Container rejected but now what?
Some toxic gases in containers come from the cargo itself or the packaging material and are released, for example, by the hardening of materials used in the process. Other substances are put in specifically to preserve products or control pests (such as methyl bromide and hydro phosphorus). Opening and entering unvented containers in such cases can pose substantial health risks. There are two methods of ventilation:
Gasmeetstation Netherlands has the most advanced and modern degassing facilities. With the availability of specially developed degassing racks which can ventilate over 96 containers simultaneously. Using specially developed ‘suction mouths’, containers can be degassed unopened.
By opening the container doors it is possible to degas the container in a natural way. This method is suitable for natural gases, such as oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, but is not applicable under all circumstances. Among other things, during a rainstorm, the door of the container cannot remain open. It also depends on the amount of goods inside the container.
Gasmeetstation has two sites of its own at Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte and offers state-of-the-art facilities for gas measurement and environmentally friendly (de)gassing of containers. With space to vent as many as 96 containers simultaneously, this makes it the largest degassing location in the Netherlands. Another new feature is that containers for degassing are stacked three-high in racks with integrated degassing units.
If your container is rejected elsewhere in the country, there is the option of having your container degassed at over 21 locations.
For forced venting, a “suction nozzle” is used. By using specially developed suction nozzles, harmful gases and vapours are sucked out of the container without opening the doors. The advantage is that the containers are no longer opened and the original seals remain intact. Also, Customs does not have to be present if it involves Customs goods. Another advantage is that there is no risk of damage or theft. The extracted air is discharged through a pump and filter system which blows clean air into the atmosphere.
Where do gases actually come from? Learn more here Learn more
Different factors
To degasify gassed containers, there are a number of methods we use. The method and duration of degassing depends on the following factors;
Phosphine is added to keep pests out of the container. When phosphine is measured in a container, there is a very good chance that there are bags or tablets of phosphine in the container. These bags or tablets should always be safely removed, as they produce harmful vapours and may continue to do so for an extended period of time. At Gasmeetstation, there is the ability to remove these sachets and tablets of phosphine. Even when they are not measurable but are present, they can be safely removed. The phosphine bags and tablets will then be disposed of and destroyed separately.
When the products continue to fume in the container or the goods need to be available quickly, there is the option of unloading the goods at the warehouse. The products will be unloaded with personal protection. Gasmeetstation has 10 of its own specially ventilated trailers making it possible to tranship goods so that they can be at their final destination quickly. Depending on the substances and concentrations, different PPE can be used. There is also the possibility of repacking the goods or removing dunnage. These can provide better results on the gas measurement. Regardless of the method or type of gas in your container, the Gasmeetstation will always look for the most appropriate solution to get your products gas-free as quickly as possible.
Please contact us for this at planning@gasmeetstation.nl or on +3188 996 4750.