A separator will typically capture oil.

It would have no effect upon any "detergents" used in the cleaner - you need a procedure about where the machine can be discharged and an emergency drain cover to go with your spill kit.

It depends on what your separator does exactly some can separate out oil as well, but some just separate out particulate matter. This water that will go down the drain, what is it contaminated with exactly? is it just dirty? If it is from the loading bay where just the people walk, then there should not be any oil on the floor.

If it is just dirty water and you have a separator for the particulates, just contact your water undertaker, and ask if it is ok, they will probably say yes, ask for a confirmation letter / email /permit. You need to estimate the qty you will put down the drain before you talk to them. You will need to have an aspect/impact assessment for this activity for your ISO.

If it does separate oil out, then you need to have something in place to ensure this is emptied, and when the particulate matter / sludge is removed obviously it will be classed as hazardous waste.

Chris

Originally Posted by: chris42

It depends on what your separator does exactly some can separate out oil as well, but some just separate out particulate matter. This water that will go down the drain, what is it contaminated with exactly? is it just dirty? If it is from the loading bay where just the people walk, then there should not be any oil on the floor.

If it is just dirty water and you have a separator for the particulates, just contact your water undertaker, and ask if it is ok, they will probably say yes, ask for a confirmation letter / email /permit. You need to estimate the qty you will put down the drain before you talk to them. You will need to have an aspect/impact assessment for this activity for your ISO.

Thank you

Thank you 

Thank you

If it does separate oil out, then you need to have something in place to ensure this is emptied, and when the particulate matter / sludge is removed obviously it will be classed as hazardous waste.

Chris

Edited by user 11 May 2021 07:24:16(UTC)  | Reason: Added thank you

May I suggest you speak to your water supply company.  I once had a situation where a compnay I was working for had a the same situation, where detergent contaminated water and process water (condensation from compressers) were being discharged directly into the local foul water system.  It was a situation that had been going on for a long time, so they fronted up to the water company and said that they had had been doing this.  Their response was supportive and in the end they issued the company with a discharge licence allowing them to discharge contaminated water into the foul drain. I can remember how much they were allowed to discharge but it was a huge amount and was measured in cubic metres but was way in excess of what they had been putting in the drain.  

I guess the message is that the solution may be simple and does not always require huge amounts of time and money put into it. 

To add to my previous post and just to comment further it is very possible that when you pour the contents of your floor cleaner down the drain, that it is NOT the foul sewer, it could just be a storm water drain! (otherwise, you would get a sewage smell come out of it). However, as you have / are going for ISO 14001 you have a drainage plan and normally they are colour coded red for foul and blue for storm. Some drainage systems bring storm and foul sewer together further down the line, but others do not.

As noted, give them a call, we are allowed at one place to discharge up to 3,000 of dirty, water with detergent per day! So I’m sure your floor cleaner be ok. BTW I went for 3,000 litres, because this was the max, I could get without having to pay (so why not). It goes out via a storm water drainage system into a local river and is fully endorsed by the Env agency!

Yeh water drained from a compressor will have a small amount of oil in it.

Chris

Originally Posted by: chris42

However, as you have / are going for ISO 14001 you have a drainage plan and normally they are colour coded red for foul and blue for storm.

In the United Utilities (formerly North West Water region) most drainage and supply plans where they exist are still the old black ink drawings - many a happy hour with flourescent green drain dye :-)

Some ISO 14001 sites will paint the drain covers especially high risk surface waters, others avoid contamination by applying signage adjacent to the drain.