry. But as with many leading technologies, adoption can be slow, especially in the highly-regulated health care field.

Ozonator Industries also suffered a setback when an American distributor failed to deliver on its commitments.

“We’re back where we were three years ago,” says Randy Johnson, vice-president of marketing for Ozonator Industries. “Now, we’re poised to address the U.S. market directly from our head office here in Regina.”

CLEANTECH: BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE

Schematic diagram of the process equipment.

“Additionally, managing the technology directly from our head office will allow us to explore many more facets of the waste handling industry within the United States and Canadian markets,” Johnson says, “such as using our technology to deal with international waste arriving at airports and partnering in a wider variety of business opportunities.”

Johnson says the company is exploring emerging

waste-to-energy business models, as the sterilized waste coming out of its equipment has been tested and would be excellent feed stock for waste-to-energy systems.

Klaptchuk adds, “In future, medical-waste industry healthcare providers will be concerned about the costefficiency of disposing their medical waste; they’ll also need to cover their liabilities with respect to spills and emissions, and ensure staff safety.”

HMM

Bruce Johnstone is a journalist with the Leader Post in Regina, Saskatchewan. Contact Bruce at bjohnstone@ leaderpost.com

SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 23

HAZMAT: EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Hydrogen Sulfide Safe handling of a flammable gas

H

by Gordon Massingham

“One more unsanctioned use for H2S is as a component in chemical assisted suicide.”

Responding to a chemically-assisted suicide incident.

ydrogen sulfide is dangerous. It’s a Division 2.1 flammable gas that can ignite explosively under the right conditions. It’s also designated a Division 2.3 poison gas because it paralyzes the respiratory system, quickly leading to unconsciousness, injury, or death. It’s a naturally occurring gas which results from the decomposition of metal sulfides and organic matter.

Hydrogen Sulfide may be found at mineral springs or areas of thermal activity, but it is also found wherever human endeavors go beneath the earth’s surface: in petroleum exploration and production, in mining, in sewers, wells, and septic tanks.

Hydrogen sulfide is produced as a byproduct in some industrial operations, and is useful in some manufacturing processes.

Properties Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas which, in its pure form, burns with a blue flame. It’s most characteristic property is its strong odor, often described as the smell of rotten eggs. Hydrogen sulfide dissolved in water is called hydrosulfuric acid — a weak acid and strong reducing agent. Hydrogen sulfide liquefies at about 76° F and solidifies at about 120° F. It can be liquefied under pressure at ambient temperature.

The odor of hydrogen sulfide is generally perceptible at concentrations of less the one part per million.

However, because H2S deadens the sense of smell, odor

26 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

cannot be relied upon to detect its presence. At some concentrations, the smell will seem to disappear in a few minutes even though the gas is still present.

Exposure to concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can result in headaches, dizziness, staggering gait, confusion, nausea, dry cough, cold sweats, profuse salivation, rapid breathing and rapid heart rate. Exposure to higher concentrations can lead to sudden loss of consciousness, abrupt cessation of breathing, and brain damage from lack of oxygen.

Users of hydrogen sulfide are manufacturers of sulfur products, adhesives, chemicals, fluorescent lamps, color television tubes, high-pressure lubricants, pesticides, and fertilizers. Hydrogen sulfide will be found anywhere organic matter is decomposing: septic tanks, manure pits, sewage treatment plants, breweries, slaughterhouses, and sugar beet processors. Of course, in oil, gas, or water wells, or in places where excavation or drilling occurs, hydrogen sulfide may be present. H2S can also be encountered in underground and confined spaces, especially after flooding has occurred.

Chemical assisted suicide One more unsanctioned use for H2S is as a component in chemical assisted suicide. Chemical assisted suicides, which first appeared in Japan, are happening in North America with more frequency. Hydrogen sulfide is often the fatal agent. Internet recipes provide the suicidal with methods of combining products containing acids such as

HAZMAT : EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Monitoring air quality during Hydrogen Sulfide incident.

toilet bowl cleaners with products that include sulfides. A usual method is to combine the chemicals inside a closed motor vehicle. Some websites even provide window signs to warn emergency responders. But even with a warning note, a chemical-assisted suicide site represents a danger to the community and to emergency personnel who respond.

Those who work with or near H2S, or who respond to incidents where it may be involved, must be well prepared to protect themselves against accidental exposure, and to mitigate a situation without exacerbating it. Emergency Film Group has produced “Hydrogen Sulfide” as part of its HazChem Series of training programs. This program includes a 30-minute DVD plus separate Instructor’s CD-Rom to examine the hazards of Hydrogen Sulfide and portray workers using proper procedures and equipment while handling it. The film also shows emergency personnel responding to leaks, spills and fires for a successful outcome.

“Hydrogen Sulfide” was awarded a CINE Golden Eagle award, acknowledging high quality production and training effectiveness. The latest edition of the film was released in January, 2012. For further information please visit www.efilmgroup.com HMM

Gordon Massingham is a Producer with the Emergency Film Group in Edgartown, Massachusetts.

Contact Gordon at gordon@www.efilmgroup.com

SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 27

REMEDIATION: SOIL TECHNOLOGY

Ivy-League Solutions Ivey Internationals surfactant technology for soil and groundwater cleanup

A

by Jamie Ross

28 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

0

During in-situ and ex-situ remediation of contaminated soil or water the greatest limiting factor for all forms of remediation is contaminant sorption (i.e., absorption and or adsorption). If contaminant sorption can be overcome, remediation is improved and costs and duration are reduced.

Ivey-sol Surfactant Technology is comprised of several patented and preparatory non-ionic surfactant formulations that desorb and liberate sorbed petroleum hydrocarbons (LNAPL), chlorinated solvents (DNAPL), and certain heavy metal contaminants from soil and fractured bedrock surfaces. The addition of Ivey-sol to the substrate can aid in the controlled de-sorption of the

Drilling Cuttings 15,000

,00

PROCESS

contaminants making them more miscible in the aqueous phase, allowing for their improved mass recovery and/or improved treatment by many other remediation techniques.

Three Ivey-sol application processes were developed for enhancing in-situ and ex-situ site remediation. The remediation application improves in-situ pump and treatment, and/or ex-situ soil washing type applications by greater than 400 per cent. The process could also be used for tank cleaning, vapor suppression, and oil recovery from oil sands.

The bioremediation application similarly makes contaminants more “bio-available” for microbial (bacteria) degradation, improving both in-situ and or ex-situ bioremediation treatment by more than 60 per cent, in warm and cold temperature site applications.

In the case of surfactant enhanced oxidation, the process makes contaminants available for treatment with chemical oxidizing agents, improving availability by 40 to 80 per cent or more. The oxidation of non-target compounds (i.e., metals, natural products, and bacteria) is the greatest drawback to chemical oxidant treatment. Ivey-sol helps overcome this limitation by increasing contact between contaminants and oxidants, thereby improving the oxidation rate of target compounds. This process may also be modified for application with chemical reducing agents.

15

“The compounds are non-toxic and biodegradable, so they don’t persist in the environment after application.”

ward-winning Ivey International, Inc. (www.iveyinternational.com) of Campbell River, BC specializes in using remediation technology to restore contaminated soil and groundwater. Formed in 2000 by George “Bud” Ivey, the company’s main product is Ivey-sol® Surfactant Technology, a patented substance that accelerates the process of remediating soil and groundwater contaminants.

Ivey-sol selectively desorbs the majority of lowsoluble contaminants entrenched in soil and bedrock, rendering them more available for pump and treatment, bioremediation or chemical oxidation or reduction-type treatments.

In-situ treatment (generally the most practical and cost effective) treats a contaminated area without disturbing the surroundings. A combination of injection and extraction wells removes desorbed contaminants and control groundwater flow (keeping newly desorbed contaminants onsite). A variety of factors determine how many wells are needed, including the size of the property, contaminant concentrations, soil type, and hydro-geological factors. Mass-recovery rates average more than 400 per cent.

When access to sites is restricted, ex-situ wash methods are used, often taking only a few hours.

Ivey-sol provides cost savings of up to 60 per cent compared to other methods, according to the company, and reduces environmental risks and liabilities. Ex-situ SEB bio-remediation is very effective on heavy-end hydrocarbons, with clients in the oil & gas industry seeing decreases in the level of long chain hydrocarbons in soil in just a couple of months.

F2 (C10-C16 Hydrocarbons) F3 (C16-C34 Hydrocarbons) F4 (C34-C50 Hydrocarbons)

10,000

Units - mg/kg

mg/kg

5,3

00

5,000

4,9

00

730 380 250 BASELINE

POST IVEY-SOL

REMEDIATION: SOIL TECHNOLOGY

APPLICATIONS The sorption of contaminates onto solids (soil, sediments, bedrock, drilling cuttings, oil sands) is considered the principal limiting factor in the effectiveness of most treatment technologies. This coupled with complex chemistry, geology and hydrogeology only further complicates matters.

When hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC) like petroleum product, are absorbed on a soil grain, water alone will not remove it from the surface. This is a function of the hydrophobic characteristics of the HOC, which repels the water at its surface and its inherent low water solubility. With the addition of Ivey-sol surfactants, the hydrophobic grouping is repelled by the water but attracted to the HOC on the surface. At the same time, the new hydrophilic grouping is attracted to the water molecules. These opposing forces loosen the HOC from the surface

of the soil matrix and suspend it in the water phase.

Once dissolved, the suspended HOC is more available for treatment.

Surfactant enhanced remediation involves the use of surfactant formulations to selectively desorb and dissolve target contaminates from the solid to liquid phase.

In addition, the surfactants lower the surface tension of water from 72 dynes to <30 dynes increasing the wetting

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SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 29

REMEDIATION: SOIL TECHNOLOGY

and permeability properties of water in fine grain soil (i.e., clay and silt) and bedrock fractures.

The surfactants affect the sorption of HOC at the solid-liquid interface (i.e., the surface–H2O–NAPL interface). As a result, the surfactants increase the contaminate solubility and improved availability for rapid and cost effective treatment. Applications range over many areas, from the oil & gas industry to manufacturing, industrial cleaning, etc. The technology is of great benefit in oil recovery operations, tank cleaning, shoreline cleanup, soil washing, and much more.

The compounds are non-toxic and biodegradable, so they don’t persist in the environment after application.

They also don’t adversely affect water treatment systems (i.e., oil/water separators, GAC, air stripping, membrane separation, bioreactors, etc.). Since they’re non-toxic to bacteria, they can aid and/or improve natural attenuation. They reduce treatment times when used in con-

junction with other remediation technologies and work well with duel phase extraction, vacuum extraction, and conventional pump and treat.

The surfactants work well in fine grain soils, don’t generate additional operation and maintenance issues and may be applied to saturated and/or unsaturated zones.

Ivey-sol is effective for treating and improving remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons (gas, diesel, lubricants, bunker-C), chlorinated compounds (PCB, PCP, CET, PET), pesticides and herbicides, organometallics (Tetra-ethyl lead), and NORM (naturally occurring radioactive materials) On average, greater than 90 to 95 per cent of smallto medium-size contaminated sites are remediated (in situ) in less than 12 months. In November of last year the MISTIC Innovations Award for Environmental Excellence was given to Ivey International by the MidIsland Science Technology & Innovation Council. HMM

Jamie Ross is Account Manager of this magazine. Contact Jamie at jross@hazmatmag.com

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Please contact Lou Speziale by e-mail at spez-tech@rogers.com or by phone at 905-828-5579, for expert application recommendations and technical assistance.

www.speztech.com 30 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

When faced with making decisions in today’s ever-changing regulatory environment, it pays to have an expert on your side. At XCG, we will listen, provide advice and assist you in arriving at the best possible solution for your project.

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HAZMAT : ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS

WEEE

Analysis of an e-waste management system

O

ne of the Ontario government’s better recent ideas was the setting up of a system whereby waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE), or e-waste, is diverted from landfill. E-waste contains higher concentrations of valuable metals than what is found in metal ores currently mined around the world so it’s worth recovering.

In its second year of operation, Ontario’s program diverted over 34,000 tonnes of e-waste at a cost of $1,634 per tonne. To some the program is a success, but to many it needs repair.

ONTARIO’S SYSTEM Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO), a crown management not-for-profit organization, is responsible to help industry develop programs and plans for managing their waste streams. Ontario Electronic Stewardship (OES) was the not-for-profit corporation created in 2009 to manage the e-waste management system. Through OES, stewards (i.e., manufacturers and importers) of specified electrical and electronic equipment are obligated to pay their share of the cost of collecting and recycling their products via the OES program.

OES sets fees annually to cover the cost of collection, transportation, and processing of e-waste. The stewards have the option to simply internalize the steward fee cost (i.e., build it into the price of the product), or display it to customers in the form of an environmental handling fee (also called eco fees) at the time of purchase.

These fees have been the subject of much debate for the OES program, and for EPR programs generally; many claims and counter claims are made about whether it’s better to have visible fees that improve transparency (by making consumers aware of the environmental costs of the products they buy), or to have stewards absorb the program costs, or build them into retail prices.

Preoccupation with this issue is taking attention away from the one objective we all share (or should share): keeping this stuff out of landfill.

These programs are expensive and the public’s tolerance for the cost of environmental protection is limited, especially in tough economic times. Whether there’s a “visible fee” or not, consumers expect results, and they expect that those results to be delivered at the lowest possible cost.

Our time and effort is best spent designing programs that deliver diversion that’s both environmentally and economically sustainable. There are many examples: the incentive programs created by Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS), by Stewardship Ontario and other EPR programs elsewhere in Canada and in Europe (such as ValPak in the United Kingdom). Each delivers environmental and economic results by relying as much as possible on open markets that encourage rather than stifle competition. This can’t be done by legislation alone; any bureaucratic rules must take into account a keen sense of the market and calibrate incentive rates at the right level to encourage participating companies to divert as much waste as they can, and to encourage new companies to see waste diversion as a new business opportunity.

The OES program bears abundant potential as a financially sustainable, socially acceptable, and environmentally respectful system for the safe diversion of e-waste from landfill, and should look to other programs at home and overseas to find the best way to further realize this potential.

by John Nicholson

“Ontario’s program diverted over 34,000 tonnes of e-waste at a cost of $1,634 per tonne”

John Nicholson, M.Sc., P.Eng., is a consultant based in Toronto, Ontario. Contact John at john.nicholson@ ebccanada.com SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 31

HAZMAT: HEALTH AND SAFETY

Health & Safety Leadership A new charter from BC

O

by Lynne Bard

“The charter is the industry’s attempt to take action to reduce the injury rates as much as possible.”

n October 27, 2011, FIOSA-MIOSA (Food Industry Occupational Safety Association — Manufacturing Industry Occupational Safety Alliance) Safety Alliance of BC organized and hosted their annual Leading Performance Conference in Vancouver, BC. FIO-MIOSA is a non-profit, nongovernmental, industry-funded organization with over 2,000 members across BC together representing the food processing and manufacturing industries.

Formerly known as the Food Processors Health and Safety Council, the organization expanded its membership in 2010 to include 700 employers in the manufacturing industry and subsequently changed its name to FIOSA-MIOSA Safety Alliance. FIOSA-MIOSA’s main purpose is to reduce the injury rate of BC’s food, beverage and manufacturing industries through dynamic education, training and advisory services.

This past year at the conference, the FIOSA-MIOSA introduced a Health & Safety Leadership Charter, the first of its kind for the province. This charter followed the leadership of other provinces including Saskatchewan and Newfoundland.

The charter was developed to represent commitment from industry and organizational leaders within BC to foster a positive environment of health and safety.

Founded on the principle that the effective management of health and safety is essential to overall business success, profitability and sustainability, key CEOs and senior executives were asked to sign the charter, declaring their organizations’ commitment to these principals.

FISOSA-MIOSA Safety Alliance’s CEO Lisa McGuire outlined that the charter acts as a public statement to employees, customers and communities that health and safety is a core value of the organizations signing.

“We’re encouraging leaders to add their signatures, demonstrating a commitment to providing a preventionbased workplace culture,” McGuire says.

Twenty-Three CEOs and executives from around BC signed the Charter at the conference. These executives represented organizations that include: Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME); BC Safety Authority; Agropur; Radiation Safety Institute of Canada; and, WorkSafeBC. David Anderson, the president and CEO

32 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

of WorkSafeBC was a founding endorser of the charter, and was given the honour of being the first to add his signature. These 23 signatures represent the first step towards FIOSA-MIOSA’s “150@2015” goal of having 150 of BC’s CEOs and senior executives sign the charter by 2015.

McGuire states that the charter is an important starting-point for companies and organizations with the end goal of reducing BC’s injury rate. According to WorkSafeBC statistics from 2008, the injury rate within the manufacturing subsector was 4.6. The food processing subsector had a higher rate of injury at 7.1. These numbers signify that for every person who works full time in a one-year period, 4.6 out of 100 and 7.1 out of 100 have suffered from some type of injury. These statistics are worrying, especially when comparing them to the low province-wide injury rate of 2.37.

A total of $121 million was paid in claims in 2009 by BC’s manufacturing sector. The direct cost to manufacturing employers is estimated to actually have been $605 million. According to a Safety Alliance survey from 2010, the most common injuries causes were improper lifting, repetitive movement strains, injuries from sharp edges, and slips.

FIOSA-MIOSA feels that there are far too many individuals whose lives, health, and personal finances are being affected by the food processing and manufacturing industries’ health and safety records. The Health and Safety Leadership Charter is the industry’s attempt to take action and work to reduce the injury rates as much as possible. Making employee health and safety a priority, organizations are furthering their overall business sustainability.

Inaugural signatories met on February 16, 2012 at the Terminal City Club to discuss development strategies for engaging additional CEOs and executives to sign the charter. For more information and to find out how your organization can make a commitment to BC’s Health & Safety Leadership Charter, please visit www.fmiosa. com/lpc-charter.

HMM

Lynne Bard is President and Senior Consultant of Beyond Rewards Inc. in Guelph, Ontario. Contact Lynne at info@beyondrewards.ca

HAZMAT : SPOTLIGHT

My AIM is True AIM Environmental Group

A

IM Environmental Group, headquartered in Stoney Creek, Ontario, is a leading environmental contracting services company with a focus on demolition, abatement and site remediation.

The company also has technology for organic waste composting.

Since its founding in 1989, AIM’s capabilities in servicing the environmental and waste management sectors initially grew with the completion of small and large-scale projects across Ontario for various private and public sector clients. In late 2011, AIM opened a new western regional office in Calgary to capture opportunities in the booming oil & gas industry.

Potential projects involving the decommissioning of former gas refineries and cleanup of contaminated sites

are all part of the company’s vision of strategic growth and development of its western division. With the strong partnerships and ties that AIM has built over for 20 years, the company has garnered extensive know-how and experience, allowing it to provide clients with many options when undertaking a project.

EUROPEAN CONNECTIONS AIM is partly owned by Maple Reinders, a commercial and environmental development company ranked as one of Canada’s Top 50 Leaders in Construction

by Reed Construction Data. Through this strategic partnership, both companies have worked jointly on the design, build, operation of two organic waste composting facilities, for the City of Hamilton and City

by Guy Crittenden

“In late 2011, AIM opened a new western regional office in Calgary to capture opportunities in the booming oil & gas industry”

An enormous AIM Demolition excavator chews through the ruins of St. Mary’s hospital at Grosvenor and Richmond Streets in London, Ontario.

The hospital, built in 1949, was first stripped dangerous substances such as asbestos before demolition began.

(Photo by Mike Henson/The London Free Press/QMI AGENCY.) SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 33

HAZMAT: SPOTLIGHT

From the demolition at 1500 Merivale, Ottawa, Ontario.

of Guelph, respectively. These plants are regarded as leading facilities in the often challenging realm of municipal composting, succeeding where other plants have failed.

In addition, the firm has partnerships with European companies such as Van Kaathoven Group, Komptech, DDM Demontage BV, and BioSoil. These allow the company to bring commercially-proven, advanced technologies to Canada already in use throughout Europe and South America. Through these forward-thinking means, AIM has positioned itself as a single-source solution provider for environmental services.

Whether it’s a large-scale demolition project or asbestos and hazardous materials abatement, AIM liaises with clients to develop a project-specific environmental plan that may include demolition, abatement, or remediation, and a site-specific health and safety plan. (In all its years of work, the company has never experienced lost time from injury). The commitment to safety has been a factor in AIM being chosen to partner with organizations that include Ontario’s largest hydro transmission and transit company.

34 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

PROJECTS AIM is involved in a wide array of technologies and projects. For example, the company operates a mobile water decommissioning plant that’s one of the largest in the Ontario, capable of processing up to 100 US gallons of water per minute.

As noted, AIM also operates the composting plants for Hamilton and Guelph. The facilities turn biodegradable kitchen and yard waste from municipal green bin programs into high-grade compost (clean enough to be used without a permit from the Ministry of the Environment). AIM believes such composting systems could revolutionize the way cities relate to their rural counterparts, supporting the concept that “farms feed cities and cities feed farms.”

The material starts out as a collection of source-separated organics (food scraps, leaf-and-yard trimmings, excluding plastic bags, human waste, diapers, and sludge). After inspection, the waste is shredded, then processed to remove metal and glass. The material is then layered in tunnels for storage over a 10- to 14-day period. After the first storage period, the mixture is

HAZMAT : SPOTLIGHT

The September 2012 ribbon cutting ceremony of the City of Guelph’s Organic Waste Processing Facility showing staff from Wellington Organix (an AIM Group Company) and other AIM Environmental Group staff involved in the facility start-up. INSET: Asbestos abatement project carried out by AIM Environmental Group for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC).

pasteurized to kill off any harmful bacteria or pathogens, including weed seeds from yard trimmings. Afterwards, it’s screened a second time, and then sent to be stored and matured for another 30 to 60 days before being sold. Throughout the entire process, the organic matter is continuously monitored to ensure the perfect level of oxygenation and positive microbial activity.

In addition to its composting division, AIM has established itself a leader in the demolition and remediation sector. 2011 saw its demolition and abatement divisions conduct large projects and work for private and public clients including Dana Group, Defence Construction Canada, SmartCentres, and Redcliff Realty Corporation. Through its remediation operations, AIM is able to develop and execute a plan based on Phase 2 consultant reports to treat either soil or water in situ or ex situ.

Recently, the company demolished a strand of severely rundown storefronts in Brantford, Ontario. The project involved the evaluation, demolition and abatement of all 41 structures with special care taken to contain dust and other particulate matter within the urban area. The project was part of the City of Brantford’s plan to rejuvenate its downtown. Expansion of a current university campus and a new YMCA center for the town’s residents are now a possibility.

AIM Environmental Group and Dutch partner BioSoil are breaking new grounds, having recently partnered up for their first project in Canada. The site, located in Toronto, has been

historically monitored, coupled with recent environmental assessments, in order to delineate a massive contaminant plume in the shallow-deep sub-surface. The main contaminant at the site is trichloroethylene (TCE) — the result of past chemical refining activities at the site from the 1900s through the 1970s.

Through AIM’s environmental contracting experience and BioSoil’s knowledge of bio-reactor systems, an innovative cleanup plan will allow for full scale remediation of the affected parameters within the designated area to environment ministry standards. The in situ treatment methods, coupled with free-product extraction, allow for an efficient and less invasive procedure as opposed to different treatment methods and excavation. Through the successful installation and completion of this project, AIM and BioSoil look to advance their partnership in the Canadian market.

HMM

Guy Crittenden is editor of this magazine. Contact Guy at gcrittenden@hazmatmag.com

Brownfield redevelopmenT projecTs involve more Than jusT science That’s why our experts in financial risk analysis, urban policy, feasibility studies, planning and environmental engineering work together to bring a ‘big picture’ view that facilitates informed decisions, maximizes value and mitigates risk for our clients.

www.mmm.ca

SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 35

CLEANTECH: WASTE TRANSPORTATION

Waste Collection Technology Waste Management pilots Rotopress collection trailers

Waste Management vehicles at a CNG fuelling station. INSET: The Rotopress collection trailer by Faun.

I

by Wes Muir

“WM will be constructing a CNG fuelling station at the Westbrook Road facility in Stittsville.”

n January Waste Management (WM) announced a pilot program to introduce Rotopress waste collection trailers for the first time in North America to improve the flexibility of its collection operations. The vehicles will first roll out in Houston, Texas, followed by pilot projects in San Diego, and Sacramento, California, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Camden, New Jersey. The company anticipates the program to provide greater operational flexibility and reduce trips, fuel use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improved maintenance costs.

Rotopress is manufactured by Faun, a German manufacturer of waste disposal vehicles, which has been in operation across Europe for more than eight decades.

The Rotopress modular technology, combined with a decoupled tractor-trailer configuration using natural gas as its fuel source, provides a number of operational and environmental benefits to meet the challenges of a diversifying waste stream; it also reduces capital costs, exposure to rising fuel prices and emissions.

Rotopress is significantly lighter than most compaction-plate vehicles and allows the vehicle to carry up to 14 tons — generally four more tons than a conventional waste collection vehicle. The decoupled tractor-trailer configuration allows for better management of assets as chassis and body can be replaced separately on a more effective schedule. In addition, these assets are decoupled, which allows for future, fuel-saving class 6 tractor operations, which will operate on natural gas.

Compared with a rigid vehicle, a semi-truck trailer has a 40 per cent smaller turning radius, making it more maneuverable, which is very desirable in residential

areas with cul-de-sacs and parked cars and in other tight areas. In the event of a breakdown, the truck and module can be separated reducing downtime and improved utilization of trucks. The unique corkscrew design continuously moves waste to the front of the body, which helps prevent overloading of rear axles while keeping sufficient weight on the front axle at all times. (This makes the drive smoother and reduces wear on tires.)

Maintenance costs should improve from less stress on the suspension and far fewer moving parts compared to a conventional rear loader.

The Rotopress does not directly press any additional liquid out of the waste, but binds it by permanently mixing it with the dry material. This operation reduces the amount of free liquid in the system, lowering damage to the body that can be caused by corrosion and additionally reducing leakage and odors considerably. The entire Rotopress drum is soundproofed and the continuous movement of the waste eliminates noise peaks during loading. This, combined with the use of natural gas engines, will greatly reduce noise.

“The Rotopress will help contribute toward our corporate sustainability goal to increase fuel efficiency by 15 percent and decrease emissions by 15 percent by 2020,” says Eric Woods, vice president, fleet and logistics at Waste Management. “Our plan is to save 350 million gallons of fuel and reduce 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2020.”

The new vehicles build on the company’s existing fleet of more than 1,400 heavy-duty trucks fueled with natural gas.

HMM

Wes Muir is Director of Corporate Communications for Waste Management in Brampton, Ontario. Contact Wes at wmuir@wm.com 36 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

advertiser index

SPRING 2012

ADVERTISER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PG #

ADVERTISER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PG #

CERCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25

MMM Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Drain All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Miller Thomson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

EACO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Newalta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

ERIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Ozonator Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Frac Rite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Pinchin Environmental Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Groundtech Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Real Property Institute of Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

T Harris. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Sites & Spills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Hazco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15

SpezTech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Intrinsik. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

XCG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Italian Trade Commission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

2012 RPIC FEDERAL CONTAMINATED SITES NATIONAL WORKSHOP ATELIER NATIONAL SUR LES SITES CONTAMINÉS FÉDÉRAUX DE L’IBIC 2012 April 30 – May 3, 2012 Toronto, Ontario

Du 30 avril au 3 mai 2012 Toronto, Ontario

The RPIC Federal Contaminated Sites National Workshop is the leading professional development event for federal and industry environmental professionals involved in the management and remediation of federal contaminated sites.

L’Atelier national sur les sites contaminés fédéraux de l’IBIC constitue une activité de perfectionnement professionnel de premier plan pour les professionnels de l’environnement œuvrant dans le domaine de la gestion et de la restauration des sites contaminés fédéraux.

The 2012 program will feature: • • • • •

Professional Development Training Sessions Technical and Poster Presentations Site Tours 44 Booth Tradeshow Award and Scholarship Presentations

Thanks to the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan and supporting departments for their technical expertise and contributions to the Workshop.

Visit the Workshop website at www.rpic-ibic.ca for program details and to register.

Real Property Institute of Canada

Le programme de 2012 offrira : • • • • •

Des séances de perfectionnement professionnel Des exposés techniques et présentations par affiches Les visites de sites industriels 44 kiosques aménagés au salon commercial Les présentations de prix et bourses d’études

Nous remercions les responsables du Plan d'action sur les sites contaminés fédéraux et les ministères qui s'y rattachent de leur expertise technique et de leur apport à l'atelier.

Pour connaître les détails du programme et vous inscrire, consultez le site Web de l'Atelier à l'adresse www.rpic-ibic.ca.

Tel.: 613.729.6117 Email: rpic_fcsnw@thewillowgroup.com

SPRING 2012 HazMat Management 37

HAZMAT: LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

Smith v. Inco Update

I

by Dianne Saxe

“Plaintiffs’ lawyers across the country will have a much harder time obtaining compensation for historic contamination.”

n 2010, we told you about Smith v. Inco — a groundbreaking class action for historical soil contamination, where neighbours of a long-closed nickel refinery were awarded $36 million in damages for loss in property value. Now, the Ontario Court of Appeal has thrown out that decision; what will the Supreme Court of Canada do?

Inco operated a nickel refinery in Port Colborne from 1918 to 1984, emitting nickel that settled on neighbouring lands. Port Colborne was proud to have the refinery, which was the town’s economic engine. The emissions were obvious, and breached no laws. Although nickel refinery dust is a possible workplace carcinogen, studies showed no health problems in the town.

In 2000, Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment released a study showing elevated nickel in some soil.

This triggered a storm of publicity and public concern, only partly assuaged by a risk assessment and cleanup.

Real estate agents inserted disclosures about nickel into agreements of purchase and sale, exacerbating concern about property values. The ministry established a special, higher-than usual cleanup standard for Port Colborne. Twenty-five homes exceeded this standard; Inco cleaned 24 of them. (Ms. Smith would not let Inco clean her property.) That left hundreds of neighbours with fear, uncertainty, and nickel levels that didn’t meet generic residential criteria.

They sued.

The trial judge found Inco liable in nuisance, for having caused “physical damage to property,” and under Rylands v. Fletcher. The presence of nickel in the soil, he said, was a nuisance, given public concern about possible health effects, and what he found was a drag on property values. Plus, the refinery had been a “non-natural” use of land, since the nickel it refined had been brought from offsite.

The Court of Appeal rejected every one of these conclusions. Mere presence of nickel could not be “physical damage to land” unless it interfered with the use of the property, e.g., by making it dangerous to health.

Compliance with the ministry risk assessment standard showed there was no unacceptable danger to health. In addition, nuisance is intended to stop an ongoing interference with land, not to deal with the past.

As to Rylands , the refinery was not “non-natural”; it was a normal industry in an industrial zone. Rylands is also for accidental escapes, not routine emissions.

As to damages, they put the claimed “loss in property value” down to inconsistency in classifying a single set of low-value vacant lots. They sent the case back to the

38 www.hazmatmag.com SPRING 2012

trial judge to determine how much Ellen Smith and her lawyers will have to pay Inco for legal costs. “There is a great deal of money at stake. ... legal issues of considerable public importance may be raised in the course of the costs proceedings.”

The Supreme Court of Canada is now deciding whether to grant Ellen Smith leave to appeal this decision.

Inco argues that the presence of nickel in the soil cannot constitute “physical damage to property” if it’s invisible, doesn’t impede daily activities, doesn’t endanger health, and causes no loss in property value. Inco says that no one in Port Colborne had trouble getting a mortgage because of the nickel, not even Ms. Smith.

Smith rejects the Court of Appeal’s finding on damages, and claims that loss in value due to uncertainty is itself “physical damage” to land: “Inco… fails to squarely confront the very issue underpinning this case: who is responsible in law for damage to property precipitated by reasonable regulatory intervention, extensive health studies, risk, uncertainty and widespread media coverage caused by discovered pollution?.... Are homeowners to bear all the burden, risk and uncertainty …? The fact that a legal operation visits random damage on unfortunate individuals “does not tell us why those individuals should be responsible for paying that damage. ...When is chemical contamination of soil legally deemed to be damage to land so as to invoke the law of nuisance?”

Smith has an uphill battle. My friends in the environmental bar would appreciate clarification of “physical damage to land” nuisance, and of Rylands v Fletcher, but it could be hard for Smith to overcome her loss on damages as well as liability. If she loses, it could be the end of an era.

Since Tridan v Shell property owners whose lands are contaminated by their neighbours, past or present, have had a strong claim for compensation, even if the contamination is merely detectable, and does not exceed applicable government standards. Now, even exceedance of applicable government standards may not prove compensable damage. Add to this the narrowed causes of action resulting from Berendsen (negligence) and Inco (nuisance, trespass, and Rylands) and plaintiffs’ lawyers across the country will have a much harder time obtaining compensation for historic contamination.

HMM

Dianne Saxe, Ph.D. in Law, is a leading Canadian environmental lawyer with her own practice in Toronto, Ontario. Contact Dianne at dsaxe@envirolaw.com

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