Zappa Stewart supplies a wide range of SuperAbsorbent Polymers (SAPs). Most SAPs are surface cross linked (referred to as SXM) and are widely used in diapers and hygiene products. However, there are also non-surface cross linked SAP’s (often referred to as pre-surface crosslinked or PSXM for short) that have unique properties and are well suited for specific applications.

Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) technology has a wide range of uses in a multitude of industrial, consumer, and specialty markets. The average consumer encounters SAPs on a daily basis, often without realizing their presence. SAPs are used in baby diapers, absorbent pads for food packaging, in hot/cold gel packs, feminine hygiene products, cat litter and more. SAPs also play a role in solidifying and rendering liquids generated by medical procedures as non-"red bag waste." In addition to the consumer goods and medical markets, SAPs are compatible with a long list of construction and industrial process wastes.

When a Southeastern US-based fiber optic and telecom contractor was faced with a persistent liquid waste management challenge, the contractor contacted Zappa-Stewart to conduct an on-site demonstration of solidification with ZapZorb superabsorbent polymers (SAPs).

HDD technology has changed the landscape for the pipeline and utility infrastructure sectors, quite literally.  Pipelines can now be installed under waterways, utilities can be installed without open cutting of highways and wetlands, and residential service connections can be installed without digging up lawns and driveways.  But as with any technological innovation, HDD technology comes with its own set of new challenges.  The large volumes of spent drilling mud, that are generated by HDD borings, require careful management, to prevent unnecessary costs and environmental risks.  A rapidly increasing number of HDD contractors and owners choose to solidify spent drilling fluid on-site, with superabsorbent polymers (SAPs), to eliminate excessive waste hauling, disposal charges, and environmental liabilities.

Industrial contractors utilize superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) in wastewater treatment, horizontal directional drilling (HDD), remediation, and other industrial sectors to simplify the solidification of challenging liquid waste streams. SAPs feature the highest absorbency of any solidification technology, allowing contractors to process more sludge with less reagent, minimizing the quantity of material mixed into the waste, time spent blending reagent, and the disposal weight of the solidified waste. 

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its cause, SARS-CoV-2, have taken a solid grip on both the US and the world, causing significant loss of life and economic destruction. The public in general now has a heightened awareness around not only this current coronavirus, but the potential for future viruses and pandemics as well. This only adds to the pressure hospitals and other healthcare centers have been under to reduce Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs), which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), affect roughly 1 in every 31 hospital patients across the United States.

While the benefits of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology have changed the game for the utility and pipeline construction industries, the large volumes of fluid waste generated by HDD borings pose significant costs and environmental risk. Contractors and owners often choose to solidify drilling mud on site with superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) because of financial and time savings as well as SAPs’ ease of use and environmental benefits.

With the recent COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, infection control within the healthcare environment is more important than ever before. Management of potentially infectious waste needs to be strictly followed in order to keep our healthcare workers, material handlers, truck drivers and others safe from potentially virulent material.  Taking full precautions and maintaining compliance with existing regulations support employees’ health and safety, which in turn benefits hospitals and other service companies that depend on said employees.

Before starting a discussion on how Zappa Stewart solidifiers allow compliance, let’s first understand the regulations with which a product/business must comply.

Sludge, a viscous mixture of liquid and solid components, is generated by essentially all industrial and municipal wastewater treatment facilities. When sludge must be periodically removed in order for plant maintenance crews to conduct repairs on process equipment and concrete holding basins, superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are the safest, fastest, and most efficient choice to convert wet sludge to dry stackable solids.

The new coronavirus epidemic, COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan China, causing severe respiratory illness, has brought a heightened level of both awareness and panic to the general public regarding the spread of viruses and infections in general. This only adds to the pressure hospitals and other healthcare centers have been under to reduce Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs), which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), affect roughly 1 in every 31 hospital patients across the United States.