UP-FLOW Percolation Tests (TS 14405:2004)

Less Aggressive-More indicative of actual field conditions- Less remediation- Less cost

This technical specification provides a method for the determination of the leaching behaviour of compounds of concern from granular waste. The waste body sample is subjected to leaching by the upwards flow of water at a very slow rate (15 cm of column per day). The test should provide a more accurate predication of the likely leaching of components of concern under actual practical conditions of rainfall.

Other leaching tests in frequent use such as batch leaching at L/S 2:1 and L/S 10:1 can be regarded as aggressive and likely to predict the maximum availability of leachable components under conditions which never may be encountered on site.

This may lead to excessive and unnecessary remedial measures.

Upflow leachate is collected over the 30 day period of the test and analysed for target contaminants.

The Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) protocol provides an alternative limit value for sulphate using this test; re classification to ?inert? may be possible where the normal limit is exceeded.

Working in partnership with a large remediation company, SAL has demonstrated to a local authority that the data produced from this leaching process is more representative of the on site conditions and has consequently saved both parties significant expense.

Biological Monitoring

Many jobs involve using chemicals which can harm your health if they are not properly handled. Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 1994, employers have a duty of care to reduce the risk of exposure to such chemicals. An employer should take whatever practicable steps are necessary to prevent or reduce such exposure and to ensure that usage is properly controlled.
To ensure that they are compliant with COSHH regulations, an employer must:

• Assess the risk to their employees health from working with chemicals
• Inform employees about the risks and instruct and train them in any precautionary measures
• Determine what precautions they need to take
• Prevent the exposure risk or control it
• Monitor the exposure and provide health surveillance where necessary

The primary routes of entry in which chemicals can enter the body are:

SAL Launches its own fleet of refrigerated vans

In September 2012, the SAL business took delivery of its fleet of new refrigerated vans. This significant investment demonstrates the companies commitment to continuous improvement and continued drive to deliver an added value service.

In SALs experience, the use of commercial couriers, however effective they are, will always involve a compromise. Although most will do their best to manage the particular nuances that are brought about by trying to manage the logistics of transporting labile Laboratory samples with no intrinsic value across the UK, most regularly fail on a number of counts.

Having to fit collections and deliveries of such relatively low volumes of consignments from our Laboratory around the significantly larger volumes of much bigger multinational companies is a major problem. Collection windows were often quite restricted and the service quite inflexible.

In addition, the sizes and dimensions of coolboxes can be a problem on conveyor systems built to accommodate routinely sized cardboard boxes and third party warehouse staff have no real appreciation of the value or fragility of each consignment. This often led to loss of consignments and sample breakages.

Having our own fleet of courier vans means that our clients samples and our clients samples alone are prioritised. Not only that, they can be handled with the due care and attention they demand by our team of trained drivers. Collection and delivery windows are more flexible and can easily be made out of normal office hours with prior arrangement.

All of our vans are fitted with satellite navigation and tracking devices so our team of logistic coordinators can ensure the most economically viable routes are chosen. Each van is fitted with a hands free kit, allowing our drivers to be permanently contactable allowing for up to the minute route modifications if necessary.

All our vans are temperature controlled to 5+/-3oC ensuring samples are received to the laboratory in pristine condition and reducing the potential of labile samples and parameters becoming deviant whilst in transit.

When samples are collected via a commercial courier, they are transported back to a central localised hub, usually on the evening of the day of collection. The next day after unloading and sorting, they are transferred to another van and delivered mid morning to the laboratory. Samples collected by our drivers never leave our possession and are transported directly to the laboratory of interest so processing can commence immediately. This enables us to provide ‘cradle to grave’ tracking via our chain of custody system from the point at which your samples are collected, to delivery at the Lab and ultimately to the point at which data is delivered.

Currently, the fleet covers most parts of the UK and over the forthcoming months, will continue to expand its coverage.

Since commencing this service in September 2012, SAL has,

Isocyanates

SAL is one of only two laboratories providing Isocyanate analysis in Urine.

Problems with Isocyanates

Isocyanates are highly reactive, low molecular weight, aromatic and aliphatic compounds typically found in the hardener of two part paints and primers. Isocyanates are present in two forms, monomer and pre polymer, both of which are a risk to health when they are released into the air during paint or primer spraying.
The most common diisocyanates are Toluene diisocyanate (TDI), Methylene bisphenol isocyanate (MDI), Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and Isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI).

Exposure to Isocyanates

The main routes of workplace exposure to Isocyanates are by inhalation of the vapour or aerosol during spraying or skin contact during the handling of liquid Isocyanates. Breathing unreacted Isocyanate can cause coughing, chest tightness, fever, fatigue and sensitisation. Direct skin contact with isocyanate may cause rashes, blistering and reddening of the skin and dermatitis. In rare cases, repeated skin contact can lead to skin sensitisation. Eye exposure to Isocyanates can cause eye irritation and temporary blurred vision and direct contact with the eye may damage the cornea.
Their widespread use has made Isocyanates one of the main causes of occupational asthma worldwide. There is a potential for exposure to Isocyanates at work from the following industries:

• Motor Vehicle Repair
• Manufacture – Polyurethane Foams, Paints, Varnishes, Elastomers

Christmas Waste

On average, each family generates an additional 5 refuse sacks of waste over the Christmas period in the UK. Research would suggest that around 40% of turkey, sprouts (no surprise there!) and trimmings are thrown away, around 125,000 tonnes of plastic is sent to landfill and the amount of wrapping paper discarded would cover an area of over 83 square miles, an area larger than Guernsey! 750,000 tonnes of waste is produced over the Christmas period alone, much of this ending up at Landfill sites throughout the country.

Although government and local authority initiatives are ensuring that more waste than ever is recycled, in the UK alone, around 300 million tonnes of waste is still sent to Landfill each year.

There are numerous well documented environmental problems associated with Landfills. One in particular, is the production of Landfill gas (LFG). One tonne of biodegradable waste can produce over 150 m3 of LFG as it decomposes!

LFG is produced from the anaerobic digestion of organic waste within a landfill. The gas usually constitutes 40 to 60% methane with the remainder being mainly carbon dioxide, however LFG may also contain over 500 other compounds including Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphides, Hydrogen, Alkanes, Alkenes, Alcohols, Aldehydes, Ketones, Carbon Monoxide, Trichloroethylene, Benzene, Vinyl chloride, other VOC’s and Mercury

Such gas therefore can potentially be the cause of physiological, chemical, physical or ecological harm. Indeed, methane in particular is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide and emissions into the atmosphere have severe implications for global warming and climate change.

LFG can also migrate through the soil and escape beyond the boundaries of the landfill site where it can create potentially explosive and intoxicating atmospheres in adjacent properties.

As such, appropriate measures must be taken in order to control the accumulation and migration of landfill gas. In 2010, the Environment Agency published a technical guidance note (LFTG No4 v 3.0) where they outline the priority trace components that should be monitored in landfill gas.

This suite of analysis forms part of the extensive range of LFG and Soil vapour testing that is available at SAL. In addition, Methyl mercaptan, a chemical that sprouts in particular contain in abundance and the substance that gives them their characteristic odour, will also be detected within this suite of tests.

Diesel Exhaust Emissions (DEEEs) Reclassified by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)

The France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) – has reclassified diesel exhausts from its group 2A of probable carcinogens to its group 1 of substances that have definite links to cancer.

Deciding which components of the DEEEs to monitor for in order to provide a representative measure of exposure can be difficult.

One method considered by many to be the most appropriate to use involves sampling onto a thermally treated quartz filter using a respirable cyclone sampler. Sample analysis on the
captured aerosol is best conducted using NIOSH method 5040 for determination of organic carbon (OC) associated with the organic substances and elemental carbon (EC) from the soot.

Scientific Analysis Laboratories provides the analysis of Elemental and Organic Carbon which includes the provision of thermally treated filters and a courier service by prior arrangement.

Should you require any further information or a quotation, please do not hesitate to contact Duncan Campbell on Tel. 07717 545717 or email duncanc@salltd.co.uk

Chemical Testing of Asbestos Containing Soil Samples – Now with NO Restrictions!

With effect from Monday 21th May 2012, SAL’s Manchester laboratory will no longer restrict the chemical analysis which can be undertaken on asbestos containing soil samples. Prior to this date, samples with a known asbestos content could not undergo the drying, crushing and sieving stages required prior to certain analyses (e.g. metals).

SAL’s continuous strive to offer a client led and quality driven service has led to significant investment in the soil preparation areas to control the potential release of asbestos fibres into the laboratory environment. A revised and updated dust extraction mechanism has been installed, along with a series of new HEPA filtered cabinets. A new procedure to deal with asbestos containing samples has been written and adopted.

This latest development compliments SAL’s existing capability at the Manchester site to provide a phased approach to asbestos quantification in soil samples:

• Stage 1 – Asbestos ID test (in accordance with HSG248) by microscopy.
• Stage 2 – Quantification of the asbestos content with any detected asbestos containing materials.
• Stage 3 – Suspension and quantification of any detected loose asbestos fibres.

A reporting limit of 0.001% is applicable.

No restrictions on the testing that can be undertaken on asbestos containing soil samples means that MCERTS accredited chemical testing can now be undertaken and reported on such samples.