Sunday 30 January 2011

Oil Absorbents - Choosing the Right Kind For Fast and Economical Clean Up of Oil Spills


How do you clean up an oil spill? There are a variety of ways, but they all come down to one thing: oil absorbents. Read on for some economical ways to clean up quickly.
If you think about it, among the most essential things we keep around at home to clean up small messes are paper towels. And the higher the quality of those towels, the better their performance. Obviously, paper towels won't work too well for oil spills, but wouldn't it be useful to have something similar to clean up oil-containing messes?
Of course, there is such a thing: Oil absorbent pads and rolls. And just like paper towels, they come in a high performance version and in a budget version. Which one to pick? That depends on your specific needs.
Obviously, if there's a really big spill, the pads or rolls may not be enough. There are other types of very powerful absorbents designed to be used on a larger scale, for example berms to contain spills and oil booms that are designed to absorb large quantities of oil.
But don't underestimate pads and rolls. They can absorb gallons and gallons of fluid. And especially, once the worst of the mess has been removed, oil absorbent pads are perfect for getting rid of the rest. And not just the rest. Sometimes you have to act quickly, and because of their portability, the pads are easy to keep around so that you can clean up spills right when and where they occur.
What exactly are oil absorbent pads and how would you know you have the correct ones for your needs?
Basically, they are literally pads or perforated rolls of oil absorbent material. They're dimpled for better absorption, and repel water based fluids while absorbing oil based fluids. They're perfect for high traffic areas and even suitable for low lint applications.
Another perk -- they're probably the most economical way to clean up oil spills since you can get a lot of pads or a large roll that will last you a long time at a fairly low cost. If you shop around, you can find a case of a hundred pads for less than $50, which means you get a lot of clean-up potential for less than a dollar a pad. In fact, a case can absorb as much as 29 gallons of oil!
They can also be used in many different environmental and industrial settings where there's a need to remove oil based fluids quickly. And since they're also strong, they will hold up well and won't fall apart during use.
What about the economy version? They are made of quick-wicking polypropylene, come in pads and rolls, and also absorb oil while repelling water. In fact, that feature makes them perfect for absorbing oil sheen on water. They can also be used for absorbing any kind of petroleum based liquids, such as for example vegetable oils, solvent based paints, solvents, and a wide range of non-soluble chemicals.
Want to know more about oil absorbents? Travis Zdrazil, an expert on environmental safety products, has supplied businesses with products to aid in meeting EPA and OSHA requirements for more than 10 years. Sign up for his free newsletter at http://www.absorbentsonline.comfor valuable tips and the latest news on absorbent and other environmental safety products.
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