Proper storage of chemical waste

Under the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap.354) - Waste Disposal Regulations, Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department has defined chemical waste as any substance or thing being scrap material, effluent, or an unwanted substance or by-product arising from the application of or in the course of any process or trade activity, and which is or contains any substance or chemical specified in the prescribed schedule if such substance or chemical occurs in such form (http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/guide_ref/files/guide_e.pdf), quantity or concentration so as to cause pollution, constitute a danger to health or risk of pollution to the environment.

Chemical waste should be properly and temporarily stored by the waste producer before the waste is transferred by the waste collector to a licensed treatment provider. There are certain criteria should be applied to the containers for temporary chemical waste storage, including its material, condition, etc. Such containers should be placed in a suitable area located close to the waste generation source for temporary storage and the containers should be either drums or jerricans type. The size of the containers should be determined according to the quantity and frequency of chemical waste to be stored. Common types of materials to be used for the containers include plastics and steel.

The storage area should be enclosed on at least three sides by partition, wall or fence with a height of not less than two metres or the total height of containers in stack, whichever is less. Such enclosures should be built with concrete, brick of steel with fixed erection to the areas. In addition, appropriate labeling should also be applied for accurate indication to ensure proper and safe handling, storage and transport of the waste.

Source: Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department















For specific details regarding Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department's guideline of chemical waste storage, please visit: http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/guide_ref/guide_cwc.html

Impacts of oil to us

Lubricants are used in many types of machinery during the day-to-day operation in various industrial and commercial activities. Used oil is, simply put, any oil that has been refined from crude oil and such use leads physical and/ or chemical contamination. During normal use, Impurities including dirt, metal particles, water, as well as other chemicals may be blended in with the oil, causing diminishing performance. These lubricating oils are classified as a type of chemical waste because it has been proven to have severe adverse impacts on the environment if dispose of improperly.

Chemistry of oil

Petroleum and its related products are made up with hydrocarbons, which are by its name, compounds containing both carbon and hydrogen. The simplest molecule of hydrocarbon is methane, the main component of natural gas. With the extension of additional carbon and hydrogen atoms, longer chains will be formed. In the case of lubricating oils, each molecule contains from 20 to 70 carbon atoms. These molecules are found to be particularly stable and will never be diminished. That is to say, replacing depleted additives within the oil is the key and crucial step to refine the used oil.

Impacts to environment and human health

Numerous toxic substances are found in spent oil, these toxins are uneasy to be degraded once enter the environment. For instance, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in used motor oil have been proven to be a carcinogen. Tiny metal scrapings from the engine compartment such as lead, arsenic, and zinc will also blended into the oils during operations. In addition, exposure to heat during engine combustion will also alter the chemical structures of the oil. Leakages, spillages, or improper handling of lubricating oils will enter the local water bodies unavoidably, through manmade drains or channels to streams, rivers, lakes, underground water tables and even reaching the ocean. At the end of the day, poisoning our drinking water sources and marine animals that we may consume ourselves.

緊急化學品泄漏、防油污及清理服務

風險管理已經成為時下許多企業不同管理單位中不可或缺之一環，近年來，正昌為多個機關如政府部門、公營企業、與運輸相關的行業提供一站式的化學廢物管理服務。另外，我們也為有需要的客戶度身訂造一套緊急化學品泄漏、防油污及清理服務。

我們為有需要的客戶提供全天候的服務，以解決任何時候的不時之需。在突發化學品或油污洩漏發生後，我們的團隊將提供進行即時修復，快速清除油污及其他污染物，將被影響的範圍恢復原狀。我們的專業團隊訓練有素，具有專業知識，在處理化學廢物和漏油事件，我們的服務能解決任何時的不時之需，讓客戶可以更專注於自身業務，在有需要時由正昌專業團隊進行防油污及一站式清理善後，減低了各樣天災及人為錯誤所造成的損失及保障不可取代的商譽，也可為企業建立一個更高的社會責任標準。