Mount Laurel, NJ - Environmental Resolutions, Inc. (ERI), an engineering, planning, environmental and surveying firm with headquarters in Mount Laurel, NJ, has been awarded Patent #11407582 for “Spill Containment System for Container Tanks.”  While this topic may not be understood by many, it is an innovative concept that will provide a solution for industrial companies, specifically transportation/logistics companies, as they work to comply with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) regulations for chemical storage. 

“It all started when we were contacted by an environmental compliance specialist who had a client that was faced with the problem of spill containment for hundreds of ISOtainers, so we put our heads together, and we were able to create a solution for them,” explains ERI Vice President and one of the company’s founding members William (Bill) H. Kirchner, PE, CME, N-2.  “It turns out that the solution was so unique and specifically designed for this industry, that we thought other companies may need it, so we decided to secure a patent for it.” 

“As a company, we pride ourselves on creating custom and innovative solutions to what can sometimes be complex problems,” adds Partner Joseph R. Hirsh, PE, CME, CPWM.  “What works for one client doesn’t always work for another.  Like in this instance, there was no cookie-cutter solution for this client that was having a problem with industrial materials storage.  So, we really had to create something that was specific for this industry and addressed the problem that the client was having.” 

ISOtainers are special containers that are used to transport hazardous liquids, and these containers follow the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards.  The NJDEP requires that when ISOtainer tanks are filled with hazardous liquid material and are being stored, they must have a secondary, or spill, containment.  In most cases, industrial companies construct concrete containment pads to provide spill containment for the ISOtainer tanks.  This method of containment is very expensive, and the concrete pads don’t have a long lifespan because they are exposed to the elements.  They also fall apart due to the immense weight of several tanks being stacked on top of each other.  “We needed to figure out a more efficient, cost-effective way to provide secondary containment for these ISOtainer tanks,” said Bill Kirchner.  “What we came up with is a less expensive, longer lasting spill containment system that can be built as-needed and can be relocated if need be.”  

For more information on this spill containment system, contact ERI at 856-235-7170.

Environmental Resolutions, Inc. (ERI) is a leading engineering, planning, environmental and surveying consulting firm that has been providing professional services in central and southern New Jersey since 1990.