Oil, General Purpose or Chemical?

Download a printable version here. 

What are spill absorbents?

Spill absorbents are any material that will safely and reliably soak up spills of a hazardous nature.  However, the key words here are safely and reliably and many materials are risky when used in hazardous situations. To that end, we have grouped our solutions into two types that rise to those measures:

1. Loose Absorbents
2. Polypropylene Sorbents

Learn more about sorbents here.

What is the difference between Oil Only, General Purpose, and Chemical sorbents?

It is important to know the difference between the 3 types of sorbent products – noting that the same terminology is also used for spill response kits.

• Oil Only: will repel water and selectively absorb oils, fuels and other hydrocarbons. Typically used in marine situations. White in colour.
• General Purpose: will absorb the above liquids but also water-soluble liquids as well, such as coolants, brake fluid, paints and mild chemicals. Grey in colour.
• Chemical: designed to absorb all the above but also most of the nasty acids, alkalis and other harsh chemicals. Bright yellow in hazard recognition.

Oil Only, General Purpose or Chemical – what do I need?

Our Polypropylene Compatibility Guide can help you choose the right sorbent to control and clean-up your hazardous substance. Download the guide here.

What is a Spill Kit?

We always say there are two types: a spill kit and a good spill kit!

A spill kit is designed to give the user the ability to contain and clean-up a hazardous substance spill.  A good spill kit will do that but will also give the user the confidence that the contents are applicable for the substances in question (i.e. won’t react) and will work rapidly when put into action. The contents of a ‘good spill kit’ will always be action-ready because they won’t break down or go off when stored over time. 

Are there different types of Spill Kits?

Yes, there are both different types and different sizes of spill kits. This is due to the variety of different liquids, the amount stored in each situation, and the level of risk for that particular area or location.

Controlco’s indispensable spill kit range is divided into three levels, to suit the needs of all businesses, situations, and budgets. It also makes it easier for you to decide which one you need! If you are at the beginning of your spill response journey we recommend our Starter Spill Kits. If you’re looking for a high-level response kit that covers all the bases try our Premium Spill Kits. If you’re in the middle (you’re not alone), our Everyday Spill Kits are the most popular.

All of these kits are available in either Oil Only, General Purpose, or Chemical.

Beyond the traditional spill kits, we also have a range of specialty spill kits – click here to view the range.

Which Spill Kit do I need?

Making the correct choice of kit specific to your situation, is a very important decision. The difference between getting this right or wrong, can be the difference between whether a spill response is effective, and whether responders are kept safe during the process.

Please see our dedicated resource sheet that takes you through this in more detail here.

Creating safer working environments

At Hazero our mission is zero hazards. Our extensive range of quality products will help you store, contain and control and clean-up dangerous goods and hazardous substances.

View our range of products to help you control clean-up hazardous substances here.

Need help creating a safer working environment? Contact our team today on 0800 688 844 or email us at info@hazero.co.nz. Our team are also available for on-site assessments across New Zealand, click here to request a site visit.

Content above falls under the Hazero Disclaimer, for more information click here.