[Sqg-program] Waste From Recoating Swimming Pools

TWaters@co.seminole.fl.us TWaters@co.seminole.fl.us
Tue, 11 Jun 2002 13:42:03 -0400


I am looking for information regarding a complaint we received yesterday.
Here's the scenario:

   A lady called me late yesterday afternoon and said that a company that
   was refurbishing her neighbor's pool had dug a hole next to her fence.
   She asked the worker what the hole was for and he told her they were
   going to pour their waste hydrochloric acid into the hole.  She asked
   him not to and he said they would dig a hole away from her property
   line.  As this was taking place the employee's supervisor showed up at
   the job site.  The supervisor told the employee to neutralize the acid
   with "bicarb" before pouring it in the hole; however, the lady and/or
   her husband objected to that idea, as well.

   I went to the site and talked to the employee doing the work.  He said
   that they normally pour it "in a drain in the street" (stormdrain?) and
   when no such drain is available, they bury it.  I asked him what they
   had done with the acid on this particular job and he said that they had
   decided not to acid wash the pool surface before recoating it.  (I have
   no idea how important acid washing the pool surface before applying the
   new coating is, so I relayed this information to the homeowner.)

   When I spoke with one of the pool company's supervisor's this morning,
   he confirmed what the employee told me - they normally pour it
   stormdrain and when one is not available, they bury it.

Based on what I have seen and heard, it appears that this is probably not
the only pool company mismanaging their waste chemicals.  I am looking for
-
- Any similar situations that anyone else has dealt with.
- Information anyone has relating to pool refurbishing.

At this point we plan on sending the pool company a letter with a SQG
Handbook and other related information explaining their responsibility for
making a waste determination and managing and disposing of their wastes
properly.

Thank you for you help,

Tom Waters, ECAP3 Coordinator
(Environmental Compliance, Assistance & P2 Program)
Solid Waste Management Division
Seminole County, Florida
407-665-2261  Fax 407-324-5731
Sun Com 355-2261