Canada’s first ecoStop installed in
Fort Erie, Ontario
By Brian Clarke, P.Eng.
Con Cast Pipe
Ready-for-installation manhole components arrive on site ready for assembly.
Oil and gasoline spills into
storm sewers and open
drainage courses are
unacceptable. To receive
approvals for industrial and commercial
developments, land developers and landowners
have to be aware of the immediate
and any future impacts that their
projects may have on the natural environment.
Litigation might follow a serious
uncontained spill that could cost the
company or person responsible a small
fortune, as well as incarceration in most
serious offences.
A growing awareness of the value of
our natural environment, and stiff legislation
that deals with polluters, have
turned many proponents of developments
to technology to help secure
approvals and avoid litigation in the
event of an accidental spill. Fueling stations
are prime candidates for applications
of new technology to contain petroleum
spills, and the long-term collection
of oil from leaking vehicles. Such a
facility is the Fort Erie Truck and Travel
Plaza, in Ontario.
The consulting engineering firm of
AWS Engineers and Planners Corp., of
Beamsville, recommended the use of
ecoStop technology supplied by Royal
Environmental Systems, Inc. after discussions
with engineers at Con Cast
Pipe. The project engineer, John Conlin,
who was adamant about using spill control
technology, favoured ecoStop. It has
the ability to shut itself off automatically
and stop any oil or gasoline from entering
the storm sewer in the event of a
catastrophic spill. No external energy
supply is required, there are no electrical
parts and retrofitting existing concrete
separators or manholes is easy. It
is not designed to remove sediment from
runoff. AWS will monitor the performance
of the product over the next year.
The below grade petroleum spill control
system is used for any facility or site
where the potential for a petroleum spill
exists. It has a valve at the inlet that will
automatically shut off whenever the volume
of floatable materials (oil, gasoline,
diesel fuel) exceeds the rated capacity
of the retention tank. It is an ideal spill
control for point sources such as gasoline
stations and other fueling facilities,
electrical transformers, generators, oil
storage areas, and transportation fueling
systems. In the event of fuel splashes or
malfunctions during underground fuel
storage refilling, the spilled material will
enter the oil separator facility.
Abridged
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