FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is bioremediation?
Bioremediation is the use of either naturally occurring or deliberately introduced microorganisms or other forms of life to consume and break down environmental pollutants, in order to clean up a polluted site.
Does Roadside Response cleanup anything else other than car accidents?
While bioremediation techniques can be used on a variety hazardous waste compounds, Roadside Response specializes in using bioremediation to deal with the toxic hydrocarbons and "forever chemicals" found in vehicle operating fluids such as ABS, coolant, petroleum-based fuels, motor oil, and transmission fluid. Roadside Response chose to specialize in this particular field because very little was being done to prevent the collective pollution caused from all the traffic collision incidents that produced hazardous waste that directly enters stormwater via highway runoff.
Does Roadside Response operate nationwide?
Roadside Response currently operates in 7 states across the US, with plans to eventually provide bioremediation services to all 50 states (and beyond)!
What certifications do you need to clean up hazardous waste?
The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER) applies to five distinct groups of employers and their employees. This includes any employees who are exposed or potentially exposed to hazardous substances -- including hazardous waste -- and who are engaged in one of the following operations as specified by 1910.120(a)(1)(i-v) and 1926.65(a)(1)(i-v):
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clean-up operations -- required by a governmental body, whether federal, state, local, or other involving hazardous substances -- that are conducted at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites;
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corrective actions involving clean-up operations at sites covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) as amended (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.);
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voluntary clean-up operations at sites recognized by federal, state, local, or other governmental body as uncontrolled hazardous waste sites;
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operations involving hazardous wastes that are conducted at treatment, storage, and disposal facilities regulated by Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 264 and 265 pursuant to RCRA, or by agencies under agreement with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement RCRA regulations; and
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emergency response operations for releases of, or substantial threats of releases of, hazardous substances regardless of the location of the hazard.
What is currently being done to clean up hazardous waste from car accidents?
The majority of automobile collisions that release hazardous waste in the form of used vehicle operating fluids are not properly remediated, unfortunately. For the responding parties, the most common assumed behavior is to spread an absorbent powder like kitty litter over the spill and sweep it up; while this is cost-effective method to quickly remove the traction hazard from the roadway, there is still a significant presence of hazardous waste that remains after this process.
These hazardous waste spills, which contain several "forever chemicals," continue to pollute stormwater via highway runoff unless properly remediated- and according to leading research in the field of ecology, bioremediation is the most efficient & cost-effective method to eliminate these hazards.
What are “forever chemicals?”
PFAS (Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances), also known as the "Forever Chemicals," are a large chemical family of over 4,700 highly persistent chemicals that don’t occur in nature. PFAS are the most persistent synthetic chemicals to date, they hardly degrade in the natural environment and have been found in the blood and breastmilk of people and wildlife all round the world.
We are exposed to hundreds of PFAS simultaneously via some of the products we use every day, as well as via environmental routes such as drinking water and certain food. Because it is extremely challenging for water treatment plants to remove PFAS from water, contamination of drinking water with PFAS is a rising issue.
PFAS can be toxic to both humans and wildlife. Two of the most studied of the chemicals in this family, PFOA and PFOS have been shown to:
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Interfere with the hormonal system (so they are called endocrine disruptors)
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Interfere with the reproductive system and the development of the fetus
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Impact the immune system and have been linked to reduced responses to vaccines in children
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Promote the development of certain cancers (e.g. kidney and testicular cancer)
It should be noted that many of the thousands of PFAS currently in use are lacking proper toxicological data.
How many car accidents occur annually in the United States?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are over 6 million passenger car accidents reported in the US every year.
What product does Roadside Response use to remediate?
Roadside Response uses BioRem-2000 Surface Cleaner.
Is BioRem-2000 safe for the environment?
BioRem-2000 Multi-Surface Cleaner is used for the clean-up of hydrocarbons from any hard surface from floors to tools. It is NSF approved Reg. #123558 classes A-1 and A-4. It is All-natural, sustainable and biodegradable.
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Ground-breaking Microbe Technology remediate hydrocarbons into water and carbon dioxide.
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Eliminates the use of granular absorbents, socks, pads and caustic degreasers.
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Easily applied with mops, auto floor scrubbers and degreasing equipment.
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Excellent rinseability, dries quickly and removes all oily, slick film leaving a non-slip surface.
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Safe to use on any water-safe surface, including metal, concrete, plastic and rubber.
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Safe to dispose product into waste sewer drains whether facilities are private or public municipal pre-treatment plants.
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Renders flammable liquids, such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, non-flammable.
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Non-toxic, non-pathogenic and is completely harmless to human, plant, animal and marine life.
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Compatible with oil/water separators, skimming units, evaporators, polymers and more.
How long do leaked vehicle operating fluids remain in the environment?
Because all vehicle operating fluids contain "forever chemicals," leaked vehicle operating fluids will continue to pollute the environment unless properly remediated.
How does highway runoff of vehicle operating fluids contribute to stormwater pollution?
Each year, millions of gallons of improperly discharged used motor oil pollute streams, lakes, and coastal areas. This should be cause for concern since one gallon of used oil can contaminate one million gallons of water. Oil in runoff, primarily from cities and vehicles, is the top source of oil entering the ocean, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
In North American waters, estimated ocean oil pollution from land-based runoff is up to 20 times higher than it was 20 years ago, and oil spills, natural oil seeps, and discharge from oil and gas operations remain major sources of pollution. The report recommends actions that government and others should take to minimize oil pollution, and calls for sustained research funding to better understand how oil reaches and affects ocean environments.
