Car Wash Water Recycling

Columbus Scrap Cars is back with our latest news relating to the value of a scrap car, vehicle scrap and scrap yards that buy cars. As a local ‘scrap my car’ service provider, we make it easy to sell us your car in Bexley, Dublin, and Madison, OH. Are you wondering where to scrap my car for cash in Gahanna, Grandview Heights, or Minerva Park? There are options in scrap yards that buy cars, which provide the value of a scrap car for use in vehicle scrap. What separates us among the scrap my car operators is when you sell us your car, we insure that your vehicle becomes a positive resource for the environment. We are a proud proponent of the “green” movement that is efficiently serving areas like Jefferson, Hilliard, & New Albany, OH. Our topic talks about the process of recycling water that is used in car wash sites. Critics say that likely this water contains some pollutants & unwanted particles unless the facility is very diligent in their recycling efforts.

On February 22, 2016 an article by Kelly Doty on on wlos.com told us of the following: “Cars covered in road salt go to car washes. At automated, full service ones that recycle water, could you just be putting the salt back on your car? Duane Lail asked News 13 if recycling processes eliminate salt. Auto Bell in Hendersonville is a wash that recycles the H2O. They said the reclaimed water will not cause rust. Cameron Burrell, a manager, says the salt mixed with our soaps & chemicals during the wash process renders it harmless & non-corrosive. Auto Bell says the soapy, chemical treated water is only used for the wash cycle, and that all cars get a fresh water rinse at the end of the wash cycle. They said they’re proud to be water recyclers and doing their part to preserve the resources.

Next we review an article about the water from car washes from Bill Svec on carwash.com with the following: “Car wash operators have had odors in their pits, tanks and reclaim systems. This problem is aggravated by organic-matter build up and heat. Organic matter consists of solvents, oils, hydrocarbons, cleaning agents & soils. A simple test for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is used to determine how bad the situation is. This measure of water quality totals the number of pollutants found in the water. In a typical waste stream, COD can range from 5,000 ppm (pts. per million) to 200,000 ppm, and in extreme cases up to 700,000 ppm. Bad odors are generally caused by the organic matter washed off vehicles. Algae growing in the pit & tanks and walls will further increase the problem.

The 1st stage for any reclaim system focuses on the cement pad and the pit. If the pad is designed with an adequately sized trench & pit, a good portion of the dirt will be captured & settled in this 1st stage. It is important to seal the concrete to prevent bacteria in the porous concrete. Regular cleaning of this part is essential. Many install traditional technology to treat water for reclaim or discharge. Examples would be: granular activated carbon filter (GAC), sand filters, and oil & water separators. GAC filters generally function by exposing the contaminated water to carbon particles which absorb pollutants. The downside to these systems is the high cost of filter replacement.

Oil/water and centrifugal separators may work well to separate floating oils & dirt by settling, but they do little to filter or eliminate anything else in the water. Since there is minimal filtration being accomplished, particles in the wash water can cause wear & tear on the pumps, motors, and clogging the nozzles. Catalytic oxidation is a combination of ultraviolet light & ozone, which is effective in oxidizing organics and eliminating odors. The greatest advantage with ultraviolet light systems is that they require minimal maintenance as opposed to other types of ozone generators.

Biological treatments, which use what is commonly referred to as “bacteria,” “bugs” or “enzymes,” combined with some form of aeration, are effective against odors and are safe providing they are oxidized, disinfected, or killed before re-using the water. This method takes more time, as the bacteria eat the organics. It isn’t recommended for sites with space restrictions as it requires another separate tank. Also, you would not want your customers or employees exposed to spraying reclaim wash water laden with a high bacteria count.” The full story is found at this link.

Where to scrap my car in Columbus

CSC is one of the area’s foremost scrap yards that buy cars in regions including Whitehall, Worthington, and Brice. To sell us your car, the requirements are that you have the title and matching ID. This is a state requirement for vehicle scrap; therefore, regardless of whether you are located in Harrisburg, Lockbourne, or Marble Cliff, this would apply. Are you trying to determine the value of a scrap car in Obetz, Riverlea, or Urbancrest? Get cash for cars in Valleyview, Blendon, or Brown by calling (614) 715-5005 today. Our junk vehicle by is standing by to provide you a junk car quote for those in Clinton, Jackson, or Mifflin. Complimentary scrap car removal is included in the price we give for scrap vehicle removal in Norwich, Perry, and Plain.

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