Since 1994, Circle has been the leader of the Industry known as "Absorbent Recycling." Richard Middleton, the inventor and founder, developed a "Closed-Loop Dry-Cleaning System" so that oil saturated absorbers could be cleaned and reused. Prior to Middleton's original idea most manufacturing Plants, Metropolitan Transit Systems and Oil Spill products were disposed of in Landfills.
Middleton's process went through a lot of onsite R & D to make it more efficient and more Environmentally Sound. The "System" was improved many times and with each improvement, Middleton sought another patent.
Although he is responsible for getting "Google" to accept the search engine for Absorbent Recycling, the true meaning of his business is better defined as Absorbent Cleaning for Reuse and extracted Oil from the absorbents creates a renewable energy. Unfortunately, this definition was a little wordy and hence the name Absorbent Recycling became the industry title,
RCRA allows an exemption as stated; “Any reusable textile material that is destined for laundering is not considered a waste and by definition cannot be a Hazardous Waste. This is the definition sighted by Region IV.
Circle's process does not allow for the pick up or cleaning of Hazardous materials, liquids, waste or flammables or any other definition of the term hazardous as defined by RCRA or CERCLA. There has been some confusion because "the textile wiper rule" was written for shop clothes that contain Hazardous liquids in the cotton wipes.
Even today the Industry that Middleton started is not recognized by the EPA as a Best Management Practice for handling oil saturated Sorbents.
Circle's cleaning and "Reuse System" creates "RENEWABLE ENERGY" from "WASTE". What other kind of process does this and saves energy, money, and eliminates a waste stream,
The next step in the System is to clean the absorbents in Circle’s closed-loop Dry-cleaning Machine that is manufactured for Circle in Italy. A non-hazardous cleaning fluid was substituted for the carcinogenic know as perk. The new machine cleaned oil and stains that far exceeded expectations. The new “SYSTEM” minimizes harmful land waste; but it protects the air by eliminating the emission of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPS) and Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) from the atmosphere. This aspect of the new System lowers (GWP) or Global Warming and so far has proved safer for employees that work with the closed process.
The new Circle machine and Non-Hazardous cleaning solution can now be used in Retail dry cleaning, Uniform and shop towel cleaning as well as the Cleaning and the Reuse of Booms, Pads and other Oil Spill Clean-Up Products. The Oil removed from the Booms and other Spill Products keeps the saturated Sorbents out of Coastal Landfills where the water table is shallow.
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