What Drove Wastewater Efficiency Improvements and Reduced Oil Discharge at Lord Baltimore Uniform Company
Stronger Oil Control That Reduced Treatment Burden and Delivered Cleaner Wastewater Performance
Industrial laundry operations generate high volumes of wastewater containing oils, detergents, and contaminants removed from uniforms, mats, and linens. If not properly treated, these oils can increase disposal costs, strain treatment systems, and create compliance challenges.
At Lord Baltimore Uniform, a wastewater pretreatment improvement system was implemented using a solution from Abanaki Corporation to continuously remove floating oils before discharge or recycling.
The result was a significant reduction in oil content in wastewater and improved overall pretreatment efficiency across a high-volume operation.
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The Challenge: Oil Contamination in Industrial Laundry Wastewater
Lord Baltimore Uniform processes approximately 2.34 million pounds of laundry annually, producing continuous wastewater flow from cleaning operations.
This created several operational challenges:
- Oil and grease contamination entering wastewater streams
- Increasing load on pretreatment and recycling systems
- Rising wastewater treatment and disposal costs
- Pressure to meet stricter TPH discharge requirements
- Need to maintain efficient, large-scale continuous operations
The facility required a reliable method to continuously remove floating oil and improve wastewater quality before discharge.
The Solution and Results: Abanaki Belt Oil Skimming System in Wastewater Pretreatment
To address these challenges, Lord Baltimore Uniform installed a belt oil skimming system from Abanaki Corporation within its wastewater pretreatment tank system.
The system continuously removed floating oil from the surface of the wastewater, preventing it from entering downstream treatment processes or discharge streams. Its simple belt-and-wiper design allowed for reliable, low-maintenance operation in a high-volume industrial laundry environment.
Operational improvements and results included:
- Continuous removal of floating oils from wastewater pretreatment tanks
- Reduced load on downstream treatment and recycling systems
- Improved stability and efficiency of wastewater processing operations
- Lower risk of oil-related discharge compliance issues
- Reliable performance in continuous, high-volume laundry operations
Measurable results:
- Reduced oil content in treated wastewater to less than 5 parts per million (ppm)
- Approximately 500 gallons of oil prevented from entering municipal wastewater systems annually
- Improved wastewater pretreatment efficiency across continuous operations
- Reduced environmental loading and improved discharge performance consistency
These results significantly improved wastewater quality while supporting regulatory compliance and reducing overall treatment burden.
Why Industrial Laundries Use Belt Oil Skimmers
Industrial laundry facilities use belt oil skimming systems to:
- Improve wastewater pretreatment efficiency
- Reduce oil and grease discharge levels
- Support compliance with environmental regulations
- Lower wastewater treatment and disposal costs
- Maintain stable high-volume operations with minimum upfront costs – return on investment in less than six months
Looking for a Reliable Wastewater Oil Removal Solution?
Oil contamination in industrial laundry wastewater systems can increase costs and regulatory risk if not properly controlled.
Continuous belt skimming technology from Abanaki Corporation delivers measurable reductions in oil contamination, improved pretreatment performance, and long-term operational reliability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does oil come from in laundry wastewater?
It comes from soils, oils, and contaminants removed from fabrics during industrial washing processes.
Why is oil removal important in laundries?
It reduces treatment costs and helps meet regulatory discharge limits.
How effective was the system in this case?
It reduced oil levels to below 5 ppm and prevented approximately 500 gallons of oil per year from entering wastewater systems.
Can belt oil skimmers run continuously?
Yes. They are designed for continuous operation with minimal maintenance requirements.
