Safe handling and treatment of DDT contaminated soils

The Challenge

Chinese client was open stockpiling DDT contaminated soils from an abandoned industrial site and wanted to co-process these and other contaminated soils. The Chinese environmental authorities (SEPA) was skeptical whether or not this could be done safely. Key issues to be addressed: how to keep fugitive DDT containing dusts as well as run-off from contaminating neighboring agricultural fields and fish ponds; how to protect workers from handling the contaminated soils; and how to transport contaminated soils for incineration in a cement kiln.

The Solution

The solution was to build a negative pressure covered dome structure with airlock and self-contained drainage system. In order to protect workers, mandated PPE strategy, designed a clean area for workers to change from contaminated PPEs into street clothes. Furthermore, an industrial hygiene plan was devised to monitor efficacy of preventative measures. An enclosed screw conveyer system was designed to feed DDT contaminated soils into cement kiln thus eliminating manual handling and open transport.

The Results

The overall result was a previously contaminated industrial site was cleaned and transformed into prime real estate and we could prove to SEPA that the contaminated soils and runoff water could be safely co-processed.