Sorbent containers

Sorbent containers store material that absorbs spilled hazardous substances, ready for immediate use in the event of an incident or leak – part of the equipment for workstations handling chemicals and petroleum products.

Sorbents are a natural complement to the hazardous waste containers category, useful for every type of spill.

Quick access to sorbent limits the extent of contamination in emergencies.

The range includes universal sorbents as well as those designed for specific groups of substances, for example oil-only or chemical, so the material can be matched to the hazards present at a given workstation. We recommend regularly checking and replenishing the sorbent supply in the container.

Sorbent is available in several forms suited to the nature of the spill – loose mineral or synthetic granules work well for large spills on hard surfaces, absorbent mats at workstations with a regular but small risk of contamination, and absorbent socks where spreading liquid must be contained quickly, for example around a drain.

Sorbent containers are most often placed in the immediate vicinity of the workstations most exposed to spills – next to dispensers at filling stations, at oil change bays in vehicle workshops, in chemical stores and on production lines handling petroleum products. The distance from the potential source of hazard has a direct impact on response time in an emergency.

The availability of sorbent alone is not enough – it is equally important to train staff in how to use it correctly and in the procedure to follow after collecting the contaminated material, which itself becomes hazardous waste and must be handled in accordance with regulations. Many facilities combine equipping workstations with sorbent with periodic health and safety training covering emergency procedures.

Besides storing the material, the sorbent container itself often serves an information function – clear marking of where the sorbent is located shortens an employee's response time in the stressful situation of a spill, when every minute counts. We recommend inspecting the sorbent supply at least once a quarter, and more often at facilities with an increased risk of spills.

In larger facilities with several or a dozen or so risk points, it can be helpful to mark the locations of individual sorbent containers on a site plan made available to employees – in an emergency, when time matters, knowing where the nearest sorbent access point is shortens the response far more effectively than searching for it on the spot.