In the hazardous waste industry, the presence and extent of support is a clear indication of a company's commitment to safety and quality. We work with our drivers on an ongoing basis to monitor: Defensive driving skills Highway regulation compliance Workplace health and safety performance Environmental regulation compliance Emergency preparedness training Documentation and filing compliance…
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At Clean Harbors, our drivers are the critical link from our Company to our customers. Helping our drivers define, track and improve their performance is, therefore, another one of our main priorities. Lambton drivers are trained using a program that is designed to fit the company's unique business environment. This comprehensive program allows our drivers to strengthen both their motor vehicle…
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While professional drivers influence the quality of service provided by a hazardous waste transporter, specialized vehicles and equipment used to contain and transfer the waste also have a significant impact on service reliability and efficiency. To maintain the mechanical integrity of our vehicles and equipment, we look to the expertise of our internal transportation specialists as well as third…
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At Lambton, we reuse the energy generated by the waste treatment process. That is, we use waste to destroy waste—yet another way Lambton meets its commitment to preserving the environment. The first step is to separate organic liquid waste into three groups, based on its potential to generate energy: Rich organics - high-energy waste that burns easily and can be used as fuel Emulsions -…
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The Lambton facility's continuous emissions monitoring (CEM) system is among the first of its kind in the country, meeting stringent new certification standards established by Environment Canada and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Lambton's sensors automatically monitor and record conditions at each step of the treatment process, from waste feed to exhaust. The CEM system ensures that…
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Local weather conditions can have a significant impact on the Lambton facility. Gusts of wind, for example, can alter the path of the stack plume, potentially leading to short-term odour at ground level. At Lambton, we want to counteract the effects of weather on the plume. To do that, we are working with the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory at the University of Western Ontario (UWO) to…
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The baghouse, the final step in the high-temperature incinerator's cleaning process, plays an important role in ensuring that the Lambton facility's emission levels comply with Ontario's clean air regulations. The baghouse at Lambton has four compartments, each housing more than 400 fabric filter bags. As the air stream passes through the bags, powder-fine particles are filtered out, ensuring…
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In addition to continuous emissions monitoring, every year the Lambton facility conducts a detailed emissions assessment, or a "stack test." Carried out by independent air quality specialists and monitored by representatives from Ontario's Ministry of the Environment, the stack test measures the facility's ability to safely treat a wide range of hard-to-destroy wastes and evaluates it against the…
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In 2000, the Lambton site received Ontario Ministry of the Environment approval to modify the air emission and waste management systems of its high-temperature incineration facility. Modifications were made to improve the incinerator's air cleaning and waste feed supply systems., The modifications included:, The introduction of activated carbon scrubbing capabilities into the unit's air cleaning system The installation of an auxiliary waste feed port into the incinerator. The installation of a waste direct-feed system. The increase of waste feed rates. Typographical corrections and updates to diagram references. These improvements are part of the Lambton facility's overall goal to minimize emissions…, The results of these modifications included:, Reducing mercury and dioxin emission levels by 80 and 95 percent, respectively. Improving the system's operations, efficiency and ability to further reduce carbon-based emissions. Responding to the needs of waste generators by providing direct-feed treatment technology.
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Does the incinerator burn more waste at night?, No, the throughput of the incinerator is consistent both day and night. The perception that the plume appears darker at night can be attributed to the absence of light. Also, certain atmospheric conditions, calm still air for example, can make the plume appear to bellow from the stack and dissipate in the atmosphere more slowly making the plume appear "thicker" or "darker" to the eye. The…, Does the operation of the incinerator contaminate local crops?, No, Clean Harbors has maintained a phytotoxicology monitoring program since 1991 to track potential impacts on surrounding farms within approximately 2 km of the Lambton facility. Foliage, soil and crop samples are collected and analyzed for a broad range of trace organic compounds and metals. There has been no evidence of any impact on the quality of local crops., Is my health compromised from what I can smell?, No, independent air quality monitoring studies conducted annually indicate the Lambton incinerator operates well within the Ontario Ministry of the Environment "point of impingement" (POI) air quality guidelines. The limits set by the POI guidelines are usually based on health effects and incorporate significant margins of safety. In most cases, our emissions are only a fraction of the allowable…, What contaminants are being emitted from the stack?, Emissions from the incinerator stack consist of oxygen (11%), carbon dioxide (7%), nitrogen (81.9%) and trace contaminants (0.1%). The trace contaminants that make up the 0.1% are very low emission levels based on comparison with the allowable provincial emissions standards and guidelines. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment uses analysis of "point of impingement" (POI) air quality guidelines…, Why can't each region manage its own waste?, This approach has been tried and abandoned by several regions, including the provinces of Alberta and Manitoba. Ultimately, it has not succeeded for a couple of important reasons. The first is cost. Even large Canadian provinces often can't sustain an environmentally secure and affordable management facility like Lambton. The Lambton facility uses a complex, interconnected series of scientific…, Why do you import hazardous waste from the United States?, Actually, the flow of hazardous waste between Canada and the United States is reciprocal. This system is designed to provide the best treatment and disposal options for waste generators, while ensuring protection of public health and the environment in both countries. This highly regulated activity ensures that only select hazardous waste is shipped either way across the border, and that the…
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