Projects and Case Studies

Managing Tough Industrial Services Needs

pia.shah@usecology.com — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 14:44:35 +0000

Managing Tough Industrial Services Needs pia.shah@useco… Mon, 01/23/2023 - 08:44

January 30, 2023

US Ecology, now a Republic Services company, provides customers in a variety of industries, including oil and gas, petrochemical, and manufacturing sectors, with the most complete set of environmental services product offerings meeting growing customer demand for a single-source provider with comprehensive capabilities. We help you achieve your environmental goals including increasing sustainability and improving ESG performance.

As a proven leader in environmental services with 70 years of experience, we offer premier industrial services. Our full suite of comprehensive solutions enables us to build turnkey programs that are tailored to the individual needs of our customers.

Our project managers reliably manage your project to get the job done right and ensure the highest safety standards are met. We work to protect human health and the environment when handling hazardous materials from the cleaning process, using safe and compliant treatment and disposal options for all waste streams. Our state-of-the-art vehicles and vacuum trucks are operated by highly trained teams and offer a wide range of capabilities including cleaning, transporting and disposing of a variety of hazardous and non-hazardous materials.

Combined with a large footprint of owned and operated treatment, recycling and disposal facilities across North America, we offer truly unmatched capabilities.

Building Loyal Customer Relationships

A large industrial plant that coats creosote power poles in Texas has been a long-standing US Ecology customer for years using our waste transportation and disposal services at our Robstown, TX location. This RCRA Subtitle C, Part B facility provides treatment, secure disposal and recycling options for commercial and government entities.

Based on the positive experience with our waste transportation and disposal services, they chose US Ecology to manage a very urgent and timely need to clean their creosote autoclave units and tanks that had not been cleaned for seven years. Following a thorough site assessment, our experienced tank cleaning professionals completed the cleaning of five four-thousand-gallon tanks and two ten-thousand-gallon tanks in a very short timeframe.

We utilized two air movers and twenty vacuum boxes to pump down the wash water and stored it for disposal in Robstown. Because the teams were working so far ahead of schedule, the customer asked the crews to also clean out a non-hazardous wastewater pit that had not been cleaned in several years.

The customer was ecstatic with the pace and professionalism of our crew. Not only did we meet a tight schedule, but we also outperformed their budget by 18%, resulting in the customer contracting us for annual cleanings. They have also since added additional waste streams for disposal at our Robstown facility, taking advantage of cost savings through our turnkey programs.

We are committed to building long-lasting relationships with our customers to ensure safety, compliance and reliable service while protecting human health and the environment. Our highly trained professionals remain focused on managing complex environmental challenges to meet your needs and partner with you to create a more sustainable world.

Contact us or call (800) 592-5489 and talk with our experienced customer service professionals about our vast array of industrial services and find out how our expertise and experience can help you increase your operation’s efficiency by partnering with a provider that works to maximize your profitability and reduce liability, downtime and costs. Learn more here.

Turnkey Environmental Solutions for Industry

pia.shah@usecology.com — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 14:43:31 +0000

Turnkey Environmental Solutions for Industry pia.shah@useco… Mon, 01/23/2023 - 08:43

January 30, 2023

Projects and Case Studies

US Ecology, a Republic Services company, offers 70 years of experience as an industry leader, a nationwide network of wholly owned treatment and disposal facilities, comprehensive transportation solutions and a full suite of Emergency Response and Field and Industrial Service capabilities. Now combined with Republic Services’ nationwide trash and recycling network, we offer you the most complete set of environmental solutions in the marketplace. As a proven leader, US Ecology can meet all your environmental needs from a single-source provider, reducing your risk and liability.

No matter the complexity, US Ecology offers effective waste solutions and best-in-class service to industrial customers including the transportation, treatment, recycling and disposal of industrial, universal, low-activity radioactive and hazardous waste. We have the unmatched ability to manage any waste volume from drum waste to bulk waste for liquids, solids and sludges, and, for large volume projects, we offer cost-effective and timely rail transfer capabilities.

Customers in sectors ranging from manufacturing, aerospace, and automotive, to petrochemical, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals rely on our expertise and deep understanding of specialized waste for the segregation, removal, transportation and compliant and safe management of hazardous and non-hazardous waste at their locations across the country.

US Ecology’s certified field chemists offer Lab Pack services to industrial customers to characterize, sort, package and transport waste streams to our facilities where we manage waste in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws. Our field chemists are also commercial drivers, eliminating the need for third-party transportation. Combined with the ability to transport multiple waste streams in one shipment, we are more cost-effective and efficient than other providers.

As a respected leader of comprehensive environmental solutions, we provide industrial customers with a full suite of industrial services including high pressure power washing, vacuum truck services and tank cleaning and processing. Customers trust their most difficult and complex projects to our professional crews with a proven track record of safely handling highly hazardous materials and managing confined space entry, various plant, machinery and operating requirements, and complicated remediation needs.

Partnering with an experienced industrial cleaning services provider is key to maintaining operational efficiency for manufacturing plants, warehouses or any other kind of industrial facilities. We offer professionally trained crews and an extensive fleet of state-of-the-art equipment including vacuum and tanker trucks, high-capacity centrifugal and diaphragm pumps, hydraulic submersible pumps, hoses, and a variety of ancillary equipment that provides the ability to uplift and transport virtually any pumpable material.

We also provide maintenance of aboveground and underground storage tanks, pits, process equipment and piping. And our crews are specially trained to handle brownfield storage tank cleaning, oil and water spills, boiler and exchanger cleaning, and more. Any residual materials, including liquids, solids and sludges from various types of industrial processes are collected and safely disposed of.

We offer scheduled services, emergency response, as well as the convenience of having a team on-site to handle daily removal of waste. No matter which option best fits your needs, our teams are uniquely qualified and are by your side from point of generation until the waste leaves your facility.

Addressing, the needs of industrial customers in a holistic way, US Ecology provides turnkey services that offer cost savings and are tailored to individual requirements. With a full suite of environmental solutions for waste management, industrial, field and emergency response services, we are the only service provider you need to manage all your waste and services needs safely and compliantly. Contact us for a quote today or learn more about our solutions.

Meet the Team: Candy Stonecipher

pia.shah@usecology.com — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 20:36:26 +0000

Meet the Team: Candy Stonecipher pia.shah@useco… Mon, 11/21/2022 - 14:36

December 12, 2022

Projects and Case Studies

Candy Stonecipher, National Account Manager at US Ecology, has spent most of her career actively defining and executing solutions for her clients and peers in the Environmental Services industry. Her extensive knowledge and expertise has helped her develop a keen understanding of customer relations which has helped her build strong internal and external relationships. Working directly with our customers, she provides and implements strategies for new service initiatives that drive overall operational improvements for their business.

In her role as national account manager, Candy owns all aspects of sales planning, development and account management, providing extensive support to her key accounts. She manages programs like our National Emergency Response program in a full sales cycle capacity by maintaining responsive communication and supporting customers from initial lead processing through conversion and closing.

She has gained the trust of our customers by continuously delivering best-in-class, client-centered service, ensuring utmost customer satisfaction. Over the years, Candy acquired a vast array of skills and gained considerable experience in customer relations. She passes on this knowledge and has reinvented how teams interact with customers through mentoring and leadership.

Before joining US Ecology in 2018, Candy worked in various different roles in the environmental services industry that tasked her with the integration and expansion of business operation and growth of customer accounts including Corporate Account Sales Director and Senior Business Manager. She is extremely knowledgeable in regulatory compliance, with a background as a RCRA and DOT training instructor and continues to provide technical guidance when needed.

Candy has served the industry for over two decades and is an integral part of the US Ecology family. We look forward to her expertise and knowledge generating continued growth for our Emergency Response offering while helping us to deliver best-in-class customer support.

Contact us to learn more about our Emergency Response solutions or for immediate assistance call (800) 899-4672 to speak with one of our knowledgeable representatives.

Emergency Response Services for Any Industry

pia.shah@usecology.com — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 20:28:56 +0000

Emergency Response Services for Any Industry pia.shah@useco… Mon, 11/21/2022 - 14:28

December 12, 2022

Projects and Case Studies

Emergencies and disasters can take many forms including industrial fires involving flammable liquid or compressed gas, over-the road incidents, natural disasters, hazardous substance releases and oil spills.

As different as these events may be, they have one thing in common: they all carry a significant factor of risk and unpredictability. And once an emergency unfolds, it is too late for planning or prevention. Thus, it is vital to always be prepared. An emergency response plan developed by an experienced emergency response provider like US Ecology, that is tailored to your specific needs, helps limit operational impact and minimize damage to your assets.

The response time and capabilities of an emergency response service provider can make all the difference to your organization. When hazardous substances are involved, responding even a few minutes quicker can reduce impact and harm.

US Ecology, a Republic Services company, understands the importance of all facets of preparation and response. On standby 24/7, our team of professionals is trained and certified to respond to emergencies of any scale involving virtually any type of hazardous or non-hazardous material. By limiting your risk, we offer turnkey services that ensure safety and compliance while working towards getting your business back up and running as quickly as possible.

With 70 years of environmental services experience and over 30 years of emergency response leadership we stand ready to support you. Backed by a nationwide network of facilities and service centers our professional crews provide effective solutions for preparedness, response and recovery that protect human health and the environment for any industry.

Why every industry needs Emergency Response

Many might think emergencies only happen to businesses transporting, handling or manufacturing dangerous materials, or companies located in areas that are prone to natural disasters. When in fact, almost all industries are impacted and carry risk of exposure to either natural disaster or operational accidents. It is vital for organizations in any sector to partner with an experienced emergency response provider for peace of mind that any potential event will be handled in a timely manner by experts who ensure safety and compliance.

US Ecology partners with businesses in a wide array of industries. Read below some examples of how we support different sectors.

Transportation

The trucking industry in the U.S. is steadily on the rise. And with about 70% of all products reaching their destination via truck, it is one of the most common ways to get goods across the country.

Given the number of miles driven by trucks, accidents are unavoidable. Inevitably, some of those accidents, as well as loading and unloading materials at terminals or moving around facilities, can lead to substance releases causing a hazardous incident.

The moment a spill happens, quick and effective response is of the utmost importance to contain released material and minimize the impact, liability and costs.

Not having a plan in place can result in confusion and additional challenges for your driver in the first moments after an incident. Having the appropriate resources like a designated emergency response provider on standby to communicate driver instructions enables organizations to quickly respond to any type of substance and release circumstance. It reduces operational impact, financial burden and damage to a company’s brand.

US Ecology designs emergency response plans that are tailored to your needs and can facilitate training for your drivers which limits risk and reduces costs for your organization. Regardless of event size or scale, our prompt and effective response is imperative in minimizing impacts on human health and the environment.

Manufacturing

Hazardous materials and chemicals are one of the ten most common hazards in a manufacturing facility. Used in nearly all manufacturing processes they create products, they serve as raw materials for making products, are helpful for cleaning or lubricating equipment, or exist as by-products. Spills during use, transfer or transportation of these materials can pose a hazard to workers and the environment and, when accidentally contacting other substances, create dangerous situations. Incidents often have operational impact or can produce damage to assets or property. How serious a spill is depends on the situation, the material involved, the surface it spilled on and the surrounding environment.

The key to limiting risk, liability and cost is to partner with an experienced emergency response provider like US Ecology. We develop customized plans for prevention and emergency response that suit the needs of your business operations and reduce the risk of a catastrophic outcome.

Additionally, we train your workers handling the chemicals in hazard recognition and what to do when a spill occurs.

Municipalities

US Ecology partners with municipalities across the country, providing emergency response services and other environmental solutions for a variety of needs. With fully integrated services that offer convenience and reduced risk, we are by your side from preparedness through recovery.

Municipalities are at risk of facing several types of events like hazardous material releases or chemical and oil spills that can carry risk of threatening drinking water sources or contaminating our communities. Our rapid response times combined with our expertise in remediating all affected areas ensure the protection of human health and the environment. We support municipalities in areas that are prone to natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfire, as well as aid in recovery after floods. Our crews reliably and safely remove hazardous and non-hazardous waste and debris that could pose danger to citizens and hinders recovery efforts to restore essential services.

With the capability to provide turnkey waste disposal and Lab Pack services, we can safely take care of homeless encampment cleanup and address decontamination and remediation needs at government buildings, abandoned sites and schools. And our Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) teams have extensive experience managing safe and compliant HHW events for municipalities across the country.

Whatever the event may be, we offer single-source solutions for the removal, transportation and large- and small-scale management of all waste streams through our nationwide network of wholly owned and operated treatment, recycling and disposal facilities.

US Ecology, a Republic Services company, ensures fast response times and provides the convenience and reduced risk of one partner from start to finish. Our professional crews are on standby and ready to deploy the right resources to manage your response and recovery needs with a focus on getting you back to business as fast as possible. Contact Us to learn more about our Emergency Response Services. For immediate assistance call us 24/7 at (800) 899-4672.

SRS Responds to Ruptured Nitrogen Cylinders

pia.shah@usecology.com — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:57:38 +0000

SRS Responds to Ruptured Nitrogen Cylinders pia.shah@useco… Mon, 11/21/2022 - 12:57

December 12, 2022

Projects and Case Studies

SRS, a US Ecology company, is renowned for its expertise in responding to highly hazardous and volatile events across the globe. Our professionally trained and certified crews are on standby 24/7 to manage large-scale emergencies involving all classes of hazardous materials and dangerous goods.

One of our longstanding customers, an exploration and production (E&P) company with several offshore assets in the Gulf of Mexico had a need for technical assistance with several severely corroded nitrogen cylinders.

For the last five years, the cylinders were stored in a “wet room” on an offshore production platform located off the coast of New Orleans, Louisiana. While in storage, one of the cylinders ruptured and released its contents into the room. The sudden rupture of the cylinder knocked an additional 10 cylinders over and scattered them throughout the room.

Initially, two of our Senior Project Managers with extensive experience in handling potentially compromised high-pressure cylinders looked at photos of the scene and spoke with customer’s platform management, safety and corporate risk management teams to determine a course of action.

Based on photographic documentation from the platform’s internal investigation, the ruptured cylinder appeared to receive critical shell damage from an unknown source. Three SRS professionals flew to the offshore platform to perform a detailed assessment of each cylinder, degas the cylinders, remove the valves and package all cylinders that were deemed inoperable in overpack vessels to safely ship them back to shore.

Once on board, the crew was taken to the “wet room” to view the cylinders and formulate a response plan for the cylinder operation. A safe work permit was prepared, and the SRS team was able to begin the cylinder assessment. Our crew performed the following tasks on each cylinder:

Visual assessment for signs of corrosion, scores, and gouges
Ultrasound shell thickness testing
Internal pressure determination.

After completing all tests, the cylinders were carefully removed from the room and secured to a cylinder rack in an open place on the platform deck. As a next step, we established an exclusion zone around the room and each cylinder was safely vented to the atmosphere.

Following the removal and degassing of the nitrogen cylinders, a sweep of the “wet room” was performed to identify additional hazards.

Tucked away in a water-filled I-beam channel were three severely corroded carbon dioxide fire extinguisher cartridges. The SRS team performed a detailed assessment of the cartridges and found that one of the cartridges had functioned as designed and was confirmed empty. The remaining two cartridges were assumed to be full. A plan was quickly developed and approved by platform management and the safety department. . The remaining two cartridges were assumed to be full and were taken to a safe welding room for venting. We established an exclusion zone around the welding room and executed the operational plan.

Our team, wearing breathing apparatus, placed one cartridge at a time in a drill press and remotely drilled through the cartridge's rupture disc releasing the carbon dioxide in a matter of seconds. Once the cartridges were empty, they drilled the side walls, rendering them scrap metal.

The customer was pleased with the swift response, professionalism and knowledge of our team to manage this response in a safe and compliant manner.

In a crisis, our customers agree, SRS is their first call. Our professional crews are on standby and ready to deploy the right resources to manage your response and recovery needs. We offer turnkey solutions and the convenience and reduced risk of working with a single source partner. Contact Us to learn more about our SRS services or call us 24/7/365 at (800) 899-4672 to speak with one of our knowledgeable representatives.

Unlock The Full Potential of Your Total Waste Solutions Program

pia.shah@usecology.com — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 17:22:40 +0000

Unlock The Full Potential of Your Total Waste Solutions Program pia.shah@useco… Wed, 08/24/2022 - 12:22

October 10, 2022

Projects and Case Studies

With many providers offering Total Waste Solutions programs, customers have a choice who they partner with. But can all providers offer to internally manage nearly all your waste streams through a single point-of contact? US Ecology can! Now, as part of Republic Services, we have access to a vast service footprint in 47 states and industry-leading waste and recycling capabilities, combined with US Ecology’s best in class hazardous and non-hazardous solutions, field, industrial and emergency response services and expertise. We offer the most turnkey waste solution in the marketplace.

Our programs simplify and streamline waste services needs by standardizing how waste is handled across your entire organization. We have an in-depth understanding of the individual needs of our customers and tailor programs to suit their specific requirements. A key benefit of this program is the expertise of our Managed Services Group (MSG), who leads all Total Waste Solutions (TWS) efforts. With their knowledge of the environmental industry, they analyze and consolidate your waste data and make recommendations on how to improve operational efficiencies and reduce environmental impacts and costs.

Providing our customers with a best-in-class experience is fundamental to our vision to partner with customers to create a more sustainable world. We continuously source and develop state-of-the-art tools and methodologies to serve our customers in the most sustainable and efficient manner possible. One way we achieve that is through the Customer Online Resource (COR), US Ecology’s in-house platform. This industry-leading application offers waste data management at your fingertips and helps unlock the full potential of your TWS program. It gives customers the ability to manage all their industrial and environmental waste needs anytime, anywhere and on any device. Through a secure, single point of entry, you experience the platform’s comprehensive and interactive dashboards that streamline many of the functions and reporting features necessary to effectively oversee your waste services and adhere to regulatory reporting compliance.

With a click of a button, our customers have access to all waste data across locations, including services provided by vetted third parties, and can run comprehensive reports that help them effectively manage services across their entire organization. Manifest retrieval, file sharing and tracking are made easy by having all documents in one place with access for multiple users. Online profile forms with auto-validation ensure compliance and DocuSign technology and enhanced approval tracking help streamline the approvals process. The LDR Builder within the platform simplifies generating Land Disposal Restriction forms for shipment. Approvals from available profiles can also be added quickly to create disposal documentation.

COR is a game changer in the waste industry. And it truly complements the benefits of a US Ecology TWS program by optimizing the management of all environmental services needs and allowing you full access to your waste data and documents.

Our extensive service capabilities and premier customer service make Republic Services and US Ecology a one-stop shop for all your environmental solutions needs. Learn more about US Ecology’s Total Waste Solutions, and how we partner with our customers to provide best-in-class solutions that ensure compliance and reduce your costs and liability.

Ready to take your customer experience to the next level and take full advantage of what we have to offer? Contact us at (800) 592-5489 to talk to one of our knowledgeable MSG professionals on how to set up a COR account or watch a demo to learn more.

US Ecology’s Total Waste Solutions Streamline and Simplify a Nationwide Gas Station’s Industrial and Environmental Waste Needs

pia.shah@usecology.com — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 12:43:52 +0000

US Ecology’s Total Waste Solutions Streamline and Simplify a Nationwide Gas Station’s Industrial and Environmental Waste Needs pia.shah@useco… Wed, 08/24/2022 - 07:43

October 10, 2022

Projects and Case Studies

Many companies use multiple waste vendors for the variety of hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams generated by their operations. This often results in inefficiencies and a lack of oversight, as well as the missed opportunity to reduce costs for disposal, recycling and treatment. Whereas use of a single environmental waste vendor simplifies and streamlines the way waste is managed across your organization. US Ecology, now a Republic Services company, has 70 years of environmental solutions experience. Our impressive suite of Field, Industrial and Emergency Response services, combined with a nationwide footprint of service centers and treatment and disposal facilities, enables us to design customized programs for our customers that help them achieve compliance, increase operational efficiencies and reduce costs. US Ecology’s Total Waste Solutions (TWS) provide a centralized approach tailored to each customer’s specific needs.

Customers have found great value in this centralized solution and the strategic partnership approach taken by our Managed Services Group (MSG) ensures consistently high satisfaction rates, resulting in longstanding relationships. One of our loyal customers is a nationwide chain of gas stations and convenience stores. Our successful relationship started in 2008 with routine vacuum services for their sump pumps. Both satisfied and impressed with the unequaled service excellence our professional teams provided on every job, they decided to expand the contract and take advantage of our TWS program, ensuring a holistic approach that provided solutions tailored to their needs.

In addition to the routine vacuum services we already provided, we were awarded a contract to provide emergency response services, waste drum pick-up and industrial cleaning and decontamination services. MSG seamlessly integrated the management for all these new services, without interruption of the gas stations’ operations. We invested time in analyzing and understanding their business holistically to better meet their needs and identified long term improvements that ensured compliance and increased sustainability and efficiency.

While TWS by itself streamlines our customers’ processes and offers many advantages over programs that individualize services, our customers benefit from using our complimentary online customer resource - COR. COR is the industry’s leading online service platform that serves as a comprehensive data and reporting tool to manage all environmental and industrial services through a single point of entry. It delivers a centralized overview of the different services provided at all locations and the different waste profiles going to various US Ecology locations. All documents and waste profiles are stored in one place and customers can take advantage of access to an interactive dashboard that features comprehensive insight into their waste data at any time.

US Ecology’s extensive capabilities and array of services makes us the leader in TWS. We continue to focus on providing best-in-class service, offering sustainable solutions and improving the customer experience. With the accessibility and reduced risk of using one vendor for all services, the professional team at US Ecology provides leading emergency response services and timely waste pickups with only one day notice, ensuring this customer continues to both request and benefit from our services. Contact us for a free quote or learn more here.

Meet the Team: Jeff Bluhm

pia.shah@usecology.com — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 18:03:41 +0000

Meet the Team: Jeff Bluhm pia.shah@useco… Tue, 08/23/2022 - 13:03

October 10, 2022

Projects and Case Studies

For the last five years, Jeff Bluhm has been a valued member of our Managed Services Group (MSG), a team that leads all of US Ecology’s Total Waste Solutions (TWS) efforts. Having served in multiple different positions within US Ecology, he now functions as Environmental Support Project Manager in our Technical Support Group, a key element of MSG, supporting customers, project managers and general operations to build solutions that are tailored to our customer’s needs. These customized programs focus on compliance, sustainability and cost savings. In his role, Jeff works with customers and travels to their sites of operation to characterize waste and, when necessary, identifies unknown waste to recommend the most sustainable and cost-effective ways to manage them. He drives improvement initiatives that streamline and standardize processes and simplify logistical efforts.

Jeff and the other members of the Technical Support Group are well versed in vendor management, so when services fall outside of US Ecology’s realm of capabilities or capacity, they work with our network of third-party vendors to find the best solution. All third-party vendors are pre-vetted and uphold the high standard of service our customers have come to expect. All services are managed by our MSG team to ensure that customers continue to benefit from the advantages of a TWS program’s single-source experience.

Jeff has been serving the environmental services industry for 10 years, having gained extensive environmental knowledge and expertise in roles like Environmental Health and Safety Specialist. Before joining the Technical Support Group, he served as one of our National TWS project managers for several of our large manufacturing customers with locations nationwide. In that capacity, he applied his background in regulatory requirements and customer service and collaborated with cross-functional teams to find the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions for our customers.

Jeff’s unwavering focus on quality, knowledge in regulatory compliance and attention to detail make him an indispensable member of the MSG Team and the US Ecology family.

We sat down with Jeff to learn more about his experiences, and learn more about all things TWS:

What are the main goals of the Technical Support Group?

“The Technical Support Group has two main goals: we support growth for our customers and find ways to continuously improve upon strategies that make operations more efficient, save costs and reduce waste.”

Customers have a choice between many TWS service providers in the marketplace. What sets our offering apart?

“Something that really sets US Ecology apart from other providers is our customer service. We constantly strive to develop tailored solutions for our customers that fit their exact needs and requirements. We achieve this by conducting intense assessments of our customer’s facilities and analyzing their waste data. We also assign key-account project managers to those customers that together, with a dedicated Health and Safety Team, Customer Support Group and the Technical Support Group, become experts in finding the best solutions for them.”

What do our customers value most?

“Customers value their financial and sustainability goals and I believe they come to us knowing that they have a partner to achieve these with. While we are focusing on compliance, limiting risk and reducing cost and waste, our customers have time to concentrate on meeting their operational goals.”

US Ecology offers 70 years of leadership in the environmental solutions industry. With countless options for treatment, disposal and recycling combined with a network of wholly owned facilities and an impressive suite of field, industrial and emergency response services, we are the ideal partner to provide solutions for all your environmental needs. Contact us at (800) 592-5489 or learn more here.

US Ecology Responds to Dixie Fire Burning Across Five Counties in California

pia.shah@usecology.com — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 14:06:21 +0000

US Ecology Responds to Dixie Fire Burning Across Five Counties in California pia.shah@useco… Tue, 06/28/2022 - 09:06

June 28, 2022

Projects and Case Studies

Climate change, the lack of land management, and associated droughts bring moisture levels of forests to historic lows and are perfect breeding grounds for wildfires to start. While wildfires have increased by both number and intensity in the western region, California experiences most of them.

The Dixie Fire, a fire of historic proportions and the largest single wildfire in the history of the state of California menaced the northern part of the state for three months last summer from July to the end of October. The fire started as a relatively small ring 100 miles from Sacramento but developed quickly into a significant threat, wiping out entire towns and destroying over 1,300 structures, threatening 14,000 more. Burning down a total of almost 1 million acres. By the end of July, five counties were affected and evacuated. It tore through remote and rugged terrain and was the first fire that burned across the Sierra Nevada.

Due to its complexity and scale, the federal, state and private resources were insufficient to contain the fire and they requested additional support from the private sector. US Ecology has over 30 years of experience in disaster response and our seasoned crews are on standby 24/7. We have provided support for structure protection, containment and cleanup, removal and disposal before, during and after countless major wildfires.

We deployed 13 specialized responders and comprehensive equipment including fire trailers and portable units. Our crew set up proven protection strategies at eight strategic locations to protect trusses, tunnels and railroad infrastructure and assisted with the operation of two fire trains that were utilized in suppression efforts throughout 50 miles of rail track. Our Certified Wildland Fire crew actively responded for a month and a half on this dynamic response under some of the “most extreme fire conditions he has ever seen” as described by a 25-year Cal Fire veteran.

The development of this wildfire shows how unpredictable wildfires are and how important it is to get ready for them with an emergency response plan well in advance. US Ecology is reminding communities, residents and businesses to prepare and prevent to protect their assets. We are here to support with the development of custom emergency response plans and proactive as well as active fire protection that limit your operational impact. Contact us to learn more about our wildfire preparedness, response and recovery services or call us 24/7/365 at (800) 899-4672 to speak with one of our knowledgeable representatives.

O’Hare International Airport Partners with US Ecology to Remediate New Runway Site

mackenzie.galea@usecology.com — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 15:28:00 +0000

O’Hare International Airport Partners with US Ecology to Remediate New Runway Site mackenzie.gale… Thu, 06/09/2022 - 10:28

June 9, 2022

Projects and Case Studies

Chicago O'Hare International Airport is located on the northwest side of Chicago, IL, about 17 miles northwest of the Loop business district. The airport property covers around 7,627 acres and is operated by the Chicago Department of Aviation.

To better serve the residents of the Chicago area as well as international travelers, the airport is constantly building and expanding its capabilities. The Chicago Department of Aviation works closely with consulting and environmental engineering firms to procure services through contracts, which by standard practice, includes remediation services. At the beginning of every expansion project, soil is sampled to detect the presence of any hazardous waste or chemicals. If detection is found, safe and compliant removal and disposal of any contaminated soil must be completed before construction can begin.

During the recent construction of a new runway, PFAS-contaminated soil was discovered in the early stages of the project. Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) was frequently used for firefighting training and drills on airport property. AFFF is a fire suppressant that is highly effective in extinguishing flammable liquid fires such as those caused by jet fuel. AFFF contains two groups of chemicals, PFOS and PFOA commonly known as PFAS, that are hazardous to human health.

The contractor handling the project called upon US Ecology to handle the transportation of 200 tons of PFAS-contaminated soil and subsequent disposal to our secure subtitle C landfill in Belleville, MI. It was very important to both the Illinois Department of Aviation and the contractor that the project was completed expediently and in compliance with state and federal regulations and PFAS regulatory guidance. US Ecology removed between seven and eight truckloads each day during the project, ensuring the PFAS-contaminated soil was securely transported and disposed of to end the mobility cycle of this hazardous material.

US Ecology continues to provide premier transportation and disposal services for O’Hare International Airport as well as other customers in the area including the transportation of 670 tons of PFAS-contaminated soil from the state of Wisconsin that will be loaded on to rail cars for secure disposal at our arid climate subtitle C landfill in Grandview, ID.

As additional construction-related remediation projects at O’Hare arise, US Ecology remains a trusted partner in the safe and compliant transportation and disposal of PFAS-contaminated soils as well as other hazardous materials. Our team delivers comprehensive single-source expertise to government, private sector and environmental engineering and consulting firms on a wide variety of site services ranging from specific line-items for Superfund projects to on-site treatment and removal of contaminated soils to managing remediation projects from start to finish by offering the most integrated environmental services and disposal package in the industry.

US Ecology is an industry leader offering multiple, innovative turnkey solutions for PFAS-contaminated waste, including arid-climate secure disposal, deep-well injection, thermal treatment, remediation, transportation and more. To learn more about our PFAS waste solutions, contact us at (800) 592-5489 or visit us online at www.usecology.com/services/treatment-disposal/pfas-waste-solutions.