Leaving ice piles outside the facility to naturally melt poses a threat to the environment. Water contaminated with ice paint and bodily fluids could enter the water streams through storm sewers or natural drainage. Additionally, it has been found that paint disposed of in local sewers can cause blockages in sewer lines, contribute to abrasion of sewer pipes, and / or contributes to the grazing of pumps.
Though most ice paints are considered environmentally friendly, paint waste should be disposed as per local by‐laws. Depending upon the jurisdiction, paint, blood, puke and spit can be removed from wastewater by filtering the wastewater using a sand bed, filtering wastewater using layers of filter cloth, or a combination of treatments. Paint can be transported away to an acceptable disposal area, or melted in a contained area.
Ensure facility workers are aware of procedures for storage, chemical labeling, hazardous materials handling, chemical cleanup and disposal.
Wastewater from ice rinks can contain:
- Ice paint solids, which may contain toxic metals
- Paper, plastic markers and line stencil
- Oil and ammonia from refrigeration equipment
- Salt brine from refrigeration systems
- Chemicals found in cleaning, sanitizing and deodorizing products
Consider removing ice paint solids from ice shavings prior to discharging in wastewater using a sand filter bed or layered filter cloth.
Benefits:
- Lowering the risk of environmental impact (e.g. carbonate polymer, starch and titanium dioxide)
Savings:
- Chemicals going into the water system
Web resources:
- ORFA: Recreational facilities environmental waste compliance guidelines
- CRD: Environmental regulations and best management practices
- CBC as it happens: “Blood, puke and spit; Why skating rink ice piles could be a biohazard
