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Drum spill pallets: The correct method for spill containment

2 Drum Spill Pallet When handling drums used for storing fuels or hazardous and corrosive materials, you are dealing with potential danger. Handling and storing drums in the correct manner and having a proper procedure for dealing with emergencies are the best way to avoid serious incident. The standard 205 litre drum is used ubiquitously across the planet in many industrial sectors so it’s inevitable that at some point spills will occur. Drum spill pallets offer a highly effective way of preventing leaking drums from causing a hazard to workers and the surrounding environment. Constructed from tough Low Density Polyethylene, the Drum Spill Pallet has an integral sump that will contain 110% of the drums capacity in the event of a leak or spill. This has two main benefits, firstly, any leaked fuel or chemicals will be contained within the spill pallet and secondly, the proper use of a drum spill pallet will ensure your compliance with the Oil Storage Regulations 2001. Spill pallets are available in various sizes, from a single drum spill pallet up to eight drum spill pallets and with hard frames and covers for outside storage. They are all manoeuvrable with pallet trucks or forklifts allowing them to be positioned where they are needed. If you store steel drums on your site then you will need to fully assess your sites needs to find the most suitable spill containment solution for your business. If you store more than eight drums then you might want to consider operating with a drum store to reduce the significant implications of a hazardous spill.
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"Green minerals" could be used to treat polluted waterways

Zeolite Mineral New Zealand is a country known widely for its breathtaking natural beauty, traditional Maori dance the Haka and as the backdrop for Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. But it might soon be known for something else, Zeolite. Zeolite is a super absorbent mineral that is currently used in cat litter, modern sports turf and oil spills. Its open crystal structure provides a large surface area for chemical exchange and absorption and has been adapted by chemists at the Crown Research Centre Scion to become a highly effective binding agent for removing phosphorus and other pollutants from waterways. Chief Executive of the New Zealand Minerals Industry Association, Doug Gordon, is excited at the possibilities of Zeolite, both commercial and environmental, but frustrated by the lack of Government investment in the mining of the mineral. He said, “You’ve got your alchemists dream, turning muck into gold. To not explore this further is foolish.” Increased investment in the mining of this “green mineral” could result in the improvement of water quality and help preserve the habitats of endangered species. If the mineral can be effectively drilled into the ground at farms then it can capture the toxic run-off of phosphate and nitrogen, reducing the build up of undesirable algal blooms in the waterways. However, finance is proving to be a stumbling block in achieving this. Commercial applications could also prove to be fruitful, including the treatment of lakes, irrigation reservoirs and water storage systems in fish nurseries, as well as an absorbent granule for oil spills.
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How to prevent the contamination of your waste drainage system.

Polyurethane Drain CoverIf you or your company handles bulk quantities of industrial fluids on site or transports hazardous goods on vehicles, then under Pollution Prevention Guide 5 and ADR 2009 regulations, you should have in place plans for preventing contaminants entering the underground waste water system. If contaminants breach the water system through drains on your site, then it is not only a hazard for the environment, but also a potential problem for your bank balance. There are a number of drain covers available that can be used to ensure that contaminants are kept out of the waste water system. Polyurethane Drain Cover Polyurethane drain covers are made by combining two highly visible layers of durable yet flexible polyurethane. The top layer is laminated, ensuring that the bottom layer doesn’t rip or become warped, while the bottom layer has a sticky surface for sealing around the exposed drain. Polyurethane drain covers are reusable after washing and are resistant to oil, water and most chemicals and are available in two sizes. Magnetic Drain Cover Magnetic drain covers can be used on all metal drains that have been cleared of dirt and debris. The covers are imbued with a strong magnetism which prevents lateral force from displacing them. They can be cleaned and reused, are weather and chemical resistance and are ideal for deployment prior to bulk deliveries. Neoprene Drain Cover Neoprene drain covers are reusable covers and the most economical method for drain protection. They can be placed over coarse or irregular surfaces quickly and easily making them ideal for emergency deployment. Measuring 1 metre squared, the Neoprene drain cover should provide sufficient coverage for most standard sized drains. Plug Rug Plug Rugs are an adaptable drain cover available in four sizes that can be moulded to fit any kind of drain including old, uneven and misshapen drains. Providing a waterproof seal, the plug rug is ideal for efficient drain sealing in the event of a spill. All of our drain covers are competitively priced and are available with FREE DELIVERY.
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Yellowshield: Low cost, high quality wheelie bins and great discounts!

Wheelie Bin Liner We’re always trying to find new ways to offer our customers a better deal at Yellowshield, so this week we’ve decided to offer an indefinite £5.50 discount when buying either of our wheelie bin liners in combination with any of our  120, 140 or 240 litre wheelie bins. Wheelie bin liners are a great way to keep your bin clean and relatively odour free. Our “Standard” 140 gauge liners are ideal for domestic use and are easy to fit and remove from the wheelie bin, and are available in packs of 100 at 24.7p a liner. The “Heavy Duty”280 gauge liners can withstand tough industrial usage and are more suited to fast paced warehouses and factories where bins are regularly filled and emptied, and are available at 56p a liner. We also offer great deals on the Bin Buddy, in Berry Blast and Citrus odours. These are available at a knockdown price of £4.25 when bought in conjunction with any other wheelie bin and will leave your bin and bin liners insect free and smelling fresh. To take advantage of either of these offer simply enter the discount codes “binliners” or “binbuddy” when at the checkout.
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Yellowshield: Low cost, high quality wheelie bins and great discounts!

Wheelie Bin Liner We’re always trying to find new ways to offer our customers a better deal at Yellowshield, so this week we’ve decided to offer an indefinite £5.50 discount when buying either of our wheelie bin liners in combination with any of our  120, 140 or 240 litre wheelie bins. Wheelie binliners are a great way to keep your bin clean and relatively odour free. Our “Standard” 140 gauge liners are ideal for domestic use and are easy to fit and remove from the wheelie bin, and are available in packs of 100 at 24.7p a liner. The “Heavy Duty”280 gauge liners can withstand tough industrial usage and are more suited to fast paced warehouses and factories where bins are regularly filled and emptied, and are available at 56p a liner. We also offer great deals on the Bin Buddy, in Berry Blast and Citrus odours. These are available at a knockdown price of £4.25 when bought in conjunction with any other wheelie bin and will leave your bin and bin liners insect free and smelling fresh. To take advantage of either of these offer simply enter the discount codes “binliners” or “binbuddy” when at the checkout.
More from Yellow Shield's blog... http://www.yellowshield.co.uk/blog/yellowshield-low-cost-high-quality-wheelie-bins-and-great-discounts-1828.html
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Problems continue in 2013 for Shell as oil rig runs aground in Alaska

Kulluk Oil Rig On New Year’s Eve, Shell’s 266-foot backup oil rig, the Kulluk, ran aground near Sitkalidak Island in Alaska after heavy duty tow lines repeatedly snapped. It’s another setback in a long line of problems that Shell have encountered in their attempts to explore the Arctic for oil. The rig ran into difficulties during a severe storm that left its 18 man crew in need of a daring helicopter rescue. The rig has now been refloated with the aid of 15 vessels and is being towed to a nearby cove close to Kodiak Island. Despite the forceful storm battering the rig for a couple of days none of the 143,000 gallons of diesel on board the rig was spilled, which is just as well for Shell, as any oil spill in this pristine and uninhabited region would have been a logistical and public relations disaster. However, watertight hatches have been breached and both the service and backup generators failed leaving the rig stranded on the rocks. Seawater had also reportedly breached one of the hulls of the rig, raising the possibility that it could be out of commission for some time. This would be a severe blow to Shell’s ambitions for oil exploration in the Arctic. The plans to drill in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas in the summer of 2013 will now be in serious doubt as Shell’s spill response plan stipulates that both rigs, the Kulluk and the Noble Discoverer, must be operational when drilling so that one of the rigs can drill a spill containment “relief well” in the event of a blowout. With Shell’s Arctic programme reaching spending levels of an estimated £3.1 billion without one drop of oil being extracted, this latest incident will now cast doubt over the entire venture yet again. A statement released by the SEEC (House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition) voiced concerns that “The recent grounding of Shell’s Kulluk oil rig amplifies the risks of drilling in the Arctic.” It added that the incident involving the Kulluk, as well as the problems surrounding Shell’s containment dome, the Arctic Challenger, represent “alarming blunders” and “warrant thorough investigation”. www.yellowshield.co.uk
More from Yellow Shield's blog... http://www.yellowshield.co.uk/blog/problems-continue-in-2013-for-shell-as-oil-rig-runs-aground-in-alaska-1820.html
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Will second time be a charm for Shell's "Containment Dome"?

Back in September we reported that Shell had suffered a major setback in their plans for exploratory drilling in the Arctic after a key component in their spill response arsenal, the “Containment Dome”, was “crushed like a beer can” during routine testing. In emails obtained through a freedom of information request it was revealed that under calm conditions in the Puget Sound an electrical fault caused the dome to torpedo to the surface and then rapidly descend, crumpling the top portion of the steel dome in the process. Since the failed test Shell have been working to notably strengthen the dome, reinforcing it with an additional outer frame. Before the dome can be deployed in the Arctic it must first receive approval from the Bureau of Environmental Enforcement, and Nicholas Pardi, a spokesman for the BSEE confirmed “that approval will not be granted until the test is completed to our satisfaction”. Last week the Arctic Challenger left the Port of Bellingham for Puget Sound for a second round of testing. Shell has conceived the dome as their “fourth line of defence” in the event that other primary systems fail to contain a spill. The dome would vacuum up any gushing oil and guide it to Shell’s spill response vessel, the Arctic Challenger, for filtering. However, the modifications made to the dome will have done little to allay the fears of environmental groups and politicians alike that are fearful of the catastrophic effects that an oil spill in the Arctic would have. The Arctic Research Commission have already stated that oil spill tests need to be undertaken in the Arctic, which would give officials and Shell a clearer understanding of whether or not the equipment can function in adverse conditions. The Alaskan Arctic will pose many unparalleled difficulties for even multinational oil companies. Average summer temperatures are nearly -7°C and can go as low as -20°C while workers will also have to contend with gale force winds and miles of harsh conditions without any real infrastructure. Christophe de Margerie, the CEO of Total, recently took the unusual step of declaring that his company would not be attempting to drill for oil in the Arctic as the risks of a spill were just too high. If Shell’s testing of the modified Containment Dome is successful then they will look to conduct further exploratory drilling in 2013.
More from Yellow Shield's blog... Will second time be a charm for Shell's "Containment Dome"?
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Environment Agency prevents "major environmental disaster".

The Environment Agency was called upon last Thursday and Friday to contain a potential spill of 4,000 litres of petrol that had been endangering spawning salmon in the River Tiddy in Cornwall. The petrol tanker was being towed on Thursday night when it overturned giving rise to a situation where the “fuel was pouring out”, according to Darren Maynard of Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service.

As soon as the Environment Agency arrived on the scene they deployed booms and absorbent pads in an event to contain the spill.

Steve Marks, a spokesman for the Environment Agency confirmed that the operation had been successful and that “no significant pollution” had been detected in the river. He added that; “If the petrol had got into the water it would have been a major environmental disaster.” The tank was sprayed with foam by the Fire Service to render it safe before it was allowed to be removed from the scene and the road was re-opened on Friday afternoon. Yet again the Environment Agency has demonstrated the importance of designing well drilled spill response procedures that effectively contain spills and protect fragile waterways.
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Bins are a "wheel" issue for Councillors

Local authorities in the UK have in recent weeks been digesting the awards of the government’s Weekly Collection Support Scheme. Councils from Gravesham in Kent to Birmingham City have received grants to help provide more efficient refuse collection services and increase their recycling rates, while others, such as Leeds, have missed out. In order to achieve a more efficient recycling and refuse collection service local councils will be supplying residents with up to three wheelie bins for the purposes of recycling and refuse. However, not all residents in Birmingham city council are quite as enthused about the idea as the councillors behind the proposal which is pencilled in for implementation next April. Many residents have been quick to point out that certain areas in the city are not suitable for wheelie bins because of steep hills, steps leading out of driveways and a lack of space to house all the bins. Therefore the council is entering into consultation with residents and plans to engage in comprehensive door-to-door surveys in order to resolve any issues residents may have. One Labour councillor, Rob Pocock, who described the scheme as the “Government’s bin bribe”, has already undertaken surveys in his Sutton Vesey ward which resulted in a 60-40 spilt against the universal introduction of wheelie bins. The results also indicated an age divide that showed the older the resident, the more opposed they were to wheelie bins. One suggestion proposed by Coun Pocock that could resolve part of the issue was to introduce smaller bins for low waste households and in particular, for the elderly and the infirm. 75 Litre wheelie bins are less cumbersome and more compact and would be better suited for recycling purposes than the larger 240 Litre wheelie bins. Whatever the outcome of the planned consultation, local councils across the country need to try and move away from the traditional black refuse bag collections and introduce wheelie bins where it is practical to do so, as they offer a more durable, hygienic and efficient method for collecting waste and recycling.
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Bins are a "wheel" issue for Councillors

Local authorities in the UK have in recent weeks been digesting the awards of the government’s Weekly Collection Support Scheme. Councils from Gravesham in Kent to Birmingham City have received grants to help provide more efficient refuse collection services and increase their recycling rates, while others, such as Leeds, have missed out. In order to achieve a more efficient recycling and refuse collection service local councils will be supplying residents with up to three wheelie bins for the purposes of recycling and refuse. However, not all residents in Birmingham city council are quite as enthused about the idea as the councillors behind the proposal which is pencilled in for implementation next April. Many residents have been quick to point out that certain areas in the city are not suitable for wheelie bins because of steep hills, steps leading out of driveways and a lack of space to house all the bins. Therefore the council is entering into consultation with residents and plans to engage in comprehensive door-to-door surveys in order to resolve any issues residents may have. One Labour councillor, Rob Pocock, who described the scheme as the “Government’s bin bribe”, has already undertaken surveys in his Sutton Vesey ward which resulted in a 60-40 spilt against the universal introduction of wheelie bins. The results also indicated an age divide that showed the older the resident, the more opposed they were to wheelie bins. One suggestion proposed by Coun Pocock that could resolve part of the issue was to introduce smaller bins for low waste households and in particular, for the elderly and the infirm. 75 Litre wheelie bins are less cumbersome and more compact and would be better suited for recycling purposes than the larger 240 Litre wheelie bins. Whatever the outcome of the planned consultation, local councils across the country need to try and move away from the traditional black refuse bag collections and introduce wheelie bins where it is practical to do so, as they offer a more durable, hygienic and efficient method for collecting waste and recycling.
More from Yellow Shield's blog... Bins are a "wheel" issue for Councillors
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