What is Physico Chemical Treatment?
Physico chemical treatment involves using chemicals which can modify physical state of colloidal particles which helps in making them more stable and coagulable for further treatment or filtration purposes.
Veolia’s PCT plants offer a network of nationwide facilities for the treatment of a variety of bulk wastes, including: interceptors, spraybooths, aqueous wastes, acidic wastes, alkaline waste, oil/water mixes, soluble oils and sludges offering compliant local treatment solutions.
How we can help
Our sites based at Marchwood, Redbourn, and Empire in Walsall, mean there is always a local option for your bulk waste in order to reduce your carbon footprint.
The PCTs manage a wide range of liquid wastes and are supported by the country’s largest independent specialised ADR fleet. Our logistics service offering enables Veolia to deliver an in-house, one-stop-shop for the collection and treatment of bulk wastes.
On receipt of an enquiry, a pre-sample is taken and tested for compliance against the site permit, checking the chemical components as well as the EWC code. Once approved, the waste can be accepted. On arrival, a fingerprint test is carried out by our own on-site laboratories to ensure the waste received is as described before a chemist assigns the tanker an unloading point on the plant.
Once the load is deposited, each site has its own tanker wash facility for removing any remaining solids, and to ensure tanker barrels are clean when leaving the site to avoid cross-contamination or reaction with the following load.
The waste is treated using acidic and/or caustic reagents to remove oils for recycling and convert soluble metal contaminants to a non-hazardous insoluble form. The resultant mix is passed through a filter press to remove the insoluble solids. The resultant “filtrate” liquor is then tested for compliance against the site's discharge consent before being discharged to the sewer and hence recycling back into the local water system.
How do we create value for you?
The PCTs have the ability to accept high levels of solids (20-80%), and a wide-ranging level of chemical contamination. A free pre-testing service is offered to guarantee your waste is compliant with our site waste acceptance permit and we will provide all necessary legal documentation for carriage and disposal. Veolia employs the best available techniques (BATs) and is also well placed with regards to future-proofing EA compliance in line with the upcoming changes to BREF regulations.
