How Cleaning Protects Your Underground Storage Tanks
Underground storage tanks (USTs) are invaluable for many business models. They provide bulk storage for fuel, materials, and waste – without taking up space on the surface – helping you make the most of your commercial property. Like any other piece of equipment, however, USTs require cleaning and maintenance to stay at maximum performance. Here, Sun Environmental Corp. discusses our underground storage tank cleaning services and how we can protect your investment.
Maximize Site Productivity
Your site’s productivity is directly tied to the capacity of your storage tanks. As tank capacity declines, your operations suffer. You have less product readily available, requiring more frequent deliveries; you can process less materials at once; and waste storage starts to overflow, requiring frequent emptying. This adds to your hassle and expenses while decreasing your site efficiency.
Sludge and waste buildup reduces the useful volume of your tanks. It may also clog pipes and interfere with collectors, further impacting the performance of your equipment. Routine cleaning is essential in order to address buildup and prevent volume losses. Sun Environmental Corp. develops customized cleaning schedules adapted to your needs, ensuring that tanks are cleaned as frequently as necessary and without interrupting your day-to-day operations.
We also understand that waste removal and transportation can be a hassle. Our fleet of vacuum trucks allows for smooth waste removal and secure transportation to a designated disposal site. We also connect clients with sustainable solutions like waste-to-energy and recycling, ensuring that waste is managed efficiently and with sensitivity toward the needs of your community and the environment.
Avoid Contamination
Buildup doesn’t just reduce the capacity of your tanks; it also causes contamination. This has a variety of consequences depending on your business:
- Fuel: Contaminated fuel is less efficient at best. In severe cases, it may cause long-term damage to your vehicles and equipment.
- Chemicals: Contaminated chemicals, such as manufacturing components or cleaners, have reduced effectiveness. They can also be dangerous to use.
- Water treatment: Soiled tanks cannot treat wastewater effectively, meaning that you may be releasing still-contaminated water into the environment despite treatment.
- Water storage: Contaminated water tanks may no longer be potable, and their contents are not safe to use for crops or livestock.
- Waste: Contaminated waste may contain unidentified hazards, making it less stable and subjecting it to more stringent regulations for disposal.
To prevent the complications that come with contamination, routine cleanings are recommended. The well-trained team at Sun Environmental Corp. can clean tanks effectively without leaving contaminants behind.
Extend the Life of Your Tanks
Industrial maintenance is also an opportunity to address problems as they arise. Underground storage tanks are built for durability, but they don’t last forever. Minor wear and tear can escalate into a serious equipment breakdown, especially when the damaged areas are frequently exposed to high pressure or corrosive materials. If you don’t detect and address the problem promptly, you may be forced to excavate, repair, or even replace your tanks. This is expensive and disruptive to your operations.
While the Sun Environmental Corp. crew cleans your tank, they inspect components for wear and tear. If anything is found, then the maintenance period is the perfect opportunity to implement small fixes that stop further damage. Waste removal also reduces the strain placed on your equipment, further extending the lifespan of your tanks.
Prevent Spills and Leakage
Damaged underground storage tanks cost you much more than the price of repair. If their structural integrity is compromised, then underground tanks may leach hazardous materials into the surrounding soil and groundwater. They may even give way completely, causing a devastating spill that spreads quickly through your facility and into the environment. This comes with serious consequences, including:
- Environmental damage
- Health hazards
- Injured employees
- A tarnished reputation
- Fines from government entities
Sun Environmental Corp. offers prompt, efficient, and skillful environmental remediation to contain and clean up spills. Remediation is expensive, however, and it doesn’t always protect you against the immediate consequences of a spill. You may still need to deal with the aftermath of compliance investigations, legal retribution, and damage to your bottom line.
While emergency preparedness is important, it’s far better to keep spills from happening in the first place. Routine maintenance is more cost-effective than remediation and protects you against the health hazards, fines, and negative public image following an environmental emergency.
Contact Us for Underground Storage Tank Cleaning
Your business relies on its equipment, so make sure it’s well-maintained. Sun Environmental Corp. provides underground storage tank cleaning and maintenance for businesses across Central, Western, and Northern New York, as well as the Southern Tier and NY Capital Region, with state-of-the-art technology and decades of experience. Contact us today to learn more or to get started.
