Because of the ever increasing use of custom foam packing and firefighting foams in the environment as well as large volumes of surfactants, the environmental fate of these products has become a major concern in considering the agent to use and in determining the proper disposal or treatment of the residue. The kind of custom foam packing to use should be factored in more carefully. Here are the areas of concern when these products are used.
- Aquatic toxicity. This level of toxicity is being evaluated through the use of vertebrates and invertebrates. The most common specie of invertebrate is the water flea or Daphnia magna. Vertebrates commonly used include fundulus heteroditus; sheep head minnow, rainbow trout and the fathead minnow. Tests on these specific species give an indication on the broad range over which different fish populations are affected. The results are typically expressed as LC/50 over a specific period of time and are often in milligrams.
- Biodegradability. This refers to the ability of the microorganisms that is in the environment to consume a certain chemical and then convert it to its most elemental form. It is also determined by performing some biological degradation tests as well as chemical degradation tests. The latter measures the total amount of oxygen which is required to chemically oxidize a sample found in water. The BOD then measures the oxygen that is required to oxidize the sample biologically with the use of microorganisms. Biodegradability is calculated by dividing the biological degradation result with the chemical degradation and is typically expressed as a percentage for that period of time. Twenty-day tests are also commonly done. The chemguard foam products vary from about 50% to 95% in biodegradability in 20 days.
- Sewage treatment facility compatibility. Chemguard fire fighting foam products do not have any constituents that are incompatible with wastewater treatment facilities. Furthermore, they also contain no constituent that will require reporting per regulations. However, the fire fighting foam should not be discharged to any wastewater treatment facility without first permission and recommendations from the plant and as to what rate to discharge in the facility. The major concern for the firefighting foam in the wastewater treatment facilities is the foam that it creates. Although the microbes can tolerate high concentrations, the foam which is created by the high concentration often poses a high problem. In order to put a limit to foaming, a dilution faction should be considered like 1000:1. Foam production can now be decreased with the addition of anti-foaming agent. Wastewater treatment plants also recommend appropriate agents.
- Nutrient loading. Chemicals which contain phosphorus or nitrogen can add nutrients to the aquatic ecosystem. These nutrients will cause the algae to bloom in order to begin a process known as eutrophication. The process will then eventually lead to depletion of oxygen in the ecosystem. The chemguard foam does not have any phosphates but only certain traces of nitrogen. Consequently, loading of nutrient is not really an issue.
Learn more about the type of custom foam packing best for your application by calling us at 905-669-6616!