- Client: Confidential Manufacturing Company
- Location: Midwestern United States
- Industry Sector: Manufacturing / Chemical Waste Management
- Project Type: Hazardous Waste Identification, Profiling, Transport & Disposal
- Contractor: ERG Environmental Services
Project Overview
ERG Environmental Services was contacted by a manufacturing facility regarding a legacy chemical storage issue. Multiple pallets of drums—stored high in warehouse racks for years—had become a mystery. With staff turnover and no existing records, the materials were unlabeled, undocumented, and potentially hazardous.
ERG was brought in to identify, profile, and properly dispose of these materials while minimizing safety risks and ensuring full compliance with environmental regulations.
Project Challenges & Client Needs
The client faced several key challenges:
- Unknown Contents: No visual labels or documentation existed for the drums.
- Safety Concerns: Potential hazardous materials stored in high, hard-to-access racking.
- Regulatory Risk: Unidentified waste posed liability and compliance risks.
- Urgency: The client needed a quick and affordable resolution to free up warehouse space and reduce exposure.
ERG’s Turnkey Environmental Solution
1. Material Access & Inspection
ERG guided the client in safely bringing the drums down to the shop floor for evaluation. Once accessible:
- Crews removed thick layers of dust to search for any manufacturing or product labels.
- A single recovered label became the critical first clue.
2. Chemical Identification Process
ERG used a multi-pronged diagnostic approach:
- Label Analysis: Traced manufacturer and supplier history.
- pH Testing: Used pH paper to test and categorize contents.
- Consultation: Contacted the water treatment vendor believed to have supplied the drums.
- Cross-Referencing: Matched pH results with historical SDS/MSDS documentation to confidently identify the chemical types.
3. Waste Profiling, Quoting & Disposal
Once identified, ERG:
- Prepared formal waste profiles per federal and state hazardous waste standards.
- Generated an accurate quote for compliant disposal.
- Scheduled licensed transportation and disposal through approved waste facilities.
Certifications & Quality Credentials
ERG’s operations were backed by critical environmental and safety credentials:
- HAZWOPER-Certified Technicians
- DOT-Certified Hazardous Waste Transporters
- Licensed Hazardous Waste Hauling Authority
- Expertise in Waste Identification & Regulatory Compliance
These ensured the project met all state and federal environmental standards while providing full documentation for the client.
Value Delivered to the Client
| Key Benefit | Outcome Delivered by ERG |
| Risk Mitigation | Eliminated unidentified hazardous materials from the site |
| Cost-Effective Compliance | Avoided potential regulatory fines through proper profiling & disposal |
| Operational Efficiency | Freed up valuable warehouse space and resolved a long-standing issue |
| Technical Expertise | Provided chemical identification the client could not perform internally |
| Peace of Mind | ERG handled transport, profiling, and disposal start-to-finish |
Summary
ERG Environmental Services delivered a critical turnkey solution for a chemical mystery that had lingered for years. By combining field-tested investigative techniques, chemical expertise, and certified disposal capabilities, ERG safely and effectively removed unknown chemical drums from a manufacturing facility. The result was regulatory peace of mind, a safer facility, and restored operational confidence for the client.