Articles
Carpet Cleaning Wastewater Disposal Tips
Categories: Cleaning Best Practices, Sustainability & ESG
By Doug Berjer | March 2, 2018 << Back to Articles
Spring and summer, the busiest times of the year for the carpet cleaning industry, are right around the corner. And as carpet-cleaning service ramps up, one issue all carpet cleaning professionals must address is how to dispose of wastewater.
According to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, wastewater can contain bacteria, body fluids, human and animal waste, chemical compounds, oil, grease, smoke, airborne pollutants, detergents, solvents, and more—all potentially hazardous substances to humans and the environment. As a result, properly disposing of wastewater is critical and most states have a variety of rules and regulations on how it must be handled. In fact, failure to properly dispose of wastewater can result in significant fines for the carpet-cleaning technician and sometimes for the building owner.
To assist carpet-cleaning professionals during their busy season, CFR Corp. offers the following tips following six tips for safely and properly discharging carpet cleaning wastewater.
- Discharge wastewater by pouring it into a sink, toilet, bathtub, or other drainage system that is connected to a municipal sewer infrastructure.
- Filter wastewater before discharging to remove carpet fibers and other solids in order to prevent clogged pipes.
- Dispose of filtered debris in trash containers unless it contains hazardous materials.
- Take any hazardous materials to public or private facilities that are equipped to handle such wastewater.
- Never discharge wastewater by pouring it on the ground or into storm drains.
- Maintain a log each time carpet cleaning is performed listing the discharge water disposal method, amount, and any special handling requirements.
About the Author.
Doug Berjer is product manager for CFR Corp., a manufacturer of recycling carpet extractors. For more information about CFR, visit www.cfrcorp.com.
