Company treats 25 000 t of contaminated soil

21st March 2014

By: David Oliveira

Creamer Media Staff Writer

  

Font size: - +

South African environmental management products and services company Procon Environmental Technologies successfully rehabilitated 25 000 t of soil contaminated by a major diesel spillage at a site near Tzaneen, in Limpopo, the company announced in February.

The company achieved this by using its new mobile Oil Buster soil bioremediation system, which is locally designed and manufactured by Procon Environmental Technologies.

An estimated 400 000 ℓ of diesel was spilled at the site in May 2013. The contaminated soil was stockpiled on location until Procon Environmental Technologies started remediation work in October.

Procon Environmental Technologies MD Kuno Kerlen says: “In the past, this spillage would have had a devastating effect on the environment, in addition to the increased costs and prolonged downtime associated with the cleanup process. The speed and effectiveness of the Oil Buster system, therefore, averted a disaster.”

After several months of extensive research and development, the Oil Buster system was officially launched in South Africa in October. Kuno explains that the new machine is capable of processing large quantities of soil, while simultaneously adding the required microbes, nutrients and other bioremediation components according to predetermined mixture ratios.

“The costly, and hazardous, process of standard soil bioremediation has been dramatically simplified by the launch of this system, which serves as an efficient and cost-effective alternative to the full extraction, removal and transportation of contaminated soil to an approved hazardous waste facility. “This results in measurable savings on costs and rehabilitation turnaround times,” he says.

According to Kuno, the Oil Buster system is also more accurate and environment friendly than in situ bioremediation, which is performed by tilling the soil mechanically or by hand and adding in oil degrading microbes, absorbents, chemicals and nutrients.

“With the use of this method, the components are not always homogenously mixed with the hydrocarbon contaminant within the soil; however, the Oil Buster ensures complete distribution of the components in the treated soil, while improved aeration results in an improved bioremediation process,” he asserts.

Kuno points out that the Oil Buster system is designed for clients operating in industries ranging from petrochemicals and mining to transport and general industry. “With the capacity to treat about 20 t to 30 t of soil an hour, depending on the soil type, the Oil Buster system enables these companies to complete large remediation jobs quicker than traditional methods with less personnel on site, thereby reducing the associated health, safety and environmental risks.”

He notes that he is confident of the future of the Oil Buster system owing to its successful use soon after its official launch. “This is a unique and highly effective product that provides Procon clients with the peace of mind that the remediation process will be successful, within agreed timeframes, thanks to the scientific and automated nature of the remediation process. “This is achieved at a significantly reduced cost, which translates into savings for our clients.

“As industries move towards more environmentally sustainable business practices, I believe that the Oil Buster system has the potential to gain considerable market share locally and abroad,” he concludes.

Edited by Megan van Wyngaardt
Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION