Is Your Hazardous Waste Disposal Project Doomed From the Start?

When embarking on a project that will involve hazardous waste removal, there are many factors a company needs to be aware of before taking on the project, especially before you bid the job.

Say, for instance, you are a construction company bidding on a demolition job and it contains the removal of some hazardous waste. If the hazardous substance is asbestos, you or one of your sub-contractors may have the required knowledge to deal with the disposal. But what if there’s lead in the soil of the site and you need to remove it? What if there are several bulk loads of chemicals? Can you identify the chemicals and do you know exactly how to handle them appropriately?

What may look like a fairly easy disposal process may have hidden problems that could turn the project into an extremely expensive and dangerous nightmare, especially if you do not know what to look for.

In addition, hazardous waste disposal regulations can affect the disposal process in a significant fashion, making costly delays or work shut downs a real possibility.

So, before you see big dollar signs on that next project, be aware of the possible complications hazardous waste disposal can cause you.

Are you knowledgeable enough?

• Are you an expert in hazardous waste disposal?
• How many waste steams will you be dealing with?
• Do you have experience and knowledge of all the regulatory guidelines that pertain to the various waste streams? For example, lead soil removal requires a water curtain and the disposal trucks need to have lined beds to avoid further contamination.
• Do you know how to calculate the vapor expansion rates of certain chemicals and know how much liquid to fill the containers with to avoid explosions or spills?

These are just a few of the common issues you must know the answer to. If you do not, then seeking professional advice from a licensed hazardous waste disposal company is critical.

Be Quoted Correctly

You may realize you do not have the requisite knowledge and experience to handle the issues relate to removing the waste. So, you contact your local hazardous waste disposal company to get a quote to remove the waste.

The quote looks good since it’s a great price, then all of sudden when the work is done the final bill is twice as much.

Shopping your hazardous waste list can help alleviate this problem; however, some addtional some additional knowledge about the potential pitfalls of certain quotes can really help you. For instance:

Hidden Costs

These costs can kill your profit margin. Hidden in the fine print may be charges such as:

• Surcharges
• Energy & Fields Services Fees
• Profiling Fees
• Hidden Transportation Fees
• State and Local Taxes
• Sludge Surcharges

Your quote should spell everything out for you. There should be no surprises, so that you can accurately determine your project costs.

Service

This is an often overlooked area when planning a particular project. However, there are certain services you will need to ensure your hazardous waste company has.

The last thing you need is to end up with a work stoppage or worse a complete suspension of all work pending the correct removal of the waste streams.

• Check to make sure the company you will use can do the following:
• Will they package the waste in the way a disposal facility will receive it?
• Do they have experienced Haz Mat certified technicians?
• Will they provide the actual certifications of all employees who will work on the removal process?
• Do they have the correct level of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) clothing?

You need your project to run smoothly and efficiently. Don’t leave anything to chance when dealing with hazardous materials.

Apples to Apples

It’s only now that price should play a role. Making sure you have competitive bids that include all the same services is the only way to ensure you have an accurate estimate of the work involved. If the price looks too low, then you know what they say…you get what you pay for.

However, when it comes to removing hazardous waste, you could end up paying a lot more than you bargained for. Contact the experts and let them guide you.

Richard Espinoza is VP of IDR Environmental Services.

Read more: https://www.environmentenergyleader.com/2015/01/29/neutralizing-chemicals-dos-and-donts/#ixzz3TtlLc6vO