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APPLICATION BRIEF 1002

The High Lifecycle Cost of Epoxy Spill Containment

The High Lifecycle Cost of Epoxy Spill Containment

Introduction: Solutions:

Epoxy type spill containment, while old technology, is often still A UL Listed spill containment solution utilizes a thick, puncture
specied and purchased as the low cost solution. However, higher resistant liner that provides lower installation times and
labor and maintenance costs drive the Total Cost of Ownership maintenance. A UL Listed spill containment system also provides:
much higher than that of a UL Listed system. Without proper care, • High reliability
a potential for higher cost of cleanup and intrinsic damage exists.
• Code compliance
• Lower lifecycle costs
Diculties with Epoxy:
Epoxy spill containment is viewed as a low cost solution since the Benets:
material costs are lower than a liner based system. The labor costs Table 1 demonstrates that overall costs are lower for a UL Listed
are either overlooked or not considered to better leverage the bid. liner based spill containment system when installation labor is
Epoxy spill containment is old technology and requires much considered. Another consideration not shown below is the added
labor to install and maintain. Since epoxy is a coated surface drying time which could add 3 or more days to the project
application, expansion or seismic cracking of the concrete timeline and cost.
sub-oor will potentially cause a breach.

Proper preparation of concrete substrate must follow the
following procedures: Application = Flooded Batteries
Rack Size = 20” x 192” - Containment Size = 24” x 196”
• ASTM D4258 Standard Practice for Cleaning Concrete Case 1 Eagle Liner System Condor Epoxy
• ASTM D4259 Standard Practice for Abrading Concrete Initial Cost * $1,940.00 $1,684.00
• ASTM D4260 Standard Practice for Etching Concrete FloorPrep (ASTM) n/a n/a 6 hrs. $450.00
• ASTM F1869 Standard Test Method for Measuring Moisture Barrier Installation 8 hrs. $600.00 10 hrs. $750.00
Epoxy n/a n/a 3 hrs. $225.00
Additional difficulties with epoxy are: Additional Travel n/a n/a 2 hrs. $150.00
Total $2,540.00 $3,259.00
“How the substrate is prepared is as important as the
product itself!”
Analysis:
• Non-uniform thickness
• 72 hour drying time increases installation duration and time The total installed cost of epoxy spill containment systems exceeds
• Ventilation required during installation the cost of liner based system when considering the cost of
• Potential cracking over time installation. UL Listed spill containment systems are
• Rails typically not removable due to sealant and glue down. recommended to provide a lower cost of ownership.
Impact:

Epoxy applications are labor intensive considering the preparation
and installation. Since an epoxy based spill containment system is
not UL listed, it may not be acceptable in many cities or facilities.
Additional floor prep and lower reliability causes the following
impact:
• Less flexibility in project planning
• Higher installation costs
• Higher maintenance costs
• Non-UL Listed application