NASA gets bill

In February of last year, the Kennedy Space Center got fined $25,000 in connection with work in 2006 to install a new, lightweight concrete roof on the Vehicle Assembly Building. The contractor washed out a concrete pumping apparatus with water and discharged the water underground. The water had a higher alkalinity than allowed, said Allard Beutel, a spokesman at KSC.

No source of drinking water was contaminated, he said.

NASA took full responsibility, so the contractor was not fined.

"We did not expect that level of waste," Beutel said. "We thought they were following all the proper procedures for this thing."

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080629/NEWS01/806290328/1006

thats why I was wandering how do they do this in California,Being thats where most of your environmental laws start,I know alot of operators say its easier but is it worth it,are they pumping back into the readymix trucks or what, seems like with the stormwater restrictions what they are its more environmentally safe to do a conventional washout and washout in a pit or a washout bin,I bet for $25,000 they'll think twice.

We wash out in to either an Eco-pan, the back up the ramp wash out bins, or into a pit in the ground with plastic if we were to wash out on to the ground or the street we would get a $10,000.00 fine. Most of the contractors out here don't like us sucking a sponge cause it leaves to big of a concrete mess for them to clean up and a lot of the ready mix trucks now have the suck pumps to suck out the water of the bin's or the pit so theres just a little bit of concrete in them so they can use them a couple of pours until there filled with concrete then they switch them out

I know that I am simple minded. I have been this way my entire life. Will one of you tree-huggers please explain to me

WHY is it ok for us to pour 444 cubic yards on the ground and it is not ok to dump an aditional 1/2 yard 10 feet from that slab????

Sorry, I just do not get it.

  You didn't know that concrete wash-out is the cause of global warming,the scarcity of honey bees,Katrina,and the high price of oil............

my bad

Bob

I'm with you on that.

This is a very interesting problem. In certain states and countries we have different enviormental requirements. Like BOB SANDERSON interjected a great thought. Why can we put XXXX amount of concrete on the ground or in the water, into the site and have to worry about X amount of washout.

kerryjudge@yahoo.com

Hey by the way, on our contract tickets the contractor must supply a sutible washout area. And for Line Pumps, a sutible area at the pump for waste concrete without moving the pump. Again thanks.

a contractor once told me , : its not my problem were u wash out , your the pumper, figure it out:, so i said  , respectfully ," you should read the fine print on my receipt , and on the ready mix receipt , it states in bold lettering - contractor is responsible for water on the job and a suitable wash out area" he wasnt the happiest camper but i said it beats a 10,000 dollar fine any day, and if u ask for my help or opinion ill gladly help u fiind or create a wash out area .

The silly part of this is that there are several options, as we all know, for washing the pump out. (Eco-Pan, Swimming Pool, Plastic Lined Pit, ETC...) Thye contractor did not do his part in ensuring there were washouts onsite for the mixers and pump. What has been an afterthought is now gaining importance, to the tune of $25k .

Hopefully next time the contractor considers where the pump will wash out when he schedules his/her next pour.

bunch of earth muffins