Removing oil sheen on water is a difficult problem and the oil is toxic to our ecosystem.

The federal Water Pollution Control Act prohibits discharge of oily water into navigable waters.  The mere presence of an oil film or sheen on the surface of the water that is discharged into navigable waters is a violation of that act with penalties in the thousands of dollars.

For factories, industries and marinas, a common means of removing oil sheen is to use polypropylene booms and pads.

Complicated systems are engineered to collect discharged hydrocarbons.  These systems require regular maintenance or require removal of the polypropylene pads and booms.

The problem that arises from that type of situation is that polypropylene pads and booms are oil collection products.  They do an excellent job of collecting the hydrocarbons.  However, upon removal from the surface of the water, they leach, leaving behind an oily film or sheen.  This requires more pads and labor to try to get rid of the pesky sheen.

Though the cost of polypropylene booms and pads is relatively inexpensive, just the labor alone that is involved in the removal and replacement of these systems can be distracting from the business at hand and can get expensive.

This is where the difference between collection of hydrocarbons and encapsulation of hydrocarbons is important to oil sheen removal.

A hydrocarbon encapsulator will bind the oil and form a permanent bond that is non-biodegradable.  And once the hydrocarbon is absorbed it will not leach out and cannot be released even under pressure.  Encapsulators have a high and rapid absorption capacity.  They require less product to remove the oil sheen and disposal costs are considerably lower with less by-product to dispose of. Encapsulators are environmentally safe, non-toxic and non-hazardous.  They will safely absorb and encapsulate hydrocarbon spills in industrial holding ponds, marinas and waterways without effecting the environment.

Using a simple system that includes a hydrocarbon encapsulating product makes far more sense and will save time, labor and money.

Guardian Environmental Technologies has been designing custom sheen removal systems for years.  Give us a call and let us help you change from a polypropylene oil collection system to a cost saving encapsulating permanent oil sheen removal system.