PC&D MAGAZINE
Smell you later
<< BACK
From Volume 25, Issue 2 - February 2001
Feature
Build a sensible pit-cleaning program.
by: Kevin Hart, Executive Editor
 
 Related Information
  The science of clean

Probably the only thing worse than smelling pit waste is standing over it for hours with a shovel and a wheelbarrow. Most operators would agree that there is no more unpleasant task than cleaning pits and keeping them odor free. The perennial garbage bin of the carwash, pits collect an algae-feeding concoction of road dirt, grime and cleaning chemicals. If pits are not regularly cleaned, they can emit an odor that will surely drive customers and employees back to the driveways from whence they came.

Unfortunately, the most economical way to clean pits is to manually shovel the waste, dry it, and send it to a landfill. The task takes hours, is labor intensive, and can create a horrifying smell that will waft into the dreams of operators and employees for days.

"The smell can be pretty bad, especially when you clean pits yourself," says Bill Rosecrans, a former operator and current co-owner of Rosey's Pit Cleaning, Camden, NJ.

Naturally, many operators put off pit cleaning as long as possible, using liberal amounts of chlorine to combat smells that can get so rank that they will seep into customer vehicles. Unfortunately, chlorine can be damaging to metal parts and pumps, and it presents some unpleasant health risks (See side: The science of clean).

Without a doubt, there is no fun way to clean pits. However, experts say that operators who are willing to invest some time and money can find reasonable solutions for keeping their pits clean and odor free.

Automatic pit cleaning

For less than $10,000, most operators can buy a machine that will remove pit waste and pump it to a designated area for drying. Probably the best-known manufacturer of these systems is Ring-O-Matic, Pella, IA. In fact, the company has owned a virtual corner on the automatic pit cleaning market for decades.

Company president Craig Van Zandt recommends operators consider pit layout and the number of locations they own before selecting a unit. A wash with four bays and an automatic can probably buy a suitable digger for $6,000 or lease a unit to keep payments down. Operators who need to handle a larger volume of waste may want a larger digger with an arm capable of more lateral movement.

"You get a lot more swing on the higher-end machines," says Van Zandt.

Van Zandt says operators will need a super-duty truck to tow their automatic digging units, because of all the weight they carry when loaded with pit waste. A half-ton truck may only be suitable for the smallest models.

"When it's loaded, you can tell," says Van Zandt. "You sometimes see the front end up in the air a little bit."

Van Zandt says operators who can only access their pits through a manhole-style opening may need to consider a vaccum unit, rather than a digger. Like the automatic diggers, the vacuum units can still empty a pit in 30 minutes.

However, if the waste is so compacted you could stand on it, Van Zandt recommends using a zer-degree nozzle on a wash wand to chisel the waste into a more workable form.

Let someone else do it

Of course, some operators prefer to let their pit waste be someone else's problem, and hire professional firms to remove and dispose of the undesirable filth. This is certainly the most expensive pit cleaning option, but most operators pay someone to collect the waste anyway. It may make sense to have the same firm actually do the cleaning for one, all-inclusive fee.

"It's hard work and it's not cheap to get rid of the stuff," says Rosecrans of Rosey's Pit Cleaning. "But it's advantageous for carwash owners to regularly clean their pits."

Rosecrans says most of his customers use his service once a year, although busier locations ask him to clean their pits every six months. The process usually takes under three hours, although pits at conveyorized washes can take longer, as areas beneath the chains have to be cleaned.

Even when professional firms remove pit waste, carwash operators can remain liable for the waste once it is deposited at landfills. Under the federal Superfund program, original producers of waste can be held liable for cleanup costs once a site is declared toxic. To eliminate the possibility of his customers being held liable, Rosecrans' company has the pit waste burned, rather than sent to a landfill.

"It costs a little more to have this done, but we're able to remain competitive," he says.

Rosecrans says the burning method also keeps carwash owners from being subjected to shifting classifications regarding pit waste. In some states, carwash pit waste is not considered hazardous and operators regularly place the waste in their dumpsters with little fear of repercussions. However, Rosecrans points out, if state or federal governments ever change the classification of pit waste to hazardous again, operators will be held responsible for past disposal methods.

One of the biggest issues in the professional pit cleaning business is the proliferation of unlicensed pit cleaners. Pit-cleaning firms need to be professionally licensed to collect and dispose of hazardous waste. Rosecrans says operators can usually spot an unlicensed company pretty quickly. Licensed trucks should have plates for hazardous and solid waste, and all stickers and permits should be current. Most trucks will also have a rear-opening door or some other easy way to remove the waste.

The fines for illegally collecting waste, or illegally using an unlicensed pit cleaner, can be high, depending on state laws. Once operator in Delaware received an enormous bill seven years ago, when his unlicensed cleaner was illegally dumping pit waste in meadows near Dover.

"Beware of the deal that seems too good to be true," says Rosecrans.
PC&D COMMUNITY

Bulletin Boards

View and post messages in our industry bulletin boards:
» Carwash Bulletin Board
» Damage Control Bulletin Board
» Detail Bulletin Board

Great Debate

» Low-price & high-volume
» Credit cards at the carwash: Yes or no?
» Express exterior management vs. in-bay management
» Multi-profit centers: Go ahead or stick to carwashing?
» Are free vacs a good sell?

Ask the Experts

Using a panel of experienced, dedicated and passionate experts in a wide variety of car care specialties, PC&D is able to help its readers find answers to everyday questions, as well as more unusual ones.

Simply use the links below to direct your question toward the appropriate expert(s), and PC&D will send it on to a member of its Advisory Board or an expert in the subject's field.

Ask all the experts
Ask the carwash expert
Ask the detail expert
Ask the lube expert

Contact the Editor

PC&D's Editor in Chief, Kate Carr, welcomes ideas, comments and suggestions for making the magazine the best it can be for its readers. If you're interested in submitting an article or want to suggest a topic, please contact Kate at (518) 779 - 1667, kcarr@carwash.com.

The magazine accepts articles from a variety of consultants and industry experts. We favor a "how-to" approach that helps readers solve problems or improve business. Pieces promoting manufacturing companies or their products are not appropriate.

Article submissions typically contain 750 to 1,500 words. If accepted for publication, articles will be edited for style, clarity and length.
PC&D RESOURCES

Buyers Guide

» Search the Buyers Guide by company name, product type or brand
» View our Buyers Guide listing options
» Create a new listing and add your company to the Buyers Guide
» Renew, upgrade or edit an existing listing
» Contact a sales representative about Buyers Guide advertising

Bookstore

www.CMIBookstore.com offers titles in the following categories:
Professional Car Care Surveys
Professional Car Care Educational Products

Services

Free Subscriptions
Website User Registration
Change Your Address
Respond to a Mailing from Professional Carwashing & Detailing
Put FREE Scrolling Headlines on Your Website
Request General Information

Classifieds

Career - Innovative Company looking for Sales Manager
Career - Regional Manager
Career - Sales Rep
Career - CAR WASH MANAGERS NEEDED
Career - VP of Operations
[See more Classifieds]

To place a classified ad online, call (518) 783-1281 or click here for an order form.

Industry Links

Visit related sites in the carwashing, detailing and quick lube industries.
» Click here for the list of Industry Links
 
HOME | INDUSTRY TOPICS | MAGAZINE | BUYERS GUIDE | BULLETIN BOARDS | ADVERTISE | ABOUT US | SITE MAP

GVMG

(c) 2010 EBSCO Industries, Inc. All rights reserved.
Grand View Media Group is a subsidiary of EBSCO Industries, Inc.

Privacy Policy
FEATURED PRODUCT