Winter is approaching fast. With below freezing temperatures and snowstorms affecting millions of people each year, municipalities need to be ready to clear roadways and maintain equipment. De-icing fluid is used to break down ice and frost on roadways and aircrafts.

The type of substance used for de-icing depends on its application, the amount of snowfall and winter temperatures. There are several chemicals used in the de-icing process, including brine, magnesium chloride, propylene glycol, and ethylene glycol. Brine is the most popular of these chemicals, but it can damage vehicles or rebar on roadways.

When storing any type of chemical, it’s important to conduct routine annual tank inspections to make sure the tanks, fittings, venting, and accessories are in good working condition. You can perform a basic tank inspection on your own by following our installation manual, or the system can be inspected by a Poly Processing field service technician. We recommend having a professional perform an in-depth inspection with testing every 3-5 years.

What’s the difference between an inspection you can do and a professional inspection? Here’s an overview of the inspection and testing our field service technicians perform on your chemical storage tanks.

When building your storage tank system, it’s important to not only carefully consider the tank itself, but also the fittings and accessories. An important part of your tank is your manway cover. Failing to understand the purpose and function of the manway can threaten the safety of your employees and result in leaks, tank damage, and environmental hazards.

Let’s look at three things you should consider when choosing a manway cover. We’ll also introduce the best options for each consideration.

There are several types of chlorine sources that water treatment plants can use: chlorine gas, liquid sodium hypochlorite, or onsite production. Chlorine gas can be more cost effective, but a growing number of states are converting to bulk sodium hypochlorite or bleach. If chlorine gas is more economical, why would water treatment plants convert to sodium hypochlorite?

A leaky fitting is a serious issue that could put your employees in danger and cause damage to surrounding equipment. Leaked chemicals are a financial loss, and they can create serious environmental issues that plague your company for decades. 

Our field service team will occasionally receive calls from concerned customers who need help fixing a leaking fitting on their chemical storage tank. It's not an issue that comes up often so many people are not sure what caused the issue or what to do next. 

Hydrochloric acid (HCl), also known as muriatic acid, is toxic and highly corrosive. The chemical is used in many different applications, including chloride production, refining ore and producing metals like tantalum and tin. 

Because HCl is such a powerful acid, it is often used for neutralizing basic solutions. It also requires careful handling and an engineered storage system that is designed specifically for hydrochloric acid.

If you manufacture, sell or distribute water treatment or distribution products in North America, your products typically must comply with NSF/ANSI Standard 61. NSF/ANSI 61 sets the criteria for water system components to protect health standards. It’s important that all components in water treatment meet the correct standards to ensure dangerous toxins aren’t leached.

However, there is confusion about NSF-61 certifications, and that confusion could lead to purchasing the wrong product for your application. Let’s explore NSF/ANSI 61 and how to make sure your chemical storage tank system meets the necessary requirements.

If you’ve seen hairline cracks like spiderwebs on your chemical storage tank, you might wonder if you’re looking at a future problem. That’s a good question.

The short answer is, maybe. The long answer is a little more helpful, and this article will outline next steps for dealing with hairline crackling, called crazing.

At first glance, most polyethylene storage tanks look pretty similar. It’s hard to tell the difference between a robust, well-designed tank and an inferior one. Over the years, we've found that many customers don’t know about the construction standards for polyethylene tanks, or they simply assume all tank manufacturers follow the same standards.

Unfortunately, not all polyethylene tanks are designed to meet industry standards, so it is critical to know what to look for and what you’re purchasing. The most important standard for polyethylene tanks is the ASTM D 1998. Here’s what you need to know about the ASTM standard.

If you're storing chemicals that emit fumes such as hydrochloric acid or hydrogen peroxide, you need to have a proper venting system in place. We've developed The PolyScrub™ fume scrubber to help you ensure the safety of your employees, equipment, and the environment. 

Check out the video below to learn more.