Case Study: TPH Reduction in Oily Laundry
The laundry department for a large repair facility faced the expensive problem of having its wastewater treated as hazardous waste due to the high content of petroleum and other hydrocarbons present in the water.
The greases and oils came in on rags, uniforms, and other materials that the laundry department was required to process. The water from the wash cycles was recirculated until the concentration of greases and oils become high enough, at which point the water was stored in 55 gallon drums and ultimately disposed of as hazardous waste.
Seeking a more cost-effective solution, the department examined means of naturally removing the petroleum from the water. Ultimately deciding to use enzymes, management ran several tests on Great Lakes Bio Systems enzymes vs. the competition, and provided the following test results for both the wash water and rinse water:
The significant reduction in TPH provided the department with a number of benefits:
Wash Water treated with Great Lakes Bio Systems product
| Date | TPH | Reduction | pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07/09/07 | 65,100 | N/A | 10.5 |
| 07/11/07 | 3,220 | 95.05 % | 10.1 |
| 07/26/07 | 3,910 | 93.99 % | 7.84 |
Wash Water treated with competitor's product
| Date | TPH | Reduction | pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07/10/07 | 1,620 | N/A | 8.75 |
| 07/12/07 | 5,810 | -258.64% | 6.87 |
| 07/26/07 | 2,140 | 63.17% | 6.89 |
Rinse Water treated with Great Lakes Bio Systems product
| Date | TPH | Reduction | pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07/09/07 | 7,040 | N/A | 7.39 |
| 07/11/07 | 208 | 97.05% | 7.09 |
| 07/26/07 | 77.8 | 98.89% | 7.32 |
Rinse Water treated with competitor's product
| Date | TPH | Reduction | pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07/10/07 | 99.4 | N/A | 6.73 |
| 07/12/07 | 18.9 | 80.99% | 6.15 |
| 07/26/07 | 39.6 | 60.16% | 7.51 |
Results:
- The rags and uniforms came out much cleaner because the enzyme was able to work on the contaminants right in the wash cycle, attacking it directly on the fabric.
- The department was able to recycle their own water. The water was able to re-circulate for longer periods of time because the hydrocarbon concentration was kept at a lower level.
- Overall disposal costs dropped significantly.