How Schenectady Chemicals Canada Ltd. Reduced Wastewater Treatment Costs and Achieved Cleaner Effluent Using Abanaki Belt Skimming Technology
Low-Maintenance Oil Skimming That Improved Drain Water Quality and Supported Continuous Environmental Compliance
Chemical processing facilities generate wastewater streams that often contain trace amounts of oil, solvents, and resin residues. Even small concentrations of hydrocarbons can increase treatment costs, complicate compliance, and require additional maintenance in interceptor and separation systems.
At Schenectady Chemicals Canada Ltd., an oil removal solution from Abanaki Corporation was installed to continuously remove floating oil and solvent layers from wastewater using a belt skimming system integrated into the plant’s interceptor system.
The result was improved effluent quality, reduced interceptor maintenance, and measurable annual operating cost savings.
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The Challenge: Oil, Solvent, and Resin Contamination in Wastewater
At the Schenectady Chemicals Canada facility in Toronto, wastewater streams contained a mix of:
- Floating mineral oils
- Solvents and light hydrocarbons
- Resin-based materials from chemical processing
- Water effluent from production and cleaning systems
These contaminants accumulated in a two-stage interceptor system designed to separate oil from water before discharge.
This created several operational challenges:
- Regular buildup of oil and resin layers in interceptor tanks
- Annual cleaning requirements with high labor and disposal costs
- Increased cost burden due to water content in waste mixtures
- Difficulty meeting municipal discharge limits for oil concentration (ppm-level compliance requirements)
- Inefficiency in manual or periodic cleaning methods
The facility needed a continuous, low-maintenance method to remove surface contaminants and improve discharge quality.
The Solution and Results: Abanaki Belt Oil Skimming System for Continuous Interceptor Cleaning
To address these issues, Schenectady Chemicals installed a belt oil skimming system from Abanaki Corporation on its wastewater interceptor system.
The skimmer continuously removed floating oils, solvents, and resin layers from the surface of the interceptor, preventing buildup and reducing the need for manual cleaning. The system operated continuously as part of the plant’s wastewater treatment process.
Operational improvements and results included:
- Continuous removal of oil, solvent, and resin from interceptor tanks
- Cleaner effluent discharge meeting municipal wastewater standards (ppm-level compliance achieved)
- Reduced frequency of interceptor cleanouts compared to previous annual manual cleaning cycle
- Lower labor and disposal costs associated with waste handling
- Improved efficiency of the two-stage separation system
- More consistent long-term wastewater treatment performance
Measurable result:
- Approximately $5,000 in annual operating cost savings from reduced waste handling and maintenance requirements – the skimmer’s ROI in few months
- Improved compliance with municipal discharge standards for oil concentration (ppm limits)
- Significant reduction in material and labor costs associated with interceptor cleaning
These results demonstrated both regulatory and financial improvements driven by continuous oil removal.
Why Chemical Facilities Use Belt Oil Skimmers
Chemical processing plants use belt oil skimming systems to:
- Improve wastewater discharge quality
- Reduce interceptor and separator maintenance
- Lower waste handling and disposal costs
- Support environmental compliance requirements
- Improve long-term system reliability
Looking for a Reliable Wastewater Oil Removal Solution?
Oil and hydrocarbon contamination in chemical wastewater systems can increase operating costs and compliance risk if not properly managed.
Continuous belt skimming technology from Abanaki Corporation delivers measurable reductions in oil contamination, lower maintenance demands, and improved effluent quality in industrial chemical processing environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of contaminants were present in this system?
Oil, solvents, and resin materials from chemical processing operations.
What was the main benefit of installing the skimmer?
It continuously removed floating contaminants, improving effluent quality and reducing maintenance.
What was the quantified outcome?
Approximately $5,000 in annual savings and consistent compliance with discharge limits.
Why is continuous skimming important in chemical plants?
Because even trace hydrocarbons can affect compliance and increase treatment costs.
