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Wastewater

Federal environmental regulations place strict limits on the handling and disposal of wastewater from washing forklift batteries. These posts cover the complexities of battery-wash runoff.

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  • Forklift Battery Wastewater for the Green Warehouse

    When you run electric forklifts, you have to wash the batteries, and that leads to the problem of forklift battery wastewater. To be sure, choosing electric forklifts over internal combustion ones offers a multitude of environmental and economic benefits for warehouses. A smaller carbon footprint, lower fueling costs, and less maintenance are just a handful of the many benefits of... Continue Reading

  • Disposing of Wastewater Created by Washing Forklift Batteries

    Maintaining a well-functioning lift-truck fleet requires washing batteries, and that process creates wastewater. The EPA classifies this dirty water as hazardous waste, and as such, it requires careful attention. Businesses in many other industries, such as metalworking and metal fabrication, die casting, truck wash centers, and more fall into the same boat. When operations create wastewater, they have three basic... Continue Reading

  • Washing Forklift Batteries and the Law: What You Need to Know

    Washing forklift batteries is a simple maintenance task, but like so many warehouse operations, this activity is subject to serious legal regulations. Don’t let that scare you away from the job; washes extend the operating life of your batteries and lift trucks, plus they keep your workplace safer. But it’s crucial that you obey the law when you wash batteries.... Continue Reading

  • TCLP Analysis: How Environmental Regulators Test Your Battery Wastewater

    If you’re washing your forklift batteries (and you are washing them, right?) then you’re also producing hazardous waste. Battery wash water contains traces of sulfuric acid and toxic metals that the EPA regulates heavily. In order to avoid enormous fines and possibly even criminal charges, every facility manager should understand exactly how the EPA goes about determining whether your wastewater... Continue Reading

  • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Compliance for Forklift Fleets

    What does your forklift fleet have to do with federal waste disposal laws? It could be more than you think. If you run a fleet of electric forklifts, you probably also follow a detailed maintenance plan for your batteries. That plan should include regular washing, and the water you use to wash your batteries is a form of hazardous waste.... Continue Reading

  • 5 Facts You Should Know About the RCRA ‘Cradle-to-Grave’ Law

    When you wash your forklift batteries, the used water becomes a whole new legal entity: hazardous waste. Contaminated with acid and heavy metals, that battery wash water is now subject to the complex regulations laid out in the EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The most famous element of the RCRA is Subtitle C, which establishes controls for hazardous... Continue Reading

  • Why Wastewater Disposal Is An Essential Part of Forklift Battery Maintenance

    To keep your forklift batteries running efficiently, you have to wash them periodically. But maintenance procedures don’t stop there — you must also make provisions to safely dispose of runoff from the washing process. Failing to do so could subject your business to massive EPA fines, or even land you in jail. Facility managers who are new to electric equipment... Continue Reading

  • Green Battery Washing Practices for an Eco-Friendly Storage Facility

    Of all the forklift battery maintenance tasks required to keep a fleet running at peak efficiency, battery washing may pose the greatest environmental challenge overall. Battery wash wastewater is heavily contaminated with a variety of pollutants, including: Sulfuric Acid Lead Copper Rust (Iron Oxide) Particles Dirt and Organic Matter In order to comply with green initiatives (along with federal, state... Continue Reading