What to Do : Emergency and Contaminated Materials | Article | Sanivac

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What should you do in the event of an emergency involving contaminated materials ?

An environmental emergency involving contaminated materials can occur at any time : equipment failure, basin overflow, accidental spill, or industrial incident. In these situations, a rapid and structured response is essential to limit environmental, financial, and regulatory impacts. At Sanivac, we offer specialized emergency response services for contaminated material pumping, available 24/7.

The Importance of Immediate Response

During an environmental emergency, the first priority is to limit the spread of contaminants. A delayed response can lead to soil, sewer system, or waterway contamination, significantly increasing decontamination costs and regulatory risks. Our teams are trained to quickly secure the site, assess the situation, and implement the necessary containment measures before proceeding with pumping.

Containment and Pumping of Contaminated Materials

Once the area is secured, pumping becomes a key step. Sanivac uses specialized vacuum trucks capable of efficiently pumping contaminated water, industrial sludge, hydrocarbons, and other liquid or semi-liquid residues. This rapid intervention helps contain the situation, minimize environmental impacts, and stabilize the site for subsequent actions.

Cleaning, Stabilization, and Temporary Management

After pumping, targeted cleaning is carried out to remove remaining residues and stabilize the site. Depending on the nature of the incident, Sanivac can implement temporary storage solutions using sealed tanks, ensuring the safe management of materials until their final transport.

Transport and Proper Disposal

Contaminated materials pumped during an emergency are then transported to authorized treatment facilities in compliance with environmental regulations. Sanivac ensures responsible, safe, and traceable management of all residues, providing peace of mind to its clients.

Emergency Response Never Replaces Compliance

Even in critical situations, environmental standards must be respected. Engaging a specialized company like Sanivac ensures a rapid response without compromising regulatory compliance.

Preventing Emergencies Through Maintenance

Many emergency situations can be avoided through regular maintenance of facilities. Cleaning separators, pumping basins, and performing preventive maintenance on industrial systems significantly reduce the risk of spills or overflows.

Sanivac : A Reliable Partner in Critical Situations

Whether it’s a planned intervention or an environmental emergency, Sanivac supports industries, municipalities, and businesses with a structured, safe, and context-specific approach. When an environmental emergency occurs, speed and expertise make all the difference. Pumping contaminated materials is a specialized operation that must be entrusted to professionals capable of acting efficiently while adhering to the highest standards.

👉 Need an Intervention or Assessment ?

📧 Contact Us !

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Sanivac offers a complete solution for the maintenance of urban, sanitary, and environmental infrastructures. Our main services include :

  • Rental and maintenance of portable toilets (including restroom trailers, sanitary blocks, and accessible units)
  • Rental of containers and Frac Tank reservoirs
  • Septic tank pumping
  • Grease trap pumping
  • General pumping and cleaning services
  • Unclogging and cleaning of garage drains, pump stations, and much more.
  • Hydro Excavation
  • On-site de-icing
  • Tanker and agri-food transport
  • Cleaning and unclogging of sewers, catch basins, and other urban infrastructure.

We provide services for construction sites, municipalities, outdoor events, food industries, schools, shopping centers, farms, and private residences.

👉 Discover all our services: sanivac.ca/services

The answer depends on the region you’re in! Thanks to our 8 branches located strategically across Quebec and Ontario, Sanivac serves a very large territory, including :

  • Montreal, Laval, Montérégie, Estrie, Lanaudière, the Laurentides, Mauricie, and the Capitale-Nationale region

  • The Outaouais and Ottawa regions through our Gatineau and Ottawa offices

This regional presence allows us to ensure fast service, optimized logistics, and genuine proximity to our clients.

📍 Check out our service map here : sanivac.ca/nos-succursales

Absolutely. Sanivac is known for having the largest inventory in Quebec, with over 15,000 sanitation units, including :

  • standard chemical toilets
  • multi-unit sanitary blocks
  • restroom trailers with showers
  • unités haut de gamme pour mariages et festivals

Our units are available for short- or long-term rental, always delivered clean, inspected, and maintained on a customized schedule.

👉 Explore our sanitary solutions : sanivac.ca/location-toilettes

Yes. We use high-pressure combo trucks for cleaning pipes, unclogging catch basins, garage drains, and even storm and sanitary conduits in underground infrastructure.

This service is essential in spring and fall, especially for commercial buildings, schools, municipalities, and shopping centers that need to prevent backups and flooding.

🚨 Need a quick response ?
👉 Submit a request here : sanivac.ca/nettoyage-egouts

Yes. Sanivac offers septic tank pumping and maintenance services, mainly in rural areas or for cottages not connected to municipal sewers. We also service holding tanks, sealed tanks, catch basins, valve chambers, grease traps, and more.

We send maintenance reminders and adjust the frequency based on usage and municipal regulations.

💧 Schedule your maintenance here : sanivac.ca/fosse-septique

Yes. Our team is available for emergency interventions, whether it’s an overflow, a clogged drain, or critical equipment that is no longer functioning. Thanks to our fleet of more than 375 specialized trucks, we can respond quickly based on priority and geographic area.

📞 In case of emergency : 1 888 767-1961

You can request a quote online in just a few clicks on our website. Simply select the service you’re interested in and fill out the form. A member of our team will contact you promptly to confirm your needs and offer a suitable solution.

📩 Request your quote here : sanivac.ca/demande-de-soumission

Yes! Sanivac is a Quebec family-owned business founded in 1961, now led by the third generation of the Kelly family. Although we now operate through 8 branches and have over 435 employees, we’ve maintained our sense of closeness, strong service values, and local commitment.

👉 Discover our story : sanivac.ca/a-propos

Sanivac offers a complete solution for the maintenance of urban, sanitary, and environmental infrastructures. Our main services include :

  • Rental and maintenance of portable toilets (including restroom trailers, sanitary blocks, and accessible units)
  • Rental of containers and Frac Tank reservoirs
  • Septic tank pumping
  • Grease trap pumping
  • General pumping and cleaning services
  • Unclogging and cleaning of garage drains, pump stations, and much more.
  • Hydro Excavation
  • On-site de-icing
  • Tanker and agri-food transport
  • Cleaning and unclogging of sewers, catch basins, and other urban infrastructure.

We provide services for construction sites, municipalities, outdoor events, food industries, schools, shopping centers, farms, and private residences.

The answer depends on the region you’re in! Thanks to our 8 branches located strategically across Quebec and Ontario, Sanivac serves a very large territory, including :

  • Montreal, Laval, Montérégie, Estrie, Lanaudière, the Laurentides, Mauricie, and the Capitale-Nationale region

  • The Outaouais and Ottawa regions through our Gatineau and Ottawa offices

This regional presence allows us to ensure fast service, optimized logistics, and genuine proximity to our clients.

Absolutely. Sanivac is known for having the largest inventory in Quebec, with over 15,000 sanitation units, including :

  • standard chemical toilets
  • multi-unit sanitary blocks
  • restroom trailers with showers
  • high-end units for weddings and festivals

Our units are available for short- or long-term rental, always delivered clean, inspected, and maintained on a customized schedule.

Yes. We use high-pressure combo trucks for cleaning pipes, unclogging catch basins, garage drains, and even storm and sanitary conduits in underground infrastructure.

This service is essential in spring and fall, especially for commercial buildings, schools, municipalities, and shopping centers that need to prevent backups and flooding.

🚨 Need a quick response ?
👉 Submit a request here

Yes. Sanivac offers septic tank pumping and maintenance services, mainly in rural areas or for cottages not connected to municipal sewers. We also service holding tanks, sealed tanks, catch basins, valve chambers, grease traps, and more.

We send maintenance reminders and adjust the frequency based on usage and municipal regulations.

💧 Schedule your maintenance here : sanivac.ca/fosse-septique

Yes. Our team is available for emergency interventions, whether it’s an overflow, a clogged drain, or critical equipment that is no longer functioning. Thanks to our fleet of more than 375 specialized trucks, we can respond quickly based on priority and geographic area.

📞 In case of emergency : 1 888 767-1961

You can request a quote online in just a few clicks on our website. Simply select the service you’re interested in and fill out the form. A member of our team will contact you promptly to confirm your needs and offer a suitable solution.

📩 Request your quote !

Yes ! Sanivac is a Quebec family-owned company founded in 1961, now led by the third generation of the Kelly family. Although we are now present through 9 branches and more than 435 employees, we have preserved our close-knit spirit, our strong sense of service, and our local commitment.

👉 Discover our story here !

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