Scales for Hazardous Waste Processing and Chemical Waste Handling

Hazardous waste disposal is governed through State and Federal regulations. The purpose of environmentally sound disposal methods is to prevent harm to water, land, and air. Generally, this will cover any garbage, refuse, or sludge from a waste treatment plant, water treatment plant, or air pollution control facility or other types of discarded material known as Solid Waste (which can be solid, liquid, or semi-solid materials). This material may have also contained gaseous material resulting from industrial, municipal, commercial, mining and agricultural operations, or from community and institutional activities.

Noncompliance with any hazardous waste regulation may result in substantial fines and penalties. The types of violations range from improperly labeling a waste container to intentionally disposing of hazardous waste incorrectly. Proper weighing, containment, tagging, collection, and disposal of these materials are essential to the success of removing hazardous waste.

In many different environments, hazardous wastes must be carefully controlled. These can include a wide variety of medical areas including doctors’ offices, nursing homes, clinics, and hospitals. Other types of hazardous materials including radioactive wastes are also carefully controlled. Depending on the nature of the material, it may need to be collected and stored in clearly marked containers.

These containers may have to be locked in ways that avoid accidental exposure or inappropriate access with methods in place to document all of the materials. One of the best ways to monitor hazardous waste material is by weight.

Choosing the Right Scale for Waste Management

The containers used to store this weight may either constantly sit on a scale, or they may be placed on the scale as they are filled. Depending on the type of waste container, the appropriate scale may be an electronic bench scale. If the container is larger, a platform scale or a drum scale will be the correct choice. For very large containers, floor scales will have the ability to weigh them.

The industrial scales themselves must be properly chosen for the environment in which they will be used. Arlyn Scales can provide the proper type of industrial scale needed to be used to complete the job. Depending on the capacity, the company has a plethora of electronic scales that are deemed useful.

The company offers High-Resolution Scales with Super Sensitivity starting with capacities ranging from 10 lb all the way to scales with capacities of 500 lb. Corrosion Resistant Scales are great for weighing cylinders and drums of corrosive materials. Our industrial bench scales with Strain Gauge Technology would work great in many hazardous environments.

Choosing the type of scale with the right features is very important in the success of monitoring and handling of hazardous waste material. Depending on the niche, there are many factors to consider when choosing a scale.

Stainless Steel Construction

It is often best to use digital scales that are constructed from stainless steel. This allows the scale to be washed down either while the container is sitting on the platform or after it is removed. The digital display should also be sealed so that any water that may be splashed on it will not cause any problems.

Stainless steel load sensors have a much better able to withstand shock loads and overloads that the other type of material typically used, aluminum. If the waste containers are being placed onto the electronic scale manually, or even with a forklift, it is quite possible that it will occasionally be dropped onto the platform. This can cause large, instantaneous shock loads which will quickly destroy load sensors that are made from aluminum. Stainless steel is much better than even plated steel load sensors.  

Large Digital Display

The digital scale being used should have a display that is easy to read. Large graphics digits are the best way of providing a reading that will avoid errors in recording, even if it is being used in poor light conditions. The scale should also have the ability to weigh in a variety of units, such as kilograms, grams, pounds, and ounces. This will provide data that is most useful for the specific application.

Data Recording and Connectivity

To monitor data, it needs to be recorded. The most common method of doing this is to simply hand write the weights into a chart. Of course, this is prone to human error. Also, it has very little security. It is generally better to send the data to a computer and record it there. To do so, the scale must be equipped with a data communication port.

The most common means has traditionally been an RS-232 channel but more recently, the computer industry has been eliminating the RS-232 port. Instead, computers are now provided with multiple USB and Ethernet ports. While most industrial instruments do not provide this type of connectivity, the higher quality scales, such as those from Arlyn Scales, do provide those options.

The USB port on these industrial scales can be directly connected into the personal computer. A Windows-based software application takes the data from the scale and automatically inserts it into either an Excel spreadsheet or a database table that can be read by Access.

Using these tools, accurate data can be securely recorded, including the date and time of measuring the weight. It is also possible to forward this data directly from the computer to a central office, or a monitoring organization.

The Importance of Proper Hazardous Chemical Waste Handling

While Arlyn Scales can provide the means to weigh your waste material, don’t forget to ensure proper containers as well. Always start with a container that’s in good condition, which means no holes or punctures; no rusting, dents, or bulges in the seams. Hazardous waste must be compatible with the container in which it is stored. For example, corrosive hazardous wastes must never be stored in steel drums as it will erode steel containers and cause their failure.

For more information like this, no matter the niche or environment, Arlyn has the digital, industrial, floor or platform scales you need to provide the accuracy, durability, and dependability that you require. Contact us to discuss your facility and what scales would work best for your waste management.