Queen City Metals, Inc. has a commitment to maintaining an environmentally sound workplace as demonstrated by our adoption of industry developed comprehensive environmental operating guidelines. We support Design for Recycling, a national policy to promote the design and manufacturing of goods that, at the end of their useful life, can be recycled safely and efficiently.

February 1, 1994 - Greg Guinn, Owner

Queen City Metals, Inc. began as farmland. This 'green field' site is an integral part of the business plan of the facility. It is our goal to continue this site environmentally as clean as when we first had an EPA Phase I assessment. To accomplish this task, Queen City Metals, Inc. must have the highest environmental standards in the scrap metal recycling industry. These standards will protect not only Queen City Metals, Inc., but our customers as well.

Containment pads are used exclusively at our facility for all metals that have been in contact with cutting fluids or coolants.

 

This picture shows the initial process of compacting the soil, digging a footer and placing a layer of sand as the pad foundation.

This picture shows the synthetic liner over sand base and under the pad footer. We use seam welded liner to prevent any fluid releases should the concrete pad by damaged. As you can see, the liner is a part of the pad walls.

The next phase of our containment pad construction is the pouring of the concrete. A special mix is used and is poured 12 inches thick. The pad floor is sloped to one rear corner causing all storm water that falls on the pad to flow into the drain. The pad drains into a tank, the first in a series of tanks and filters. Please note the special groove in the pad floor. This groove is designed to hold the seal that is attached in a way that keeps fluids from seeping between pad floor and pad wall. Rebar is used to strengthen pad walls.

The first series of tanks are used to filter out the suspended solids. The water is then pumped to a series of tanks that processes out the free floating oils. These oils are pumped into a holding tank where a waste hauler can pump and haul.

The next process is an ultra-filtration unit that removes the emulsified oils. These oils are pumped into a holding tank where a waste hauler can pump and haul.

The clean water is discharged into a grassy area before entering a sinkhole area as stated on our Tennessee Multi-Sector Permit.