Tuesday 29 May 2012

Bulk Chemicals and the Environment


The use of large containers (IBCs) for storage of bottle wash chemicals can be both convenient and cost effective.  However, the volume of chemical will be large, up to 1100 litres, and it is important to have environmental safety measures in place.

The best solution is to have a stand for the IBC which is also an effective bund, in other words, if an accident occurs where the IBC is fractured, the contents will flow into the bund and not over the ground.  Several types of bunding are available, but the one that I would recommend is a single moulded unit with integral drip  catchment.

Spills easily can  occur when, for example, 25L containers are being refilled from the IBC. The dispensing area will catch all spills which then flow back into the bund. A typical bunded stand with dispensing area is shown in the photo.


 A stand such as this is can cost about  £500.  Of course, an alternative arrangement is to have automatic dosing into the machine directly from the IBC. This reduces manual operations and improves safety.

Final safety note, the bunded stands can be moved around with a fork-lift truck but should not be moved with a full IBC on top.

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