North Vancouver, B.C. McKay Creek Technologies (MCT), a member of the Washington Marine Group (WMG), has been awarded a U.S. Patent for its innovative wastewater treatment technology that can turn dirty, oily, turbid, polluted, industrial wastewater into water so clear and clean that it exceeds current Greater Vancouver Regional District discharge standards.
While solving the problem of managing oily bilge water generated by the industries WMG serves, McKay Creek Technologies developed a new wastewater treatment process called electrocoagulation (EC). It's not often that resolving a difficult environmental challenge with local talent results in the award of a U.S. Patent.
"In fact, EC itself is not new," said Bruce Tennant, MCT's director of operations. "EC was first patented around 1906, but hasn't been used much by industry. Years ago, there were insufficient incentives, either financial or regulatory, to pay much attention to environmental issues. Now, given the greater awareness of pollution and the regulatory requirements of all levels of government, companies are looking for low-cost, technical solutions that can effectively solve their industrial wastewater discharge problems."
McKay Creek's success with EC has transformed it into a robust industrial process. According to Dr. Rob Stephenson, MCT's director of technology, Vancouver Shipyards (VSY) has been an ideal incubator for the new EC process. "We were focused on solving the shipyard's oily wastewater problem, not developing a new process," he said. "But when we investigated what was commercially available, nothing fit the bill. So, we came up with our own process."
"We've managed to make it industrially robust and mechanically simple," said Don Hartle, a VSY foreman and member of MCT's inventor team. "Using our process, turbid oily discharge water can be turned into crystal clear water almost immediately and can operate at a flow rate of 100 liters per minute. We have treated millions of liters of every type of industrial wastewater imaginable. EC takes the waste out of wastewater."
Kyle Washington, chairman and CEO of the Washington Marine Group, sees the new wastewater treatment technology as part of the competitive advantage that a wide spectrum of organizations is looking for. "Our customers demand that environmental responsibility is part and parcel of our services and we are proud to offer a U.S. Patented solution."
McKay Creek Technologies is now offering their wastewater treatment technology and services to others with similar problems. More information is available at www.mckaycreek.com and tours of the facility at Vancouver Shipyards may be scheduled.
