Drains, drainage, processing facilities

It is common practice to equip a drainage system or sump with a pump to return the collected inventory to storage or process facilities. Alternatively, for certain toxic materials, the spill is sometimes altered chemically to a nonhazardous substance by draining the spillage to a basin filled with a neutralizing slurry where the reaction forms an insoluble sludge. For acids, in particular, soda ash, limestone, or weak caustic solutions may be used. The reacted product becomes a solid that is neutral and can be disposed of accordingly. 

Drainage from the nonprocess areas should not enter the process drains so that the oil—water sumps and treatment facilities are not overloaded with water that does not require treatment. 

Low-Level Wastes. Low-level wastes presently are being entombed in near-surface, earth-covered trenches. These trenches are designed to minimize the inflow of water and drain to a sump that is constantly monitored. Treatment facilities are maintained to process drainage that exceeds licensed levels of radioactivity for release in the groundwater. 

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