Urgent removal of PCB from river and groundwater

1. We supply rapid filtration solutions for emergency PCB contamination.
2. Our activated carbon filters are proven to be highly effective in removing POPs completely from the environment.
3. Our solutions are plug-and-play, quick to install, and start working immediately.

During the theft of copper cables from four transformers at a disused electricity substation in Belgium, hundreds of litres of cooling oil were spilled into the environment, polluting a nearby river and its surroundings.

The oil contained polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), which are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) or ‘forever chemicals’.

PCBs are probable human carcinogens, and are therefore heavily restricted under the EU POPs Regulation. When found in industrial spills, they must be removed entirely to protect the environment and prevent these contaminants from entering the human food chain.

The company that owned the substation therefore immediately launched a major clean-up operation involving multiple partners, including a specialist emergency decontamination company.

This company had worked with DESOTEC in the past, so knew we could be relied upon to respond rapidly and provide expert PCB treatment. It contacted us to supply emergency mobile filtration services.

The task was twofold. Firstly, it involved pumping the excess oil from the soil and the surface of the river, in order to separate and remove the oil. Secondly, the ground and river water needed to undergo thorough treatment to remove all last traces of PCBs.

It was for this latter task that DESOTEC’s activated carbon filtration services were required. We received the order for a Mobicon water filter on Tuesday and delivered it on Friday to start work immediately.

The pumped-up water is passed through the filter, where all contaminants are absorbed by the activated carbon. The cleaned water can then be safely returned to the environment.

An engineering firm has been appointed to monitor PCB levels at the site and ensure that all contamination is removed. Our filter will remain on site for as long as it is needed.

Analysis of the filter outlet shows that the activated carbon is successfully removing all detectable traces of PCB.

If PCB breakthrough were to be detected at the filter outlet, the filter would be exchanged for another. Thanks to DESOTEC’s mobile filtration model, it is a quick and simple process to exchange a saturated filter for a fresh one. In this case, it has not yet been necessary, which keeps the costs down for the end client.

Our solutions are ideal for emergency situations. We can deliver our mobile filters fast, fitting in with complex clean-up schedules involving multiple operators and ensuring that pollution is tackled before it spreads. Our filters have a small footprint, making them well suited to busy sites with multiple operators, as well as difficult terrain.

Safe and sustainable waste carbon handling is included in our service, further lifting the pressure off clients in emergency situations. Once the filter is saturated or no longer required, the entire closed filter unit is taken to our facilities. There, the carbon is emptied, sorted, and analysed. Depending on the PCB level, whenever possible, the waste carbon can be thermally treated in our furnaces to destroy all contaminants and reactivate the carbon. The emissions at the exit of our chimneys are continuously monitored to guaranty no pollutants are released in the atmosphere, as part of our sustainable processes.