Jim@GarageCleaning
New member
As most of you may know, I have been compliant here in California for the last 16 years. I have seen companies get little filters to do a garage, only to get fined and out of business because their filter was more for show than functionability for the job at hand.
This last weekend it was our turn for a surprise visit at 3 am. They came unannounced and in plan clothes in a unmarked personal vehicle. They took several of samples. ( Pre treatment, during treatment at two locations on the filter, and the treated Class II waste).
They tested for the following:
Caustic,
PH balance,
Heavy metals
Mercury
chromium
copper
thallium
TTO
Phenol
Selenium
Plus 130 more elements
We past, however the total test cost for the lab work was $1,000 more or less. Bill to come next month.
Though this was our first visit that we had in the last 3 years, I find that they are becoming more frequent, I am told that the fines alone this past year was in the 190k for one county alone. This is added monies that the Gov needs desperately, so beware.
It is not a problem for us, in fact we welcome it since we know the routine so well. I was told by the EPA that as far as permits go, we hold 78% of all the garage cleaning permits in N. California and out of the 100% of the permits ever issued for garage cleaning since 1992, we are the only ones who have not been written up or fined as far as they can tell.
I also was advised that we maybe the first company in all of California to reclaim the class II waste for Parking Garage Cleaning for proper discharge according to those same permit records.
( 1992 was when we built our 24 ft filtration unit for a cost of $72,000. Since no finance company would loan us the money to make it, we had to pay cash. The specs are 40 GPM's and require a generator of 15,000 watts to drive the (4) 2.5 to 3.0 hp pumps. It is a 240 volt system and requires the whole 15kw Kubota Diesel 4 Cyl 2.2 litter generator to run it). Unit weighs in at 9,235 lbs or so. To build it today, we are estimating 90 to 100k.
Take a look at the picture below on the right. You will see that we have several dikes / dams. This also has an 8 inch oil collective sock. what you don't see is the other 4 dam system including our water filled 8 inch thick rubber dike. It is not that lite blue dike. This is made for us by a hose company and weighs a ton. 25 ft weighs in at 90-100 lbs. with no water. Note that we have not started yet. This was just a pre set up photo that we submit with our report that is required in the permit process.
This last weekend it was our turn for a surprise visit at 3 am. They came unannounced and in plan clothes in a unmarked personal vehicle. They took several of samples. ( Pre treatment, during treatment at two locations on the filter, and the treated Class II waste).
They tested for the following:
Caustic,
PH balance,
Heavy metals
Mercury
chromium
copper
thallium
TTO
Phenol
Selenium
Plus 130 more elements
We past, however the total test cost for the lab work was $1,000 more or less. Bill to come next month.
Though this was our first visit that we had in the last 3 years, I find that they are becoming more frequent, I am told that the fines alone this past year was in the 190k for one county alone. This is added monies that the Gov needs desperately, so beware.
It is not a problem for us, in fact we welcome it since we know the routine so well. I was told by the EPA that as far as permits go, we hold 78% of all the garage cleaning permits in N. California and out of the 100% of the permits ever issued for garage cleaning since 1992, we are the only ones who have not been written up or fined as far as they can tell.
I also was advised that we maybe the first company in all of California to reclaim the class II waste for Parking Garage Cleaning for proper discharge according to those same permit records.
( 1992 was when we built our 24 ft filtration unit for a cost of $72,000. Since no finance company would loan us the money to make it, we had to pay cash. The specs are 40 GPM's and require a generator of 15,000 watts to drive the (4) 2.5 to 3.0 hp pumps. It is a 240 volt system and requires the whole 15kw Kubota Diesel 4 Cyl 2.2 litter generator to run it). Unit weighs in at 9,235 lbs or so. To build it today, we are estimating 90 to 100k.
Take a look at the picture below on the right. You will see that we have several dikes / dams. This also has an 8 inch oil collective sock. what you don't see is the other 4 dam system including our water filled 8 inch thick rubber dike. It is not that lite blue dike. This is made for us by a hose company and weighs a ton. 25 ft weighs in at 90-100 lbs. with no water. Note that we have not started yet. This was just a pre set up photo that we submit with our report that is required in the permit process.
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