Skip to content 
As Elio Yu, CEO of Enlightening Pallet, I’m in the thick of ensuring industrial safety through spill containment solutions. My days are filled with tackling the complexities of environmental protection, and today, I’m sharing my insights on a topic that’s crucial for industries dealing with hazardous materials: secondary containment.
Secondary containment is a critical environmental safeguard, designed to prevent hazardous material spills from spreading and causing pollution. It’s a mandatory layer of protection, required by agencies like the EPA and OSHA, especially in industries handling liquids in containers or drums.
Engaging in this realm isn’t just about ticking off compliance boxes; it’s about crafting a safer, more responsible industrial landscape.
Why Does Your Industry Need Secondary Containment?
In industries such as petroleum, where large volumes of liquids and gases are transported, secondary containment is non-negotiable. It’s an extra layer of safety, preventing environmental pollution and harm to people or property in the event of a spill or leak from primary containers like drums, tanks, or IBC totes.
How Does Secondary Containment Function?
Imagine your primary storage container failing. Here’s where secondary containment steps in as a precautionary system to contain the spill, stopping it from spreading further. It’s not just a secondary system; it’s a crucial line of defense against potential environmental disasters.
What Are the Materials Requiring Secondary Containment?
Secondary containment isn’t optional if you’re dealing with materials that are toxic, flammable, reactive, combustible, or corrosive. To determine if your materials fall under regulated categories, you should refer to the Federal CERCLA list or your state’s Critical Materials Register. However, even for non-regulated materials, secondary containment comes highly recommended for utmost safety.
Who Needs Secondary Containment the Most?
The industries that commonly require secondary containment are diverse, ranging from electrical power to oil and gas drilling, military and government sectors, railcar and railroad operations, construction, farming, and municipal utility plants. In these sectors, the stakes of environmental safety are high, and the consequences of neglect can be severe.
What Are the EPA’s Requirements for Secondary Containment?
The EPA’s Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Rule is a critical guideline here. It mandates facilities with significant aboveground or underground oil storage capacity to have a detailed plan on preventing oil spills into navigable waters and adjoining shorelines. This rule underscores the importance of being prepared and proactive in spill prevention.
What Types of Secondary Containment Systems Exist?
Secondary containment systems are varied and can be customized to suit specific needs. These range from simple sheds to complex underground vault systems. Key types include tank spill containment, berms, drip buckets, track pans, sunken floors, curbs, dike MPE systems, and liners. The right system depends on the specific facility and material requirements.
Conclusion
In summary, secondary containment is more than a regulatory requirement; it’s an indispensable part of maintaining a safe and responsible industrial environment. At Enlightening Pallet, we understand the critical nature of these systems and are dedicated to offering solutions that meet and exceed the diverse needs of industries across the globe.
