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Leaks or Spills
Spills should be cleaned immediately to prevent
the spread of carbon black. Dry vacuuming is the
recommended method for collecting spilled carbon
black. If a portable cleaner is used, care must
be taken to ensure that filters are maintained.
A central vacuum system should be considered for
routine housekeeping and the clean-up of localized
process leaks. The collector serving the central
vacuum should be located outdoors. If it is necessary
to clean a remote or small spill by dry sweeping,
care should be taken not to disperse the carbon
black into the air. Carbon black is not easily
wetted and water may cause spilled material to
disperse, so water sprays and wetting are not
recommended for cleaning. Should this method be
used, however, caution should be exercised since
wet carbon black makes walking surfaces very slippery.
Disposal
Carbon black, with the exception of chemically
treated and water dispersible carbon black grades,
is appropriately and most often disposed of in
landfills. (Check with your local regulatory agency
or your carbon black supplier for current requirements
on the disposal of chemically treated and water
dispersible carbon black grades.) Carbon black
is non-toxic and will not leach or release any
constituents to the groundwater from a landfill.
Carbon black has a very high surface area and
a strong adsorptive capacity. Organic materials
that come in contact with carbon black can be
adsorbed and are not easily liberated thereafter.
Carbon black is not biodegradable. Carbon black
can also be used as an alternative fuel for kilns,
or can be incinerated (adequate residence time
and oxygen content needs to be provided to assure
that complete combustion occurs), since it has
approximately the same heat value (BTUs) per pound
as pulverized coal and will combust completely
with low emissions and virtually no residual ash.
Both above mentioned alternatives are environmentally
suitable disposal methods, assuming they are in
accordance with national, state, provincial and
local regulations. Care should always be taken
with disposal actions to control dust emissions
during the pick-up, transportation and subsequent
depositing of waste material at the landfill site
or during other disposal activities.
Transportation
Commercial carbon black is not classified as a
hazardous material by the following agencies:
- Canadian Transport of Dangerous
Goods Regulations
- European Transport of Dangerous
Goods Regulations
- International Air Transport
Association (IATA)
- United Nations (no UN number)
- U.S. Department of Transportation
Specific questions regarding
transport classification should be referred to
your carbon black supplier.
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