Wipe out waste with contaminated wipes laundry service

Waste solution specialists Cleansing Service Group has introduced a laundry service for contaminated wipes - classed as hazardous waste - which until recently could be disposed of at a hazardous landfill site, but are now banned, as treatment to comply with the Waste Acceptance Criteria is not available.

CSG is offering the service on a container exchange basis to both its own customers and those of CSG group company J & G Environmental.

"The biggest problem was developing the optimum washing conditions which would determine if the wipes were clean enough to be returned for use or, if in poor condition, complied with the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons legal limit and could be disposed of in a non-hazardous landfill," says Neil Richards, CSG's treatment and disposals director.

To ensure compliance, CSG puts the wipes through a special multi-wash process followed by a test to determine the level of contamination remaining. If below the Hazardous Waste Thresholds they can be returned to customers or, if damaged, sent to non-hazardous landfill. If above the HWT limit they are rewashed and re-tested.The residue in the wash water - mainly solvents, inks and oils - is recovered for use as low grade fuel.

"We believe this service will help our customers further improve their green credentials," says Richards.