M6 Motorway Services

Ambipar Response received a call via our 24hr Emergency Call Centre at 0042hrs on 21st February 2019. The initial brief description received was that a spillage (“a few 10s of litres”) of concentrated (98%) Sulphuric Acid (UN1830) had leaked from a sight glass on a tanker and had gone into a drain at a Motorway Services on the M6.

Ambipar Response’s Hazmat and CBRN Director liaised closely with the site representative, the Fire & Rescue Service and the Environment Agency (EA).

Project Works:

On our arrival, the Fire & Rescue Service were still on scene and handed management of the incident over to Ambipar Response. The Environment Agency (EA) left prior to our arrival as they were satisfied that a UK Spill Association accredited contractor was undertaking the works.

When our team arrived on scene, they found that it had rained heavily since the initial call and what was described in the callout as a small spill to a drain, had escalated and now involved three drains, an area of truck park and several trucks with acid damaged tyres.

Results:

Nine trucks were decontaminated, with secondary containment established to contain and recover contaminated waste, before being removed for tyre changes to be carried out by a tyre contractor.

Our team remained on site in case any spill response was needed during the transfer of acid from the damaged tanker to a replacement tanker. The transfer was carried out by the tanker company’s own personnel.

Three drains and the lorry park were jetted; with liquid recovery from the drains being carried out by the waste tanker.

On completion, universal indicator papers / pH papers were used to check in the drains and on the surface of the lorry park and showed that pH was neutral.