Most industrial processes produce some type of waste product, causing project managers major stress when it’s time to clean up the site.

Industrial waste can be messy, hard on the nose, and even dangerous for workers to come into direct contact with, making it impractical to remove using human labour – that’s where vacuum trucks provide an effective solution.

The truck that arrives to clean up any mess

Vacuum trucks are essentially giant suction machines on wheels. They arrive at the site, require a short period of time to become operational, and are able to remove most types of industrial waste.

Most vacuum trucks use a rotary vane vacuum pump, with a belt or hydraulic drive. In most instances, the pump is powered by the truck’s motor, but in some cases a separate motor will be brought by trailer to power up the vacuum.

What exactly can a vacuum truck clean up?

If your site contains any of the following waste, a vacuum truck may be your best solution:

• Solid materials including soil, dust, powder, and grain from silos
• Liquids including oil, sludge, sewage, liquid fuels and catalysts, and caustic materials

Generally speaking, anything that could be shovelled with a spade and isn’t highly corrosive or radioactive can be handled by a vacuum truck. The size and power of the pump, as well as the specific truck that will be used depends on your site and what materials need to be removed.

What type of industrial sites can be served by vacuum trucks?

Due to the large size of vacuum trucks, it’s quite important that your site is easily accessible by tar or maintained dirt road so that the truck can arrive safely. Specialised 4×4 trucks have been used in clean-up operations globally, but the cost of a clean-up like this would be much higher than a regular project.

For more information on vacuum trucks that can be used in clean-up projects, please contact us. We are ready and able to assist with projects of every size.