Even with today’s knowledge and understanding of toxic compounds in the workplace, thousands of industrial workers are needlessly exposed to them on a daily basis.
The clinical evidence is alarming and well-documented: prolonged exposure to solvents has a direct impact on worker health. Solvents can enter the lungs, mouth or nose, can be absorbed by the skin, and can even be ingested (through contact with the hands). Short term exposure can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and headaches, skin rashes and even burns, reducing a worker’s productivity. Long-term exposure can affect cognitive function, and has the potential to damage internal organs and interfere with human reproductive function, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Québec (2009).
Both highly flammable and toxic, solvents remain a workplace safety hazard. Despite best efforts, industrial accidents still occur, even in the “developed world”. Unforeseen accidents, such as fires and explosions can lead to high repair costs, lost lives and loss of productivity.
And what about environmental damage? While solvents can be recycled, not all of them are. When these toxic substances are disposed of with ignorance or negligence, they end up in the soil and contaminate it; they leach into the ground water; as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) they evaporate in the air and contribute to ozone depletion. In Canada alone there are an estimated 50,000 solvent machines, which generate approximately 35,000 tons of toxic waste on an annual basis and release 4,000 tons of VOCs into the atmosphere.
The Bio-Circle Solution
With the Bio-Circle Environmental Solutions’ product line, Walter is committed to “Making green work.” Our mission is to contribute to our customer’s success by helping them work better. This translates into improving worker health and safety conditions, protecting the environment by replacing VOC-emitting solvents by VOC-free products, and by reducing chemical waste and operating costs while increasing productivity.
Bio-Circle is a parts cleaning system that uses bioremediation, a natural process where microscopic organisms “digest” oils and greases and convert them into water and carbon dioxide. Industrial workers who use Bio-Circle no longer have to worry about their health. Employers enjoy lower operational costs, as Bio-Circle eliminates the need for ventilation hoods, breathing masks, and most importantly, waste disposal or recycling. Visit this link for cost comparison.
The Bio-Circle parts washer also includes a full-service maintenance program for Bio-Circle customers, called Bio-Circle CARE Service, and making it even easier for the industrial market to “go green.” Timothy Houghton, president and COO of Walter Surface Technologies International, explains: “With the growing success of environmentally-friendly Bio-Circle washers throughout our customer base, it was only natural that we follow with the Bio-Circle CARE Service. It means we can ‘load up’ and take the complete service right to our customers’ place of business. It’s how we stand by our commitment to our customers, our products and the environment.”
Just one of thousands of satisfied customers is talk-show host and antique car enthusiast Jay Leno, who uses Bio-Circle at his Big Dog Garage. “The motto we try to have here at the garage is ‘Do No Harm’. We like restoring cars and we like cleaning parts and we try to do it in as green a way as possible. I heard about this parts cleaner and I thought I would investigate it. The secret is in the solution. [The part is] dirty, it sits in this thing overnight and it actually cleans itself.”
A Bio-Circle parts cleaning system typically includes a wash basin, bioremediation cleaning solution, internal filters to catch debris, and accessories such as nozzles and brushes. Dirty parts are placed in the sink and then soaked with the solution. The parts are scrubbed and rinsed clean, the oil and grease detach themselves from the part’s surface, fall in the tank and are then completely consumed by the microorganisms inside the liquid.
Bio-Circle is already used by thousands of workers worldwide in a wide range of industries including general manufacturing, mining, gas, and oil development, automobile and truck manufacturing, pulp and paper, construction, shipbuilding, aircraft and rail maintenance, pharmaceutical and food processing, and more. The list of companies that use this system includes: Alcan, BC Hydro, BMW, Bombardier, Chevrolet, CP Rail, Domtar, Kruger, LCBO, Ontario Power, Porsche, Toyota, United Space Alliance, and many others.
For more information, visit biocircle.com.
