Panama City, FL – Hull’s Environmental Services, Inc. (Hull’s) is proud to announce the appointment of Jamie Arleo as the newest member of our team, serving as Environmental, Health and Safety Director. With over 25 years of experience in environmental management and emergency response, Jamie brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to the organization.
In his previous role at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Jamie distinguished himself as a highly skilled emergency responder, managing the busiest response district in the state with exceptional proficiency. His responsibilities included supervising emergency responders and support personnel, serving as the designated State On-Scene Coordinator (SOSC) for hazardous materials incidents and oil spills, and conducting hazardous waste inspections at commercial facilities.
Jamie’s extensive training and certifications, including National Incident Management System (NIMS) qualifications, Hazardous Waste Management and Hazardous Materials Transportation expertise, underscore his commitment to excellence in environmental services and emergency response. He has played key roles in coordinating responses to hurricanes, train derailments, pipeline releases, and environmental disasters, demonstrating his ability to manage complex situations with professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness.
In addition to his operational responsibilities, Jamie has contributed significantly to leadership and training initiatives, serving as an instructor for OSHA Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response and DOT Hazardous Materials Transportation courses. His dedication to continuous improvement and knowledge sharing has been instrumental in enhancing the capabilities of emergency responders across multiple agencies.
“Jamie’s decades of experience and proven leadership in the environmental industry make him an invaluable addition to our team. It is a testament to his ability to navigate complex challenges and lead teams with confidence and resilience, said Tony Payne, Executive Vice President at Hull’s. These are the exact qualities we were looking for in our new Environmental, Health and Safety Director.”
His pivotal roles in hurricane response operations and as Deputy State On-Scene Coordinator during the Deepwater Horizon response showcase his unwavering dedication to ensuring public safety and environmental protection in the face of adversity. Jamie’s adeptness at coordinating multi-agency efforts and fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders has been instrumental in orchestrating effective response strategies and mitigating environmental hazards. His strong leadership qualities, coupled with his profound commitment to service and integrity, make him a trusted and invaluable asset to our team.”
Jamie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Saint Leo College and has completed a vast array of training for oil spill response, hazardous waste operations, WMD, and incident management.
Oil spills are a major environmental hazard that can have devastating effects on marine life, the economy, and human health. Therefore, it is essential for businesses to have a comprehensive oil spill readiness plan in place.
A well-designed oil spill contingency plan should be easy to follow and should provide site-specific procedural details that address various spill scenarios and situations. The primary objectives of spill response plans, regardless of whether a facility is a production, storage, or a transport facility, are to:
Allow response personnel to prepare for and safely respond to spill incidents
Ensure an effective and efficient response that highlight and account for geographical challenges
Identify potential equipment, manpower, and other resources necessary to implement a spill response
Outline response procedures and techniques for combating the spill at a specific location and it’s conditions
Improve regulatory compliance efforts
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an oil spill contingency plan should be a set of instructions that outlines necessary procedures for before, during, and after an emergency. “A contingency plan looks at all the possibilities of what could go wrong and, “contingent” upon actual events, has the contacts, resource lists, and strategies to assist in the response to the spill.”
Hazard identification, vulnerability analysis, risk assessment, and response actions are the four major elements of a well-designed oil spill containment plan. These hazards should be identified, and oil spill response procedures put in place to counteract challenges caused by each specific situation. It may be possible for certain identified hazards to be mitigated, essentially eliminating the hazard altogether. The oil spill contingency plan should address best possible spill containment measures, how to prevent certain populations or environments from exposure to oil, and what can be done to repair the damage done by the spill.
Having a well-designed oil spill readiness plan is essential for businesses to minimize the impact of oil spills on the environment, economy, and human health. By following the guidelines provided by regulatory agencies, businesses can ensure that they are prepared to respond to oil spills effectively and efficiently.
In addition to having a well-designed oil spill readiness plan, it is also important for businesses to conduct regular training exercises to ensure that their staff is prepared to respond to oil spills effectively and efficiently. Table-top exercises are one such training method that can be used to test the risk of operations and allow for analysis of the incident response.
Table-top exercises are designed to simulate an oil spill scenario in a controlled environment and allow participants to undertake simulated emergency response actions in a low-risk environment. These exercises provide an opportunity to assess response plans and procedures, determine responder and equipment readiness, clarify roles and responsibilities, identify gaps in response capability, build individual and team confidence, measure performance, promote awareness of potential incidents, and prepare for real oil spill events.
Other types of exercises include notification exercises, walk-through guided exercises, equipment deployment exercises, incident management exercises, and full-scale incident management exercises. These exercises are designed to test different aspects of the oil spill readiness plan and help identify areas for improvement.
In conclusion, conducting regular table-top training exercises is an essential component of a comprehensive oil spill readiness plan. By testing the plan in a controlled environment, businesses can identify gaps in their response capability and areas for future development, and improve their preparedness and response capabilities.
If your organization is interested in learning more about Oil Spill Readiness Plans and Training Exercises, contact Hull’s at 1-866-450-9077.
In recent years, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become critical environmental issues. These are artificial chemicals used in various industrial and consumer products, such as non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, firefighting foam, and food packaging. These substances can accumulate in the human body over time and contaminate the environment.
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at PFAS and its impact on human health and the ecosystem. We’ll also cover the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in addressing this challenge and how Hull’s Environmental Services can help tackle it.
The Environmental and Health Implications of PFAS
PFAS are also called “forever chemicals” because they don’t naturally break down in the environment. Once released, they can persist for decades or centuries, accumulating and potentially entering the food chain.
Human health is at risk due to PFAS exposure. Recent research has linked it to a range of health problems, including:
Cancer
Development issues in infants
Liver damage
Weakened immune system
Environmental consequences are equally alarming. PFAS can leach into soil and water from landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and industrial sites. Since these substances can bioaccumulate meaning they accumulate in the tissues of animals they can potentially affect entire ecosystems.
EPAs Steps in Addressing and Regulating PFAS
EPA is at the forefront of setting standards and guidelines related to PFAS to protect public health and the environment. Recently, the agency shifted its enforcement focus towards addressing this substance.
The EPA’s updated National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives include targeting entities that significantly contribute to its release into the environment. Experts believe this approach could prompt manufacturers to seek alternatives to PFAS-containing materials in their products. Meanwhile, the waste industry emphasizes the need for scrutiny upstream at the manufacturing level to control contamination.
EPAs current pace of regulatory development has led some states to adopt their own rules and regulations to address PFAS pollution. Entrepreneurs and business owners should know these state-specific regulations to ensure compliance.
While significant progress has been made in understanding this chemical, there are critical aspects that EPA researchers and partners are still actively figuring out:
Detection and measurement of PFAS in the environment
Exposure levels
Health effects
Removal from drinking water
Management and disposal
Hull’s Environmental Services: Your Partner in PFAS Remediation and Management
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding PFAS regulations, businesses need a reliable partner to navigate the complexities of this emerging environmental pollutant. Hull’s Environmental Services is here to assist you in two critical areas:
Our expertise in soil and groundwater remediation ensures that your business can effectively address PFAS contamination issues. We offer a variety of solutions to clean up affected sites and restore them to compliance with emerging regulations. Collaborating with businesses, we create tailored plans that reduce liability and costs while enhancing cleanup efficiency and restoration efforts.
Proper disposal of PFAS-contaminated soil, groundwater, and other mediums is crucial. Hull’s Environmental Services provides safe and compliant waste management solutions, helping you minimize environmental impact and regulatory risks.
Our services encompass waste classification, profiling, manifesting, and safe transportation to authorized treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDF). Regardless of your waste type, we deliver dependable and strategic solutions tailored to meet your hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal requirements. Operating from Florida, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Oklahoma, we possess all the essential permits and licenses for the transportation and disposal of diverse waste streams.
Take Action Against PFAS Contamination With Hull’s Environmental Services
If you’re concerned about PFAS contamination in your area or need remediation assistance, look no further than Hull’s Environmental Services! We specialize in environmental cleanup and can provide expert guidance and solutions to address PFAS-related issues. Together, we can work towards a cleaner, safer environment for present and future generations! Contact us today to learn more and take action.
Different types of storage tanks are designed to contain various fluids such as compressed gases, oil, and water. Manufacturers offer a variety of tanks made from different materials and equipped with specific safety and tracking features, catering to the diverse needs of different fluids and industries. Unpressurized storage tanks come in various shapes like cylindrical and square, along with different sizes and customizable options. These tanks serve as storage vessels or reservoirs. Tanks can be classified as above-ground or underground, each with its own distinct characteristics.
Above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) are user-friendly and require less maintenance. They offer a convenient solution for storing fluids. Underground storage tanks (USTs) are built to be sturdier and more robust. They are capable of safely containing hazardous materials, even when located partially or fully underground. Explore the advantages and types of both tank categories to gain valuable insights for your application.
Above-ground Storage Tanks (ASTs)
Above-ground storage tank options can store fluids short-term or long-term. The tanks are typically cheaper than underground storage options and are easier to maintain. Some popular varieties of above-ground storage tanks found in different industries include:
Fixed Roof Tanks:These cylindrical tanks store contents at approximately ambient pressures (of no higher than 0.5 PSI). They have a steel-welded construction and pressure-vacuum valves to ensure atmospheric pressure levels and are typically topped with a cone or dome roof. They are available in several different sizes for different applications.
Floating Roof Tanks:Floating roof tanks have separated roof structures that “float” on top of the contents. Some floating roof tanks are only topped with a floating roof, whereas others have an internal floating roof as well as a traditional affixed roof at the top of the structure.
Roofless Tanks:Roofless tanks are simply that — roofless. They can hold fluids like stormwater that need an open top for collection and don’t need to be protected from the elements.
Milk Tanks:These specialty tanks comply with dairy and agricultural regulations to safely cool and store large quantities of milk. They undergo rapid cooling to store milk with minimal risks of bacterial growth and withstand frequent cleanings.
Underground Storage Tanks (USTs)
Underground storage tanks are tanks that are at least 10% submerged underground during standard operations. These tanks are often broken down into categories based on the types of fluids they will hold.
Fuel or Fuel Storage Tanks: These tanks can hold gasoline underground at filling stations to facilitate more efficient space use.
Horizontal Tanks:Horizontal tanks can be built and coated to hold anything from water and consumable food products to fuel, chemicals, or gases. They are also specially coated to prevent corrosion damage from long-term exposure to the ground and elements.
Septic Tanks:These tanks are a key aspect of septic systems. They are commonly used in residential or commercial properties in rural areas to break down solid waste with anaerobic bacteria. The resulting water is then drained into a drain field. Septic tanks hold the remaining solid waste and must be intermittently drained to remove sludge buildup before it can enter the water table.
Water Tanks:There are multiple different types of water tanks that can hold potable water or rainwater. Applications include supplementing the water system when the natural water table is insufficient, irrigation and drainage applications to protect areas from excess water, holding water as fire suppression supplies, and more.
Storage Tank Cleaning Services From Hull’s Environmental Services
Aboveground and underground storage tanks both benefit from regular cleaning and preventative maintenance to keep corrosion, leaks, and degradation at bay. At Hull’s Environmental Services, we provide reliable tank cleaning and removal services for residential and commercial applications, including crude oil containers, wastewater storage tanks, barges, and more. Contact us today to learn more about our cleaning and removal services to keep your maintenance and operations on track.
For our contribution to Earth Day 2023, Hull’s was proud to once again participate in the 3rd Annual Great Port Cleanup on Friday, April 21st. In a partnership with Port Tampa Bay and Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, the event is designed to remove trash and marine debris from several sites in and around the port. The event is a call to action for the port community to support the ongoing efforts to keep Tampa Bay a beautiful place to live, work, and play.
Old furniture, demolished tiles, car and truck tires, wood, and a dilapidated boat were part of an enormous cache of trash and debris that was collected, transported and disposed of by days end. Specifically, the numbers looked like this:
-32 sites
-851 volunteers
-1,877 Bags of trash
-79,698 lbs of debris and bags removed
In addition to the trash and debris, it was also an opportunity to remove 30,000 pounds of invasive weeds that can choke out mangroves and other native plants critical to a health shoreline.
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When petroleum is stored, used, and/or transported on a piece of land, there is a risk that it can contaminate the soil in that area. Soil that is concentrated with high amounts of petroleum products present various issues when it comes to health, safety, and regulatory compliance. To eliminate these issues, sites with petroleum-contaminated soil may require remediation services to restore the soil to a healthier condition.
What Is Petroleum-Contaminated Soil?
Petroleum-contaminated soil refers to soil that has become contaminated by petroleum products. Even at lower concentrations, pollution from petroleum hydrocarbons negatively affects soil health, harming important soil microorganisms and reducing their number and activity. Because of this, state and federal regulatory agencies have established standards regarding soil contamination to protect the environment and human health.
Common petroleum products often found in contaminated soil include:
Used oil
Motor oil
Jet fuel
Hydraulic fluid
Diesel fuel
Kerosene
Gasoline
When either of these petroleum products is released at an amount that exceeds state and/or federal regulations, the soil is then considered contaminated. At that point, any responsible parties or landowners are legally required to remediate the soil and restore it to its previously healthy condition.
Remediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soil
Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection established the Petroleum Restoration Program, which comprises the management, administrative activities, and technical oversight needed to assess and remediate sites contaminated by discharges of petroleum products from stationary storage tanks.
With this program, eligible sites can receive state funding for remediation efforts using qualified contractors like Hull’s Environmental Services. Remediation for voluntary or non-program cleanup sites must be funded by responsible parties.
Some of the most commonly used methods for oil-contaminated soil remediation include:
Dredging/Excavation
This process involves removing contaminated soil and transporting it to a landfill or other facility for appropriate treatment and disposal. The site is then replenished with uncontaminated sand or fill media.
Soil Vapor Extraction/Multi-Phase Extraction
During this process, organic compounds in the soil are volatilized by injecting air into the polluted soil. In doing so, adequate pore space is created within the sediment. Using a vacuum system known as an SVE system, the vapors produced are then extracted from the soil.
Solidification/Stabilization
Solidification and stabilization methods use a reagent to curtail the spread of petroleum contamination in the soil. By injecting a solidifying agent into the contaminated soil, the contaminants become trapped in a solid block. If a stabilization agent is used, it prevents soil contamination from spreading or leaching into groundwater.
Bioremediation
Bioremediation involves fostering the development of microbial processes or introducing microorganisms into the soil to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons and produce non-hazardous byproducts. With this process, you can support the growth of microorganisms that already exist in the soil, which can consume and degrade pollutants to reduce contamination.
How Much Does Petroleum-Contaminated Soil Remediation Cost?
Every soil remediation project has a different price. Some of the factors that will affect the final cost include:
Land usage
Topography
Hydrogeology
The extent of the contamination
According to the EPA, the average project cost is approximately $197,735. Expect to see costs of up to $15,000 for blending contaminated and clean soil and up to $2,000 per acre-foot for remediating sites with roads and other structures. If treatment is performed with innovative treatment technologies, you can see costs from $50,000 to $100,00 per acre-foot.
Although these costs are pretty high, remediating petroleum-contaminated soil is crucial in preventing long-term, harmful effects on the environment. Taking this step goes a long way toward keeping the planet healthy for future generations.
Get the Soil Remediation That You Need From Hull’s
Remediating petroleum-contaminated soil is crucial in ensuring the health and safety of humans and the environment while maintaining compliance with strict regulatory standards. At Hull’s Environmental Services, we offer quality environmental remediation services aimed at removing contaminants from soil through processes such as bioremediation, soil vapor extraction, excavation, and more. To learn more about our petroleum-contaminated soil remediation capabilities and other services, contact us today
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Environmental remediation removes contaminants and pollution from a site’s surface water, groundwater, soil, and sediment to ensure they don’t negatively affect the environment or human health. These services are crucial for a number of reasons and offer several key advantages that impact the success of a project. Keep reading to learn about the four primary benefits of environmental remediation.
Improves Human Health
Contamination caused by hazardous pollutants in soil, air, and water can harm human health. By minimizing or removing pollution, remediation services ensure the health and safety of residents and your workforce. Environmental remediation protects the local population from health issues such as developmental disorders, asthma, nausea, cancer, and high morbidity.
Many people live or walk around polluted areas daily. Environmental clean-up services can benefit human health by reducing land contamination that contributes to illnesses and injuries. As such, performing environmental remediation services illustrates your concern for the environment and surrounding community.
Improves the Environment of Previously Developed Land
In urban planning, brownfield land refers to land that currently isn’t being used but was previously developed and may be polluted or contaminated. By performing environmental remediation on brownfield land, these sites can be returned to a state that is healthy for the community.
Environmental remediation can reverse harmful anthropogenic effects on the land. For example, metal contamination can have several physical, chemical, and biological impacts on soil. Because metal contamination introduces toxicity to the soil, these environments are unable to regenerate. One of the primary goals of environmental remediation is to bring this type of land back to a healthy state so that the community can once again inhabit it.
A remediation service provider addresses the contamination from a scientific angle, allowing urban planners and land developers to understand their options and make an informed and intelligent decision about the best remediation process for the site.
Increasing the Value of Land or Property
A property’s potential to generate profit over time is a key factor in determining its value. A clean and safe property enhances a site’s value by boosting the productivity of ongoing activities and enabling the production of more valuable goods and services.
Environmental remediation has also been shown to increase a property’s value by giving buyers confidence in the state of the property. The thorough investigation and remediation of a property by a professional ensures that latent defects in the land are uncovered and addressed.
Environmental Remediation From Hull’s Environmental Services
Environmental remediation provides several benefits, including better human health, improved property values, the restoration of previously developed land, and access to specialized expertise. At Hull’s Environmental Services, we have over 35 years of experience providing quality environmental remediation and restoration services. We can clean up any contaminants and restore the safety of your site.
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Remediation of contaminated groundwater and soil demands ample integrity from the environmental services company. Once you’ve determined all of the strategic and technical aspects of your groundwater and soil remediation plan, your environmental service provider should work with you to effectively carry it out.
At Hull’s Environmental Services , our remediation services come with optimal transparency so you know exactly what you’re paying for. We’ve managed hundreds of remediation sites, and we can successfully conduct your next groundwater or soil remediation project, regardless of its size or scope.
What Is Soil Remediation?
Soil remediation involves the use of different technologies to protect people and the environment from contaminated soil. Polluted soil is often the result of unregulated waste disposal methods and certain industrial processes. While these historical practices were once compliant with applicable laws, more contemporary testing methods determined the negative impact they had on the environment.
Many sources of soil contamination exist, including improper industrial waste disposal practices, chemicals, leaks in pipes and tanks, and spills. The resulting contaminants in soil may include many types of substances, such as oils, solvents, pesticides, paints, heavy metals, and other synthetic materials. With the continued development of test methods, it will be possible to identify a greater number of contaminants. This will help generate more data about these compounds, which remediation efforts will then use to help further mitigate the risks of contamination.
What Is Groundwater Remediation?
Groundwater remediation uses certain processes to remove contaminants from groundwater or convert them into harmless substances. Groundwater is water located underground, with much of it present in rock fractures, permeable rock, or unconsolidated materials known as aquifers.
Groundwater remediation makes groundwater safe for people while mitigating contaminants’ effects on the surrounding environment. It’s also possible to remediate sediment or soil that becomes contaminated through polluted groundwater.
Soil and Groundwater Remediation Systems
If you require soil and groundwater remediation systems, you’ll find a variety of solutions at Hull’s Environmental Services , including:
Air sparging and biosparging systems.These systems inject pressurized air into contaminated groundwater and soil that contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dissolving their hydrocarbon content in the process.
Bioremediation technology.We utilize state-of-the-art bioremediation technology that allows us to use beneficial microbes to digest and decompose pollutants in contaminated soil or groundwater.
Dewatering aeration systems.These systems allow for the removal of hydrocarbons while also draining and removing water from the remediation site.
Dual-phase extraction systems.These remediation systems work by removing contaminated soil vapor or groundwater using high-vacuum pumps or blowers.
Heavy metal treatment processes.These processes remove various heavy metal elements from soil and water, including cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and cobalt.
Liquid- and vapor-phase carbon adsorption systems.These systems remove VOCs using carbon filtration. While vapor-phase vessels do so by limiting the discharge of VOCs into the ambient air, liquid-phase vessels accomplish this by filtering VOCs out of effluent.
Low-profile air strippers. These products contain side trays that our customers can easily remove, with the ability to remove as much as 99.9% of certain air contaminants.
Oil/water separation systems.The oil and gas industries often use these systems to effectively remove spilled petroleum from groundwater.
Soil vapor extraction systems.Vacuum pumps or blowers in these systems clear soil of both volatile and semivolatile contaminants.
Sparge and vent systems.These systems remove contaminants from unsaturated and saturated soils using a combination of air sparging and a soil venting system.
Thermal/catalytic oxidizers.Using different treatment temperatures, these hybrid systems can effectively eliminate VOCs from contaminated groundwater and soil.
Why Groundwater and Soil Remediation Is Important
Groundwater remediation is a crucial process used to identify and solve groundwater issues, specifically pollution and other contaminants. In many cases, groundwater remediation procedures are the only way to protect whole communities from potentially dangerous health and environmental problems.
Soil remediation is important because it removes contaminants that pose risks to the environment and human health. Contaminated soil can lead to water pollution and cause damage to animal and plant life. It can also lead to economic losses, as contaminated soil is unusable for farming or development. The remediation process reduces or prevents contaminant exposure and protects ecosystems and groundwater resources.
The Typical Contaminants Found in Contaminated Groundwater and Soil
Among a litany of other contaminants, groundwater and soil may contain a variety of common contaminants, including the following:
Chlorinated solvents
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Benzene
1,4-dioxane
Methyl tert-butyl ether
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Soil and Groundwater Remediation Solutions from Hull’s Environmental Services
Soil and groundwater remediation is crucial for a variety of reasons, from preventing further contamination of drinking water to making unusable land usable again, reducing contamination for natural restoration, and more. At Hull’s Environmental Services , we offer some of the most reliable environmental remediation solutions available based on your application’s unique specifications.
To learn more about our capabilities, contact us online or call us at 866-450-9077 today. To get started on your soil and groundwater remediation solution, request a quote.
Hull’s Environmental Services, Inc. (Hull’s) recently appointed Alex Potteiger as the new Area Operations Manager for the Atlanta area service center. He will be responsible for operational oversight, health & safety compliance, income and expense management, personnel management and new business development.
Alex Potteiger has been in the hazardous materials and environmental industry for over 17 years. He began his career like many environmental professionals, serving his time in the field as a technician, slowly taking on more responsibility, larger projects, longer hours and eventually rising through the ranks into upper management. His perseverance, experience and tenacity helped him elevate to Environmental Project Manager prior to joining Hull’s.
Alex has extensive experience in remediation, waste management, large scale excavations, demolition, industrial cleaning and confined space entry and rescue. He has worked on numerous major environmental projects all over the United States, including both natural and man-made disasters. He has past experience working with one of the top train derailment response companies and helped lead their environmental team.
Because of his work ethic and commitment to excellence, he has forged many relationships in the environmental industry. He can effectively manage small jobs up to multi-million-dollar, complex projects. He has been recognized by past employers and customers for outstanding management and successful completion of his projects.
Tony Payne, Executive Vice President, explained, “Alex was a natural fit for us. The combination of his previous experience, confidence in his own skill sets, his leadership qualities and ‘go-get it’ attitude were exactly what we were looking for in this role. We expect him to really take our Atlanta service center to the next level.”
