Hello everyone,
The purpose of this newsletter is to inform our valued clients and business friends of regulatory updates, industry trends, and CES news. We hope you find the newsletter informative, helpful, and a worthwhile read.
Yearend Push – The 4th quarter of every year is a busy time in the environmental services industry. Many clients remove obsolete chemicals and wastes at the end of the year to have those costs on this year’s books and to avoid possible price increases in the following year. When you factor in projects needing to be completed before the snow hits, holidays, employee vacations, and overall increased year-end demand, the 4th quarter gets busy quickly. If CES can assist you with any of your environmental program needs, please let us know.
As we continue to grow, we are dedicated to being proactive and keeping communication as efficient as possible. Please see the updates below and make sure your appropriate team members are aware of the updates. You can always continue to contact your regular account manager as well.
AFFF, PFAS, PFOS, PFOA? What Does It All Mean?
There has been a lot of confusion and concern related to AFFF and the rest of the alphabet soup in the article title due to the ongoing discussion about what these chemicals are, where they are found, what the environmental impact of them is, and what your liability may be. As PFAS regulations and management requirements evolve, are you prepared?
To provide some clarity without getting too technical, AFFF is a commonly used firefighting foam that includes PFAS chemicals such as PFOS and PFOA. PFAS, PFOS, and PFOA are fluorinated surfactants used in the aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) that is the synthetic firefighting foam. This type of firefighting foam is being phased out, but it is still being used in certain settings. PFAS can also be found in a variety of other industrial applications including coatings, surface treatments, and other manufacturing processes.
The EPA’s 2026 interim guidance emphasizes evaluating PFAS destruction and disposal options based on their potential to minimize environmental releases. The guidance specifically evaluates technologies including permitted hazardous-waste landfills, underground injection, and certain thermal treatment applications.
If your facility has PFAS concerns and you need a partner to help navigate the evolving regulatory landscape and provide appropriate disposal options, our team will help you review your liabilities and provide solutions that meet your needs.
Lab Pack Solutions
Did you know that CES has our own chemists and field technicians to efficiently evaluate and complete lab packs and facility cleanouts of all sizes? Lab pack projects entail properly identifying, containerizing, and shipping various obsolete chemical products. Many times these come from chemical cabinets that are full, or expired chemical inventories that are taking up valuable space in your facility. Lab packs vary from a few chemical containers to entire facility cleanouts, removing whatever chemistry is no longer needed.
One of the benefits of our lab pack solutions is we take into consideration your overall waste program and the regulatory implications a lab pack may have. Our lab pack services will provide you with a cost effective, efficient, and informed solution to remove unneeded chemicals from your facility. Old chemicals are a liability, not only increasing the possibility of leaks or spills from potentially deteriorating containers, but they also can bring unwanted attention during a client audit or regulatory inspection.
If you have old, unwanted chemicals laying around and do not want them increasing your liability or taking up space that could be used more productively, our lab pack solutions can be the easy fix you need to address these concerns. The last quarter of the year is always busy with these types of projects, so please don’t delay contacting your account manager if this is a service you need completed by the end of the year.
Industrial Cleaning Solutions
CES has continued to grow over the last decade to become one of the most comprehensive environmental service providers in the Midwest. Some clients may not know we also offer industrial cleaning services.
These projects can vary greatly, from routine facility maintenace and cleaning equipment, pits, trenches, etc., to more complicated projects involving confined space entry for tank cleanings or even demolition/removal projects.
Recently, we successfully completed a full facility cIeanout involving the removal of over 100,000 gallons of waste liquid and the cleaning and demolition of several pieces of equipment. We also completed a combustible dust cleaning project at a manufacturing client. And, we also routinely provide confined space entry services for cleaning storage tanks that contained hazardous materials.
If your site has routine needs or a more complicated project, whether it be large or small, and you are looking for a responsive, comprehensive, and cost-effective solution, please contact your account manager as these types of projects also frequenty get scheduled before the winter weather impacts the project.