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CLEAN AND
Page 68
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GREEN
Autoglearn aims to take the stress out of truck washing for small fleets.
Alex Hadwick reports.
With more than 75% of operators running fewer than six trucks few can justify the expense of a fully featured washing and waste water system. But the Environment Agency rules on HGV washing are pretty tight Waste water cannot simply be pumped down the drain and this leaves operators to choose between paying for a filtering and separating system or paying fines for breaking the EA rules.
However, help is at hand in the form of a mobile truck washing system which could take the pain out of waste-water handling.
To try it out we went to Daf UK's Thame HQ where a Daf CF85 430FTP demonstrator was in need of a good clean.
Simon Perry was happy to oblige. Perry runs a Southampton based-company called Autogleam which has been cleaning cars for many years but is now expanding into trucks. He has a simple method of handling the waste water—collect it and take it away.
The truck to be cleaned sits in a giant paddling pool that holds up to 600 litres of water and can be filled and emptied easily.The watertight bund is formed from the same tubes that the environment agency uses to contain oils spills (which is where Perry got his idea).
Once the truck has been cleaned the contaminated water is pumped into a tank within the Autogleam van and delivered to a waste disposal site.All the truck operator needs is hard standing and, ideally, a water supply.
The tubes, which are cut from l 00m lengths of polythene, can be fitted around almost any size of vehicle up to and including a fullsize artic.
Environmentally friendly
As well as a collection tank the Autogleam van carries all the necessary cleaning and pumping equipment; setting up takes half an hour which is how long it takes to clean a tractor unit. Perry reports that the system is approved by the EA and local water authoritie& Inevitably, the key issue for many small hauliers will be cost. Cleaning a van costs £8, rising to £25 for an eight-legger.The same cost applies for a steam clean or a cold wash. Daf s CF85, which emerged squeaky clean, would have cost us £10.
There's no doubting the convenience of the Autogleam system and the price must be right as business is booming, with customers including Walkers Crisps, DHL,Hawk Logistics, Zenith Hygiene Services and UK Waste Services •