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You are here: Home/Blog / Reusable Oil Absorbents1 / SorbIts® Frequently Asked Questions2

SorbIts® Frequently Asked Questions

responding to an oil spill at a manufacturing plant

How the Program Works

Can you service our location?

We can provide the SorbIts® program to almost anywhere in the continental U.S.  (EPA regulations do not allow us to implement our SorbIts® program in California).

What kind of fluids can I use SorbIts® for?

SorbIts® absorbents are designed to readily address most applications involving non-hazardous fluid and petroleum-derived or synthetic oils such as engine oils, transmission fluid, metalworking fluids and oils, industrial hydraulic fluid and industrial process oils.

What if my employees throw the product away?

Our service team will meet with you to ensure the SorbIts® system program runs smoothly. We’ll educate end users, using signage and literature, on the proper handling of SorbIts® products. This is an important step in ensuring that SorbIts® products are used efficiently.

Do we need a waste profile or manifest for SorbIts®?

No waste profile or manifest needed.

What kind of customer support do you offer?

You will be assigned a Genuine Service Excellence team to manage the SorbIts® program for you. An ITU AbsorbTech Account Executive or District Manager will visit or call your on a regular scheduled basis to audit your program. They will review cost, usage and inventory reports to ensure the program is meeting your needs and make recommendations on service adjustments to keep costs in line with budget. You can contact your account representative at any time with questions or concerns.

You will also have access to our Customer Response Center (CRC) team located at our headquarters in New Berlin, WI at 888-729-4884. CRC team members are empowered to handle your requests and document all calls for future reference. 85% of all customer requests are fulfilled immediately.

How is SorbIts® different from a ‘pay by the drum’ program?

There are a few programs that offer ‘pay by the drum’ absorbent service where drums of product are dropped off at your facility, and you pay a fee per drum of soiled product for laundering.  The SorbIts® program is different in several ways:

  • We will not deliver more/excessive product than what is needed. This ensures employees aren’t wasting or misusing product and also keeps your shelves clear of clutter.
  • Instead of simply dropping off product, we will conduct a needs analysis to recommend type, quantity, and location of absorbents for your facility.
  • You will be assigned a dedicated service representative who will manage your program with regular, scheduled visits (no need to call for delivery and pickups).
  • We will manage your inventory up and down (with your approval) to meet your needs. We will review usage reports to determine how effectively the program being utilized.
  • Controlled inventory ensures simple, predictable billing each month.
  • We conduct regular service visits to ensure a successful program, and train and retrain employees as needed.
  • Our program is 20-40% lower in cost compared to a ‘pay by the drum’ service.

Environmental Responsibility – Laundering & Reuse

How are SorbIts® cleaned?

Our state-of-the-art petroleum solvent dry cleaning operations are designed to clean our SorbIts® products, and water-sensitive materials such as leather gloves. We use petroleum solvent instead of the more common retail dry cleaning solvent called perchloroethylene. Perchloroethylene (also called PERC) is a colorless, nonflammable liquid commonly used in the dry cleaning industry that has been labeled by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a Group 2A carcinogen.

Soiled products are washed in large capacity washer-extractors. These machines remove the soil by agitating and dissolving it in solvent, much like paint thinner cleaning a paintbrush. This process is repeated several times. The product is centrifugally extracted a final time and then transferred to a solvent recovery dryer for drying. The dryer evaporates and recondenses the residual solvent, which is reused. The products are then inspected and delivered to the customers for reuse.

Where does the waste from SorbIts® go?

Dirty solvent is processed for reuse on site. Soils that have been removed by the solvent are collected and concentrated in the still bottoms of distillation units (stills) as the solvent is recovered.

A secondary type of distillation is also available to recover solvent from water, oil and solids. This additional solvent recovery helps keep solvent loss at a minimum. The soils that came in on the various products are now recovered oil, ready for shipping by licensed transporters to a commodity broker for re-refining or for use as an industrial fuel.

Do we need a waste profile or manifest for SorbIts®?

No waste profile or manifest needed.

What happens to SorbIts® at end of life?

We strive to maximize the use of our products.  Mats that no longer meet quality standards are cut down to smaller size mats or drum top liners and are also are used for spill kit sock filling. Quilted pads are cut down into smaller quilts or used for spill kit pillow filling.

Scraps that cannot be used for anything else are sent to our Neenah facility where they are recycled.

Is ITU AbsorbTech a responsible company in handling my waste?

Yes! ITU AbsorbTech has invested in specialized waste handling equipment to minimize the cradle-to-grave responsibility for the services we provide. We are properly permitted and in compliance with all regulations. Our doors are open to show you how we operate and how our services work. Few other laundries are equipped to handle heavy industrial soils as responsibly. The waste oils which result from our cleaning processes are either recycled or fuel blended for thermal destruction.

Our company has won numerous environmental awards including the Gathering of Waters Award, Business Friend of the Environment, Partners for Clean Air Award, Wisconsin Governor’s Award for Waste Reduction and Recycling, Clean Bay Backer, and Significant Industrial User Honor Roll. All of our processing facilities are registered to ISO 14001.

Program Costs

Can I just buy the absorbents?

SorbIts® are part of a rental program, which includes a managed inventory of absorbents, pick-up, delivery, laundering, and program reporting. Total cost is based on the type and quantity of SorbIts® needed. Customers typically save 15%-30% compared to disposables because it eliminates costly landfill and incineration services. Check out our savings calculator to estimate cost and waste savings compared to disposables.

How much does the program cost?

SorbIts® is a rental program. Total cost is based on the type and quantity of SorbIts® needed. Customers typically save 15%-30% compared to disposables because it eliminates costly landfill and incineration services.  Visit ITUAbsorbTech.com/savingscalculator to estimate potential savings or contact us for a proposal.

Don’t see your question here?  Please contact us.

More SorbIts® Resources

John Flovin from Daniels Graphics Testimonial for Printer Towels from ITU AbsorbTech

Daniels Graphics Customer Testimonial [Video]

November 7, 2019
Hear from The Daniels Group, PICA and Printing Industries of America member, how ITU AbsorbTech's Ultra™ Printer Towel Service makes a difference in their facility.
SorbIts reusable oil absorbents main featured image for sorbits services web page for ITU AbsorbTech

Introduction to SorbIts® – The Waste Free Absorbent System [Video]

January 16, 2018
This video introduces the benefits of SorbIts® reusable oil absorbents compared to disposable absorbents.
SorbIts quilted pad #1 product for industrial oil spill clean up, absorbent technology, reusable environmentally friendly industrial clean up services, reusable oil absorbent pad

Best Oil Absorbents for General Industry Compare

November 17, 2017
Wondering what the difference is between an disposable and reusable absorbent? Or how oil dry products stack up against mats and pads? Use the comparison chart below to make the best choice for your facility.
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Google Rating
4.9
ITU AbsorbTech
4.9
Hallman Lindsay Greenfield
20:59 30 Jan 20
We have used ITU Absorbtech at our location for years now. Skyler always does a great job. He is very professional and efficient.read more
Kim Hoffman
18:51 30 Jan 20
ITU has been Venango Steel's uniform and mat supplier for nine years. It has been a great partnership. The quality of the products meets or exceeds expectations. Jeff Miller is our representative and Chad Prather is our route driver. They go the extra step to keep the customer happy ! Thank you Jeff & Chad !read more
Randy Groth
14:48 30 Jan 20
Our rep is Branislov and our manager is Kieth both are very friendly and give us great service. We have had ITU for over 40 years. I like what they do for "coats for kids" by cleaning all the donated clothes. Also they are a very environmentally aware company.read more
john wyszkowski
15:50 29 Jan 20
CDM Tool has been using ITU for a long time. They have dedicated drivers. Bob our driver knows our company so well, he is able to tell based on our supply's that are used how business is going. He then adjusts so we don't overpay. The best part is that they don't create more work for me. We have never had an issue with lost uniforms.read more
Krystal Smith
15:16 24 Jan 20
L&S Insulation has been a customer for many years and Absorbtech has really reliable mats, always fresh and clean. Skyler has amazing customer service and is super friendly. :)read more
Jeff Foshey
00:40 05 Feb 19
Family owned company that truly takes care of their employees and customers as if they were family!!!
Jessica Wasmuth
19:54 23 Jan 18
Customer service is great! Dave and Bernie are amazing, very helpful and respond quickly. Staff is friendly and professional.read more
Dan Behmke
16:35 20 Dec 17
Bob Casey is my route driver, very nice guy, always takes care of everything. I have been with ITU for better than 20 years, I would never change. Merry Christmas Bob C.read more
Krystle Genz
17:12 15 Dec 17
Very easy to work with. Matt is a phenomenal salesman, great personality. Brian our service representative is always very courteous and pleasant to work with. A great change for our company and glad we are doing business with them.read more
Amy Kreckler
20:37 01 Dec 17
Our company has done business with ITU for 15+ years. They give good prices and good customer service. I would recommend them. Easy to deal with. (AFI Direct Service, Inc.)read more
Deborah Young
16:16 28 Nov 17
Bob Casey is our representative and has been for many years. Bob always has a smile and is very upbeat. It is a pleasure to have Bob as our rep!read more
My Account
17:05 22 Nov 17
Bob Casey is extremely helpful and always upbeat! He always has our companies best interests in mind, making suggestions to that end and is great at communication. I look forward to working with Bob for many more years!read more
Todd Birkel
16:15 22 Nov 17
Our Route Representative, Bob Casey, is very conscientious, courteous and extremely helpful. He continually looks for areas we can improve or adjust as our usage and needs evolve, and suggest products as appropriate. Thank youread more
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