Author: Richard

The Pumper Dump Solution

Posted on by Richard

If you have arrived here after reading, and hopefully enjoying the previous posts, I would like to say thank you.

The story began many, many years ago, while walking in concrete slurry and mud, I thought there had to be a safer, cleaner way to deal with the concrete washout waste after washing a concrete pump.

So, I took to paper and came up with my concept.

Just like the concreters have moved on from pushing wheelbarrows, PumperDump has grown to offer more than just a bin service.

When using PumperDump we assist you to:

  • Avoid using plastic for washout trays
  • Avoid the use of your onsite plant equipment
  • Save your manual labour time and cost to clean up messes
  • Eliminate extra tip fees
  • Better manage any water runoff and possible pollution infringements
  • Give recyclers an uncontaminated product to recycle
  • Reduce unnecessary carbon emissions
  • Introduce sustainable practices while dealing with concrete waste
  • Improve onsite safety
  • One price no hidden costs

Just like the sustainability Venn diagram shows, sustainability covers many areas and we have grown and innovated through constant dialog with builders, assisting them to solve their problems, and in doing that, we have also been able to assist them with their sustainability goals.


It looks simple and is simple, but what this bin can offer is a lot more.

This following chart compares the process and time builders take to deal with the washout tray onsite compared to using PumperDump. It shows the extra plant machinery handling and truck movements taken when done the traditional way.


PumperDump’s Concrete Waste Separation Unit, (CWSU) as we call it, has a 1m3 volume, with an inner tray to capture the concrete and an outer tray to store the wash water to be processed and recycled. PumperDump trays have a larger volume than the standard tray and yes, they can also be overfilled, but the outer tray gives room for the water and a better indication of when the limit will be reached.

We give builders back their skip bin volume for real rubbish, keeping any overweight charges to a minimum and help them mitigate the risk of fines with no more water running out of transported skips.

We don’t tie up onsite plant leaving them to be better utilised for onsite operations.

PumperDump’s no plastic policy delivers the recycler an uncontaminated concrete waste. Instead of plastic, we use our specially formulated water-based concrete release agent on all our bins.

We offer certificates on the concrete and water collected and recycled and the volume of plastic diverted from landfill.

Even when construction has commenced, some builders and concreters are reluctant to use PumperDump, believing it’s an extra cost without seeing the many hidden costs already associated with the cleaning and disposal of concrete waste.

My story goes, from walking through concrete slurry and mud after washing a concrete pump, to starting and growing PumperDump, to now offering a range of services that will help you to a safer more sustainable concrete pumping 21th century.

Want to know more, then get in touch

#PumperDumpSolution #Construction #ConstructionIndustry #ConcreteRecycling #ContructionWaste #ConcreteSolutions #ConcreteManagement #ConcretePump #ConcreteWashout #ConcreteWasteManagement #C&DWaste #CircularEconomy #GreenBuilding #Pollution #NSW #NSWGovernment #Sustainability #Sydney #SydneyConstruction

Share this article

Agreeing on a Problem that Needs to be Solved

Posted on by Richard

In summary, the problem associated to the residential builder, is the same as the builder who uses the washout bags, washout trays and piles the concrete in a heap. They all have a degree of hidden costs associated with the handling of the concrete washout waste.

These range in degree of costs in the areas:

  • Use of plastic
  • Use of onsite plant
  • Time for manual labour to clean up messes
  • Extra tip fees
  • Uncontained water runoff and possible pollution infringements
  • Giving the recycler a plastic contaminated product to recycle
  • Unnecessary carbon emitted
  • Unsustainable practices while dealing with concrete waste
  • Onsite safety

I ask you, is this because the builders view the concrete industry like it was in the 1930’s, or because they believe there is no other option on how to deal with this waste, or is it because builders just don’t notice all the hidden costs associated with this process?

Building the Sydney Harbour Bridge

I have on many occasions taken people through our cost comparison chart and they have agreed with the cost savings in using PumperDump, then continue to go back to the same old ways. Change is hard, I know because I also need to do it, but change is what drives improvement.

Even though the word “Sustainability” hasn’t been shouted until recently, the practices have always been there when improving site safety, the environment and the bottom line. Sustainability is now expanding the core areas and the responsibility along the chain is becoming more accountable.

The belief that the waste in the bin is someone else’s problem, is now coming back to the creator of the waste. Builders need to and are becoming more aware of their responsibility on running a building site.

Concrete pumping has never been scrutinised under a microscope, but if viewed through a sustainable lens, builders can reap large benefits over large projects when these practices are implemented.



If you are facing the same problems as theses other builders and are willing to look for a solution and a better way, give me the time to show you what we can offer.

My next post,  what you have told us you need, to solve this problem.

#PumperDump #Construction #ConstructionIndustry #ConcreteRecycling #ContructionWaste #ConcreteSolutions #ConcreteManagement #ConcretePump #ConcreteWashout #ConcreteWasteManagement #C&DWaste #CircularEconomy #GreenBuilding #Pollution #NSW #NSWGovernment #Sustainability #Sydney #SydneyConstruction

Want to know more, then get in touch

Share this article

A Sustainable Solution

Posted on by Richard

Builders have been telling me that they need a sustainable solution to address the problem.

Sustainability

Sustainability is defined as the ability of a system to exist constantly at a cost, in a universe that evolves towards thermodynamic equilibrium, the state with maximum entropy. In the 21st century, it refers generally to the capacity for the biosphere and human civilisation to coexist. For many in the field, sustainability is defined through the following interconnected domains or pillars: environment, economic and social. 

Sustainability is not environmentalism and people in the construction industry are slowly recognising the difference.

The Venn diagram shows how sustainability intertwines different areas to achieve a better outcome. Sustainability is slowly becoming the way to do business as large funding organisations are requiring better accountability before finance is approved.


Adams, W.M. (2006). The Future of Sustainability: Re-thinking Environment and Development in the Twenty-first Century. Report of the IUCN Renowned Thinkers Meeting, 29–31 January 2006 (PDF). Retrieved 16 February2009.

The increasing focus and relevance of sustainability in the construction industry is more than just ‘being green’, sustainability encompasses, social, environment and economic, and I believe that “concrete pumping” as an industry, needs to be viewed in a new light as it has a major role in construction and the hidden costs and opportunities for a sustainable process should not be overlooked.

My next post, a solution proposed.

#ConcreteWaste #Construction #ClimateChange #Sustainability #PumperDump

Want to know more, then get in touch

Share this article

Aggravating the Process and Contributing to the Waste

Posted on by Richard

I have tried not to make any comments in the past posts but, I was confused why the builder was even using the tray when all they would do is tip it into a pile on the ground. The pile of concrete is contaminated with plastic from the tray lining like the other methods mentioned in my previous posts.


The piling and removal of the concrete would mean double, even triple handling of this waste. This pile would only amount to a very small portion of the leftover concrete on this site. What a mess!

Concrete mixers have also poured their remaining concrete on the pile instead of returning it to the batching yard. This will save the builder money, but now the builder will need to organise a machine on site with a hammer to break up the concrete before it can be loaded and taken to a tip or recycler.

The mess left over is quite obvious. It may bother some builders and maybe not others, having a site with this amount of slurry left that could create a hazard, a cost and generally poor look.

My next post,  summary of the problems.

#ConcreteWaste #BadPractice #Sustainability #PumperDump

Want to know more, then get in touch

Share this article

Breaking the Rules and Breaking the Equipment

Posted on by Richard

The photo and video will say the thousand words.

My last post talked about washout trays and the need for them to be emptied into the onsite skip.

With safety being a very important aspect of our lives on site, actions like this need to be taken seriously.

The video shows a washout tray being tipped into a skip. On a site with 100 + pours this constant abuse will eventually cause damage to the manitou. 


While I have been told of machines with cracks appearing on the boom or the rotator being damaged, the photo below shows damage to a manitou tyne from lifting overweight bins and constant banging. The new attachment sits in the distance. It was a $4k fix and this is on a tier 1 builder’s site!

You may or may not be surprised of how often this happening on your site.

#ConstructionRisk #EquipmentDamage #Manitou #PumperDump

Want to know more, then get in touch

 

Share this article

What’s the Problem with On Site Concrete Washout Trays

Posted on by Richard

The concrete washout tray is the most common concrete washout containment method used on sites. Most trays hold around .8 of a cubic metre.

Sites need to have plant equipment like a crane or manitou to move the tray around empty, and full, and to tip it into the onsite skip once used. Room for storage needs to be found and on some tight sites this could be a challenge.


Trays can be rented or more commonly supplied by the concreter so the builder can look after the waste. All washout trays need to be lined with plastic to prevent the concrete from sticking.

So, over a large project, the amount of plastic used will add up to a considerable volume.

The plastic will contaminate the concrete to be recycled, just like the concrete wrapped in plastic from the washout bags.

For builders looking at a sustainable method of handling the concrete washout waste, this may not be the preferred method.

Washout trays just like concrete washout bags have no alternate method to contain the water overflow when full, and so often spill over the sides to the surrounding area. Like the washout bags, it can create a slip hazard when the slurry dries.

I have had builders tell me that after a couple of trays have been tipped into the skip, the water runs out of the skip onto the road when transported and are concerned about the possibility of fines from the council.

Again, with this onsite tray some builders talk about the extra or “hidden” costs that go with the handling of the trays with their equipment and the cost of the waste when the turnover of the bins is increased because of the weight in the skips.


Some of the problems we have seen:

Storage Issues:

Spills:

Plastic Contamination:

Has anybody seen my washout tray?



Want to know more, then get in touch

Share this article