Cement Slurry Solidifier: Pros & Cons

With strict laws governing job sites, harsh penalties for noncompliance and increasingly environmentally conscious clients, proper cement slurry disposal has never been more important than it is today.

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has shown in recent years that it’s not afraid to throw the book at businesses not up to standard when it comes to construction waste disposal, and rightfully so. Improper slurry management can damage flora and fauna and even pose real risks to local residents through tainted groundwater and waterways. 

So what can contractors do to make their slurry disposal environmentally friendly and affordable? There are a few products on the market today that are designed to do just that, including our own innovation SLURRYTUB and an alternative solution, cement slurry solidifiers. 

In this article, we outline the pros and cons of slurry solidifiers so you can make an educated decision about the future of your job site cleanup. 

What is Cement Slurry Solidifier? 

A cement slurry solidifier is a powdered chemical composite used to turn liquid slurry waste into a disposable solid. Contractors mix a measure of the absorbent solidifier on their slurry waste and dispose of the resulting solid once dry. 

Solidifiers can vary in their chemical composition and method, with some more effective and compliant than others, as we’ll get to in this article. 

Cement Slurry Solidifier: Pros 

 Thinking of incorporating solidifiers in your end of day clean-up? Let’s look at a few benefits of cement slurry solidifiers. 

Pro: Faster Than Traditional Methods 

Gone are the days when the slurry clean-up required emptying the waste into a pit and spending hours and hours waiting for it to dry. Slurry solidifiers expedite this process and make it relatively quick and easy to dry the mixture into a disposable solid. 

Pro: Relatively Easy to Use 

When you consider the implications for your business if you get it wrong, slurry clean-up and washout is an important job. Thankfully, using a cement slurry solidifier is relatively easy and time-effective, although it does require some measurement as we’ll get to later in this article. 

Pro: Can Be Used for Other Purposes 

Some slurry solidifiers are also suitable for use in cleaning equipment with dried slurry buildup.

Cement Slurry Solidifier: Cons 

 As you can see, cement slurry solidifiers are a fairly easy to use and a simple way to manage your slurry wastewater. However, as with all products, there are some things to consider. Here are a few cons of using slurry solidifiers. 

Con: Not All Products Are Made Equal 

In the USA, the waste produced by some cement slurry solidifiers isn’t compliant with the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) Tand thus not acceptable to landfills. If you’re using solidifiers in Australia, it’s up to you to ensure that your product is compliant with local regulations, encapsulates heavy metals and produces waste that won’t land you in hot water with the EPA. 

Con: Requires Careful Application 

Many slurry soldiers act in a similar way to high strength hydrochloric acid, meaning they should be treated with care by anyone using them. Different products will also require a different ratio and application method to avoid the mixture self-encapsulating and not performing to its purpose. 

Con: Not the Simplest Method on the Market 

With all of these factors combined, together with the job of consolidating the solidified waste itself, it’s safe to say that slurry solidifiers aren’t the simplest or safest method on the market for managing your slurry waste. What is? SLURRYTUB.

Why Use SLURRYTUB 

 Unlike absorbent solidifying powders, SLURRYTUB is a non-chemical filtering solution that turns cement slurry waste into visibly clear water and a hardened mixture that is safe to dispose of. 

SLURRYTUB’s heavy-duty recycled plastic tub provides sturdy access for wheelbarrows and mobility for all types of wet trade waste, with a biodegradable filter liner to turn previously harmful slurry into usable recycled water. When the mixture has dried, you can dispose of the hardened waste and the biodegradable filter into the skip. 

SLURRYTUB was born from our team witnessing decades of substandard slurry management on job sites, and the need for tools that were fast and effective to use in today’s high-risk and high-regulation environment.  

To learn how you can create a safer, cleaner and more environmentally friendly worksite with SLURRYTUB, get your first Starter Kit today.