When an industrial process such as semiconductor manufacturing requires the use of hazardous chemicals, safe disposal of chemical waste becomes essential. Chemicals such as sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and hydrogen peroxide play a crucial role in silicon wafer cleaning and stripping, but they must be handled carefully. Spills represent a danger to employees and the environment. Improper disposal can endanger the public and damage surrounding ecosystems.
Chemical carts make the handling and disposal of chemical waste easier and safer. Once collected from the process, the chemicals can be treated according to environmental regulations. By using chemical carts for waste chemical handling and disposal, businesses can reduce the risks inherent in using these chemicals and provide a safer working environment for employees.
Safe Chemical Handling of Aggressive Chemicals Protects Everyone
While some large operations that use chemicals can have permanently installed collection and disposal systems, smaller industrial plants, labs, and university research facilities often have to dispose of individual tanks of waste chemicals. This is especially true if the chemical process runs in batches or the facility produces prototypes. Once the processing of the batch is complete, a tank with acid or solvent waste must be properly handled and stored if it is not neutralized. The challenge is safely handling the tank contents.
Safe handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals involve several significant components. These include the following:
- Employee Safety. The facility must provide the equipment and procedures to ensure employees can safely dispose of the chemical waste. Safety protocols have to be applied and enforced.
- Chemical Containment. The equipment has to be designed to minimize spills. Systems for collecting, transferring, storing, and neutralizing the chemicals must have design features to contain possible spills.
- Chemical Neutralization. Before disposal, chemical waste must be neutralized so it’s no longer dangerous to people that handle it. Once chemicals are neutralized, further treatment may be required to remove substances that are not dangerous but can harm the environment.
- Waste Disposal. Chemical waste can be neutralized and disposed of on-site or in an off-site facility. In each case, environmental regulations and municipal guidelines must be followed to avoid harming the surrounding ecosystems. Neutralization and disposal must be documented.
Safe handling of hazardous chemical waste is essential for protecting employees and the general public. Following national and local regulations ensures the facility can operate without harming its surroundings.
Chemical Carts Can Help with the Safe Disposal of Dangerous Chemical Waste
Modutek’s chemical carts are designed to handle and dispose of dangerous chemical waste safely and responsibly. The carts are easily moved next to tanks containing chemicals and pump the waste into containers inside the carts. An onboard suction wand makes it easy for operators to transfer the chemicals to the cart. The carts are constructed of white polypropylene and powered pneumatically, so no electric connection is needed.
The containers on the carts are Department of Transport (DOT) approved with double containment. Chemical waste can be shipped off-site for treatment and disposal by companies specializing in neutralizing and safely disposing of toxic chemicals. Alternatively, the chemical waste can be transferred to larger tanks with an onboard separate discharge tube. Treatment and disposal can then take place on-site if a chemical neutralization system is available.
Modutek’s chemical carts help ensure employees are safe and waste can be disposed of effectively. The method of transfer of chemicals from the process tanks to the carts is safe and reduces spills. The carts themselves are designed for the safe containment of the chemicals. The DOT-approved chemical containers can be picked up and transported by specialized companies as needed to ensure safety and environmental regulations are followed.
Modutek Provides Equipment Solutions for Safely Handling Chemicals
As employee safety and safe handling and disposal of chemical waste become more of a regulatory priority in many jurisdictions, chemical carts can play an essential role in satisfying these requirements. In addition to chemical carts, Modutek designs and builds a complete line of chemical handling equipment to meet customer needs. Contact Modutek for a free consultation to discuss the specific chemical handling needs at your facility.
