1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to environmentally friendly cleaning processes, and more specifically to a system and method for cleaning spills that include liquid organic materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The passage of the Federal Clean Water Act dictated that all companies regardless of size are now accountable for the recovery, storage and disposal of waste water in an approved manner. Spills, accidents and industrial cleanups must be contained and disposed of.
An example of such a spill includes oils and fuel spilled at the site of a vehicle accident. When automobiles collide, it is common for liquid organic materials to be spilled onto the street, and these materials would create a driving hazard if they are not cleaned up. Inadequate cleaning of fuel and oil spilled onto a roadway can create dangerous slick regions, particularly in response to future rains.
At the present time, when a spill occurs that includes organic or other materials, such as oil, fuels, and other materials, the cleanup process is too complicated and the results not effective enough. Typically, an oil absorbing material is used to soak up the spill; kitty litter is the preferred material for this, but other, similar materials are regularly used.
The absorbent material is spread over the area, swept and then collected. The process is repeated until the excess liquid is absorbed. Depending on the liquid material involved and the size of the spill, this process can take several days over a relatively small area. The amount of waste by-product is significant and stains are left behind.
Such an approach is slow, and collecting the soiled oil absorbing material can be time consuming. Typically, it is a labor intensive process. In addition, the effectiveness of the clean up leaves much to be desired. The current processes have no ability to reach into the pores of the hard surface and extract the oil or other material trapped beneath the surface. Thus in the case of, for example, an automobile collision, fuel and oil is absorbed in the pores of the concrete at the accident site. Spreading the absorbent material over the surface of the concrete removes only the organic materials that remain on the surface, but leaves much of the organic material that soaks into the concrete. Once the cleanup is complete, the organic material that has soaked in is free to be released onto the upper surface, particularly in response to an event such as rain. This makes the surface of the supposedly cleaned roadway very slick and hazardous.
Spills of oil and other organic chemicals in industrial settings generates similar problems. The initial prior art cleanup techniques do not remove the chemicals from beneath the upper surface of the concrete. This means that the organic chemicals slowly rise to the surface over time, causing possibly unsafe conditions that require follow up cleanup activity.
It would be desirable to provide a cleaning system and method that is both faster and easier to use, and is more effective at cleaning spills that include liquid and other organic materials.
organic chemicals slowly rise to the surface over time, causing possibly unsafe conditions that require follow up cleanup activity.
It would be desirable to provide a cleaning system and method that is both faster and easier to use, and is more effective at cleaning spills that include liquid and other organic materials.