Friday, September 5, 2014

Sponge Blasting Removes Contaminants Safely

By Kerri Stout


Even though lead-based paint has not been used for nearly four decades, many standing, inhabited structures are still covered with multiple layers of this dangerous substance. Safe removal includes protecting nearby residents from the toxic residue disturbed during the cleanup process, including unhealthy airborne dust. Sponge blasting achieves that goal without the billowing clouds, disruption and noise that accompany traditional sandblasting.

Used for industrial scouring as well as paint removal, this new process can be effective on several types of materials, including hard surfaces, easily damaged substrate layers, and even on some types of heavy equipment. The process is commonly compared to those using sand, abrasives, or high pressure water, but is actually more advanced. The abrasives used are much more easily managed, cause less damage, and are environmentally safer.

The primary ingredients are tiny, water-based polyurethane fragments containing various forms of abrasive grit. They are propelled at high speed onto the cleaning surface, and the impact allows their particular chemical makeup to instantly collect and surround fragments of detritus. They actually absorb the paint or grime, which is later removed from the sponge, and disposed of in an environmentally safe manner.

The most common abrasives are included in five basic categories, and are color coded according to the function they best perform. Red sponge media contains steel grit, and is ideal for cutting through industrial coatings. Silver contains aluminum oxide abrasives for targeting paint and other hard coatings, as well as pre-conditioning surfaces for petrochemical and paper production companies.

Flaking coats of old paint and lighter industrial sealers are easily removed using Brown media, which is also effective against surface rusting. The White variety is commonly used by store owners to eliminate building graffiti, and can be used on composites, tile, or fiberglass. Green sponge media is the lightest abrasive, and is employed mainly to get rid of soot and grease deposits in places hard to reach with normal cleaning tools.

Unlike traditional scouring processes, this system creates little dust. Sandblasting is somewhat less costly due to wide availability and lower media cost, but is more difficult to precisely control, making surface damage a real possibility. Not only do the polyurethane sponges prevent dust clouds from forming by trapping loosened contaminants, but they allow much greater accuracy of operation.

Some forms of media can be cleaned and re-used multiple times, making them more economical through recycling. Unlike traditional methods, the machinery used to blast the particles onto cleaning surfaces is less intrusive and noisy, making it possible to complete co-located jobs without completely suspending operations in adjacent offices or apartments. It is also safer for both workers and those occupying the structure.

The end result is decreased emissions, and a higher initial quality of surface preparations. Contractors face fewer fines based on environmental regulations, and the surrounding community is generally less hostile to the disruption. Compared to traditional methods, setup is less complicated, the results are contained more readily, disposal problems are simplified, and the overall job can be finished quickly and efficiently.




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