Proper due diligence when choosing a container can help minimize dumpster water pollution in stormwater runoff.

Stormwater runoff is often a leading cause of stream impairment in urban areas. Given the large variety of materials typically hauled away from construction sites for recycling, the excess deposits from roll-on and roll-off containers can be a significant contributor to the volume of water that ultimately ends up in local streams, lakes, wetlands and rivers.

This can cause flooding and erosion and wash away critical habitats for organisms living in the stream. To help better protect the environment, container manufacturers are required to deliver on a robust list of regulatory standards from government entities.

From United States Department of Transportation (DOT) guidance to requirements under the National Association of Corrosion Engineers, the regulatory requirements outline what needs to be achieved with the end product while also leaving room for companies and municipalities to control how these containers ultimately prevent stormwater runoff.

As long as the end product prevents stormwater run-off, the container remains compliant. The overall waste industry should ensure proper due diligence to prevent stormwater runoff and protect natural resources.

Standard operating steps can minimize dumpster water pollution in stormwater runoff, such as keeping the lid closed to prevent rain entry, positioning dumpsters away from storm drain inlets, avoiding the disposal of liquids in a dumpster and replacing the unit when it begins to rust or crack. However, the real work begins with the container itself.

Companies have the opportunity to be innovative with product development. While there are known measures that minimize contamination, the responsibility begins with the provider’s design and engineering.

While company leaders launch corporate responsibility programs to hold themselves and their clients accountable, developing new products to meet compliance standards is critical.

By creating products and a standard of behavior that show respect for the environment, companies can support the circular economy by sourcing responsibly, reducing carbon footprints and developing more products with environmental benefits. Charlotte, North Carolina-based Wastequip has pursued this idea through the development of a new roll-off cover with a permanent mount that opens to both sides of the container. The dual-locking system is designed to prevent unauthorized dumping. In addition, the UV-protected polyethylene cover provides an impact-resistant outer shell designed to withstand extreme weather conditions. Features such as these collectively can combat the risk of unwanted matter getting inside the container, ultimately resulting in less pollution in stormwater runoff.

City and state governments also can regulate the design of containers used to collect and transport waste and recyclables.

Many municipalities in the Northwest no longer allow containers with inside drains. Prohibiting drains in containers continues to be a popular trend, expanding to other areas of the country, as well.

Roll-off container manufacturers adhere to local design rules during the design process and specialize in adjusting the engineering to provide a final product that suits both the client’s needs and the requirements of these local regulations.

When a container arrives, the customer expects it to do its job, and protection against environmental damage is undoubtedly part of that. Containers are designed, constructed and tested at the time of manufacture to ensure they meet standards recommended by the Carboline Protective Coatings, as well as DOT specifications. Companies also are required to follow stringent guidelines to ensure roll-off containers position their customers to best protect the environment.

Testing is conducted throughout the development of the product. Before any coating is applied, the interior surfaces of the tank are inspected. Engineers should work to remove all existing blisters, weld splatters, sharp projections, slivers and pits. Meanwhile, decontamination typically is performed by combining rounding, grinding and high-pressure washing with sand injection. After the preliminary inspection, surface preparation begins. All oil and grease should be removed from the surfaces to be coated with a suitable safety solvent before abrasive blasting. Manufacturers also should take several steps to ensure they meet standards, from the type of air compressor used to coat the exterior to the anchor pattern’s depth or “tooth” in the metal.

Following the coating application and curing of the container, final testing begins. Before an order leaves the warehouse, all containers should be water tested to ensure they are liquid-tight and sift-proof. DOT terminology requires a “sift-proof non-DOT specification cargo tank and portable tank” and a “non-DOT specification cargo tank and portable tank suitable for [the] transport of liquids.”

Overall, meeting regulatory requirements is not only a form of compliance but also an opportunity for the owner/operator to protect the environment. Stormwater runoff wreaks havoc on water sources, and these chemical contaminants can harm not only the health of humans but also of wildlife. By using a container that works to prevent stormwater runoff and prioritizing ongoing maintenance and timely replacement, the industry can adequately do its part to keep the nation’s waters clean.

Brett Withers is the engineering manager at Wastequip, Charlotte, North Carolina, www.wastequip.com.

For haulers across the country, rising insurance costs associated with transporting waste and recyclables have become a major pain point. With premiums for commercial auto insurance rising anywhere from 25 percent to well more than 100 percent in recent years, haulers are facing pressure from insurance underwriters to improve their safety operations.

At C&D World, hosted by the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA), this year’s conference programming highlighted some of these transportation woes during a panel discussion led by new CDRA Executive Director Becky Caldwell.

Presented with the question of how to best combat rising insurance costs, Ron Tazelaar, president of Illinois-based Taz Holdings, said installing cameras in early 2022 has helped to cut insurance costs by 5 percent.

For Kelsey Thomas, transportation and disposal manager for R&B Debris, similar methods have helped the New Jersey-based transportation and disposal company lower its premiums for trucking operations.

“For our subcontracted trucks, we have GPS access to all of them. So, say they get in an accident, we get all the information that we need so we can handle it,” she said. “Most of the trucks have cameras in them, as well, that are aimed forward, back and on the sides that the driver can see in their vehicle. The cameras also record so, if [the driver] does get in an accident, they have the ability to see what [was] going on around them.”

In addition to increased safety efforts, strong relations with insurance companies were among the ways Tom Milani, vice president of Michael Brothers Hauling & Recycling in Pennsylvania, has saved money.

“There’s a lot of free training, there’s a lot of loss control where they’ll come up and look at your site, look at your trucks and talk to your drivers—that’s been amazing for us,” he said.