BIO-BASED ABSORBENT PRODUCTS FOR HYDROCARBON SPILLS

Revision Date: 7/04
Process Code: Navy/Marines: IND-025-13; Air Force: SP01; Army: VHM
Usage List: Navy: Low; Marines: Low; Army: Low; Air Force: Low
Alternative For: Polypropylene Absorbent Material
Compliance Impact: Low
Applicable EPCRA Targeted Constituents and CAS Numbers:  N/A
Overview: Bio-based absorbent products are designed to help remediate hydrocarbon spills. A patent-pending needle punch manufacturing process weaves wool and cotton waste into heavy-duty absorbent mats capable of absorbing 20 times their own weight in Diesel Oil #2. In addition to providing natural fiber absorbents from annually renewable resources, some vendors also offer recycling services. For instance, USA Absorbents offers a closed-loop-recycling program to selected users within the contiguous 48 states. These users have the option of returning used oily USA Absorbents products to the USA facility for bioremediation, as opposed to incinerating or landfilling the product as hazardous waste. The used product is shipped to USA Absorbents in 30-gallon overpack containers, U.N. rated, via Roadway Package Service. Participants in the program include government, military, and customers in the automotive and petroleum industries. Participants are required to sign contracts agreeing to comply with specific terms, such as specifying acceptable and unacceptable (i.e., chlorinated solvents) materials.


Compliance Benefit: Usage of approved bio-based products can help an activity meet the affirmative procurement requirements of Executive Order 13101, "Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition."

If a facility's hydrocarbon-contaminated absorbents are considered a hazardous waste, the use of the cotton/wool absorbent pads instead of the polypropylene pads can decrease the amount of hazardous waste generated since the cotton/wool pads will absorb more per pound. A decrease in hazardous waste may help facilities reduce their generator status and lessen their regulatory burden (e.g., recordkeeping, reporting, inspections, transportation, accumulation time, emergency prevention and preparedness, and emergency response) under RCRA, 40 CFR 262. In addition, taking advantage of the bioremediation option may decrease a facility's landfill disposal costs.

The compliance benefits listed here are only meant to be used as general guidelines and are not meant to be strictly interpreted. Actual compliance benefits will vary depending on the factors involved, e.g., the amount of workload involved.


Materials Compatibility: Wool-based absorbents are designed to absorb oil, or water and oil. Cotton-based pillows, pads and rolls are designed to absorb oil only.
Safety and Health: The use of these cotton and wool absorbent pads pose minimal safety and health concerns. Bio-based absorbents contain no hazardous constituents and have no exposure limits. Wool-based mats, cotton-based mats, and the static dissipative blankets should meet the anti-static requirements as specified in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 99 test Section 2-6.3.8 (F)3 B. However, climatic conditions must be carefully evaluated by the Incident Commander before using anti-static absorbent pads in a fuel/vapor spill environment since extreme temperatures and/or dry conditions significantly increase the potential for static discharge and ignition.

Consult your local industrial health specialist, your local health and safety personnel, and the appropriate MSDS prior to implementing this technology.


Benefits:
  • All products are made from natural organic fibers and are biodegradable and friendly to the environment.
  • All products are made from both recovered waste products and sustainable annually renewable resources.
  • All products, excluding the static dissipative blanket, can be incinerated or landfilled in accordance with local regulations.
  • USA Absorbents wool-based and cotton-based products meet the NFPA requirements as specified in the NFPA 99 test Section 2-6.3.8 (F)3B.
  • All mats, pads, rolls, pillows, socks, and booms can be reused effectively at least 8-10 times if mechanically wrung out after each use.
  • Wool saturated with oil has over 18,000 BTUs per pound for incineration.
  • Sorbency tests on wool needle-punched absorbent have shown that the absorbent can absorb up to approximately 20 times its own weight in diesel #2 and light crude oil and nearly 50 times its own weight in heavy crude oil.
  • Sorbency tests on cotton needle-punched absorbent have shown that the absorbent can absorb up to approximately 18 times its own weight in diesel #2 and light crude oil and 13 times its own weight in heavy crude oil.


Disadvantages: As stated in the safety and health section, climatic conditions must be carefully evaluated by the Spill Incident Commander before using anti-static absorbent pads in a fuel/vapor spill environment since extreme temperatures and/or dry conditions significantly increase the potential for static discharge and ignition.


Economic Analysis: An economic analysis assuming a 100-gallon spill scenario is presented below. Since labor costs were considered to be the same for both the conventional polypropylene absorbent and the bio-based wool absorbent, the labor costs were excluded from the economic analysis. Information was obtained from bio-based product evaluation reports conducted by the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center.

Assumptions:

  • Absorbent pads are used to clean a 100-gallon oil spill.
  • Labor costs are equivalent for conventional and bio-based absorbents.
  • Municipal landfill disposal rate is $0.40 per pound.
  • USA Absorbents wool pads have an absorption ratio of 22 pounds of oil absorbed per pound of absorbent. (Vendor claims an absorbency ratio of 11 though repeated test data confirms an absorbency ratio of 22.)
  • Conventional polypropylene pads have an absorption ratio of 9.5 pounds of oil absorbed per pound of absorbent.
  • USA Absorbent wool pads cost $3.25 per pound.
  • Conventional polypropylene pads cost $2.71 per pound.

Table 1. Cost Comparison for Bio-Based Absorbent Pads vs. Conventional Polypropylene Absorbent Pads

  USA Absorbents Woolzorb Pads Conventional Polypropylene Pads
Capital Costs: $106 $205
Disposal Costs: $301 $318
Total Costs: $407 $523
Total Income: $0 $0
Annual Benefit: -$407 -$523

Economic Analysis Summary:

  • Savings using USA Absorbents: $116
  • Capital Cost for Diversion Equipment/Process: $0
  • Payback Period for Investment in Equipment/Process: Immediate

Note: Used bio-based USA Absorbents products may also be returned to the vendor for bioremediation. Transportation costs would be comparable to municipal disposal costs.

Click here to View an Active Spreadsheet for this Economic Analysis and Enter Your Own Values. To return from the Active Spreadsheet, click the Back arrow in the Tool Bar.


NSN/MSDS:
Product NSN Unit Size Cost MSDS*
Cottonsoak Pads 4235-01-451-8744 18" x 18" (100 count) $57 N/A
Wooly Mats 4235-01-442-9620 24" x 150' $105 N/A
Wooly Mats 4235-01-441-0249 30" x 150' $132 N/A
Wooly Mats 4235-01-441-0252 48" x 150' $210 N/A
Wooly Mats 4235-01-441-0250 116" x 150' $525 N/A
Woolzorb Pads 4235-01-441-0246 18" x 18" (100 count) $57 N/A
Woolzorb Rolls 4235-01-441-0251 18" x 150' $57 N/A
Woolzorb Rolls 4235-01-441-0247 36" x 150' $113 N/A
Wooly Boom 4235-01-441-0248 6" x 10' $120 N/A
Static Dissipative Blanket/EMI Static Shied Backing 4235-01-441-0253 3' x 3' $95 N/A

*There are multiple MSDSs for most NSNs. The MSDS (if shown above) is only meant to serve as an example. To return from the MSDS, click the Back arrow on the Tool Bar.
Approving Authority: Appropriate authority for making process changes should always be sought prior to procuring or implementing any of the technologies identified herein.


Points of Contact: For more information
Vendors: This is not meant to be a complete list, as there may be other suppliers of this type of equipment.


USA Absorbents
6922 Sunbelt Dr. E.
San Antonio,TX   78218
Phone: (210) 824-5673 or 888-248-WOOL (888-248-9665)
FAX: (210) 824-1170
Email: usasorb@flash.net 
Contact: Mr. Bob McDonald, President
Contact: Mr. Randy McDonald, Vice President


Related Links: Do You Clean Up Hydrocarbon Product Spills?, Navy Environmental Quality Initiative (EQI)
Do You Respond to Harbor Oil Spills or Leaks?, Navy Environmental Quality Initiative (EQI)
Do You Use Absorbant Material to Clean Up Fluid Spills?, Navy Environmental Quality Initiative (EQI)


Sources: Evaluation of Bio-Based Industrial Products For Navy and DoD Use: USA Absorbents, Technical Report Number TR-2100-ENV, March 1999.