By reconfiguring the tank and pipe system for caustic and bleach material at the Houston-Greens Bayou site in Texas, Brenntag Southwest in the USA has been able to reduce the impact of process flush water, cut disposal costs and recycle chemicals. Caustic and bleach material are handled and stored at the site. The tanks and pipelines have to be flushed regularly as part of this. This cleaning water, which contains around 14% Sodium Hydroxideand 4% Bleach deposits, was previously collected separately and sent directly to a third-party company for disposal. This resulted in around 16 truck loads per year, or roughly 330 tonnes.
This process flush water is now filtered and the bleach particles in it are collected. These are then piped to a Brenntag owned facility located on the site, where they are converted into a lower grade industrial bleach. Around 50% of the bleach flushed out and subsequently collected can thus be recycled into a lucrative product for suitable applications.
