Waste Solutions Group

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT
WASTE SOLUTIONS GROUP OF SAN FRANCISCO (WSG-SF)

Click on a question to read its answer.

  1. Who is WSG?
  2. For which classifications of waste does WSG provide transport and disposal (T&D) services?
  3. How is WSG able to competitively provide T&D services?
  4. Why is WSG more environmentally sustainable?
  5. What is ECDC Environmental landfill?
  6. What are the benefits of using WSGs services?
  7. What is an example of how a project utilizing WSG services proceeds?
  8. What’s new at WSG?
  9. What is WSG's equipment list?
  10. What are some examples of projects to which WSG has provided T&D services.

(1) Who is WSG?

Since 1991, WSG has provided truck and rail transportation and disposal services for contaminated and hazardous wastes, and transfer and landfill development and operations.

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(2) For which classifications of waste does WSG provide T&D services?

  • The majority of the waste for which WSG provides T&D services is solid waste, which ranges from municpal solid waste to construction and demolition debris to hazardous waste to low level radioactive waste.
  • WSG does provide T&D services for liquid hazardous-wastes as well.  If sufficient quantities of a liquid hazardous waste exist on a project site, we will utilize 20,000 gallon rail-tanker cars to transport. Upon arrival at the landfill, the liquid waste is solidified using ash and other absorbents.
  • WSG specializes in T&D of California-hazardous wastes, however, WSG does provide T&D services for the following classifications of waste:
    • RCRA-hazardous wastes (incineration, chemical oxidation, stabilization, direct landfill)
    • TSCA wastes (including extremely hazardous TSCA waste w/ PCB 1000+ppm
    • Low-level radioactive wastes
    • Class II and Class III contaminated wastes.

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(3) How is WSG able to provide competitiveT&D services?

WSG is able to provide competitive T&D services for many reasons:

  • On the West Coast, WSG 10-acre railyard location in San Francisco near Hunters Point Naval Shipyard (operated by WSG’s sister company, LB Railco: a federally-certified shortline rail operator) can handle the loading of more than 3,000 tons per day of waste into railcars.
  • On the East Coast, WSG operates three transloading yards in New York, New jersey and Boston, providing rail coverage through the densely populated Northeast corridor.
  • WSG’s relationships with the Class 1 railroads (CSX, NS, UP, BNSF) results in smoother shipments and high volume preferential rail-rates.
  • WSG’s relationship and long-term contracts with rail-accessible landfills aslo results in preferential disposal rates for our clients.
  • WSG's ability to transport quantities of waste with fewer trucks from project sites in the markets we serve allows us to haul the same amount of waste with 1 truck that it would take 5-10 long-haul trucks to haul. This is due to the efficicies and economics of moving large volumes of waste by rail. Back to Top

(4) Why is WSG more environmentally sustainable?

We minimize the amount of trucking involved in our projects and utilize our patented truck-to-rail rail system to conserve time, money, and fuel. The trucks that we do use are operated by experienced, fully-insured local truckers who provide us with the fastest and most fuel-efficient service. The fuel economy of rail is absolutely incomparable to any other form of land-based freight. Rail is known to get as much as 410 miles to the gallon / per ton of waste soil moved, and our process from start to finish reduces fuel consumption by as much as 90% compared to long-haul trucking.

We are also constantly searching for new ways to lessen our environmental impacts because we understand that being practicing environmentally sustainable business is in everyone’s best interest. Our current endeavors include engineering an entirely unique Belloti- and MiJack- mounted dust suppression system to further reduce our environmental impact. We are also partnering with the California Air Resources Board to measure the emissions of our locomotives and our railyard equipment, as we transition from conventional diesel fuel to lower-emission biodiesel.

 

(5) What is ECDC Environmental landfill?

ECDC is located 140 miles southeast of Salt Lake City and boasts a dedicated 20,000-foot spur of the Union Pacific Railroad that leads directly into the site. The spur connects with Union Pacific’s main-line and receives service 5-6 days per week. ECDC began operation of its landfill in August, 1992 and is a 2,400 acre landfill with 29 double-lined cells (equating to 300 million cubic yards of lifetime capacity), permitted to receive CERCLA off-site wastes.

  • ECDC’s spur runs directly into its rotary unloading facility for offloading of ECDC’s fleet of 100+ ton gondola railcars.

  • Each of the 29 double-lined cells of the landfill exceed Subtitle D requirements for non-RCRA hazardous solid waste facilities.

  • ECDC has a complete background monitoring well system and each of the 29 cells features a leachate collection and leak detection system (leachate collected from cells is stored in an on-site pond and is reused for dust suppression within the cell)
  • ECDC has radiation monitoring for all waste entering the facility to prevent inadvertent acceptance of rad-waste, and the landfill has routine gas monitoring on a scheduled basis.

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(6) WSG T&D services are cost effective, but what other benefits are there to using WSG?

  • WSG’s ability to service projects within our market areas with a limited number of trucks prevents congestion at project sites resulting in inefficiencies, including complaints from other companies, residences, etc., as well as the liability of truck hauling.
  • WSG’s ability to obtain overweight permits which allow haulers to pull 90,000 lb gross loads within San Francisco
  • WSG’s ability to utilize 100% locally-certified MBE/WBE haulers which are frequently requested (with credits for contractors) in bids with public agencies.
  • WSG’s ability to respond rapidly to projects (i.e. expedited waste profile turnaround; quick response to questions or concerns; location of WSG compared to project site)
  • WSG’s ability to provide turnkey services (utilizing our preferred contractors), including providing a package quote for remediation, management, transport and disposal of numerous wastes (Class III, Class II, Class 1 Cal-Haz, TSCA, RCRA, low-level rad-waste, etc.)
  • WSG's tretament of RCRA hazardous down to non-RCRA levels.

 

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(7) How does a project utilizing WSG's services proceeds:

  • Generator/Contractor/Consultant contacts either East Coast (914-713-0671) or West Coast (415-642-7170) with the following information:
    • What services is Generator/Contractor/Consultant interested in WSG providing?
    • Classification of waste and quantity?
    • Is there rail on the project site?
    • Estimated date of offhaul?
    • Mass excavation to stockpile and then mass load-out or direct excavation loading into trucks?
    • Identification of how quickly waste shall be offhauled (i.e. tons per day)
  • WSG provides quote for services (contingent upon accurate classification and waste approval)
  • WSG obtains analytical documentation
  • WSG provides client a copy of a Generator Waste Profile Sheet and a Third Party Signature Authorization Sheet
  • WSG obtains completed Generator Waste Profile Sheet and pursues waste acceptance
  • WSG enters into contract with Generator/Contractor/Consultant
  • Offhaul begins
  • Waste is directly loaded into gondola railcars or trucks with 25-cubic-yard “tipper” containers (with overweight permits if project site is located in City).

  • Loaded trucks transport waste back to WSG’s railyard (container lift equipment with on-board scale weighs each container load of waste and provides informational printout)
  • Waste placed into gondola railcars
  • Truck with empty container returns to project site
  • WSG creates bill of lading notifying Union Pacific loaded railcars are ready for transport
  • Union Pacific picks up loaded railcars and transports them to the designated landfill
  • WSG invoices client
  • WSG traces railcars en-route to the designated landfill on a daily basis
  • Waste arrives to designated landfill where it is treated and/or disposed

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(8) What’s new at WSG?

  • In 2002, WSG obtained a patent on its container-lift-tipper-unit, providing WSG with the ability to service much larger volumes of waste.
  • WSG is not limited to the number of containers we have in our railyard because the transport vehicle for our waste is a 100+ ton gondola railcar.

  • ECDC’s fleet of over 150 gondola railcars
  • UP’s extensive fleet of gondola railcars

  • WSG is in the process of manufacturing an additional 5 tipper-containers, with an estimated completion date of September, 2007.

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(9) WSG equipment list?

  • 5 Mijack Container Lift Machines (4 tipper units with another being manufactured)

  • Belotti Container Lift Machine
  • Forklifts
  • Locomotives (blue carded)

  • Track Mobiles
  • Water Wagons (dust suppression and surfactant coating)

  • Scaffolding
  • Fleet of containers (tipper and non-tipper) and trailers
  • Yard Goats
  • Tri-axle and drop-deck trailers

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(10) Partial list of projects for which WSG-SF has provided T&D services:

  • Port of San Francisco’s Pier 92
  • City and County of San Francisco – MUNI 3rd St. Light Rail
  • Army Corps of Engineers Manville (NJ) Superfund Site Clean-up
  • Brookhaven (NY) National Laboratories Contaminated and Low-Level Radioactive
  • ChevronTexaco Mission Bay 
  • Hunters Point Naval Shipyard(SF)
  • California Department of Transportation projects
  • Tracy (CA) Army Supply Depot
  • The GAP Headquarters
  • SF Giants AT&T Ballpark
  • North Beach Housing Associates
  • Vornado Realty Rego Park (NY)
  • Southern Pacific Loma Prieta Earthquake Clean-up

Please click here to see a map of a few of our projects with links to more extended project examples.

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