Pollution containment package

In an agreement officially announced at Flood Expo, Hydro International is working with manufacturer Sandfield Engineering to market the Toggleblok Drop Seal Valve, as well as providing design, installation and servicing of Toggleblok valves for both companies.  

Nationwide, there are already more than 150 installations of the Toggleblok.  It is installed on a series of UK sites, and is helping facility owners prevent damaging surface water pollution incidents. The valve was invented by David Cole, Hydro International’s consultancy division water pollution manager, and developed for manufacture by Sandfield.

David Cole states: "The Toggleblok is a water-tight and failsafe valve for pollution, flood water or spill containment. We would recommend it for organisations obliged to comply with UK environmental protection regulations, according to the CIRIA 736 industry standard guidance.

Pollution containment is critical for sites operating under the Control of Major Accidents and Hazards (COMAH) 2015 or Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations (EPR) 2010.  It should also be integral to any compliant Environmental Management System (EMS) – or for those companies working to IS0 14001.

"Often penstock valves are wrongly considered as an acceptable containment solution, but it’s important for any organisation at risk of a pollution, flood or fire water incident to understand that a penstock is first and foremost a flow control device and therefore is not designed to be 100% leak proof and water tight when containing low pressure gravity flows,” explains David Cole. 

"To be sure to avoid a pollution incident, and potential prosecution, it’s advisable to fit a watertight valve, as well to ensure the correct sizing and location of the valve in the drainage system, fitted and maintained by a specialist. Hydro International offers the complete package.”

The Toggleblok is a retrofittable drop seal valve that protects receiving water courses by blocking the release of flood water, polluted or fire fighting water from a site’s storm drains. The Toggleblok valve’s mechanically locking failsafe design ensures the valve remains fully closed and sealed once activated until it is safely unlocked by an operator. Manufactured from stainless steel, it is factory pressure tested to ensure zero leakage to up to 0.5 bar pressure. 

The valve can be closed remotely by means of bi-directional radio control or cloud-based communications systems.  It can also be activated automatically via a site’s fire alarm or Building Management System.  Operated by a pneumatic power source, the valve is safe to use in a confined space or explosive atmosphere.