Safety, environmental and quality standards applied by KTTD member cleaning stations.
The common standard used across Europe for a tank/tanker-type vehicle/item of equipment, or packaging such as an IBC, plastic drum or jerrycan, to be considered "clean" is as follows: on inspection through the man-lid, there must be no visible residue or odour of the last product carried or of the cleaning agent used. A standard clean covers only the removal of the declared last product; if any further preparation or additional cleaning is required for the next load, this must be separately requested and separately agreed. Moreover, the purpose of requiring a request before carrying out such further work is not only commercial but also environmental, and clearly defining what is considered clean prevents unnecessary second, third and further washes at loading points, along with the additional consumption of water, energy and chemicals that these entail.
Cleaning tank/tanker-type vehicles/equipment and/or IBCs, plastic drums and jerrycans using non-standard methods that do not comply with regulation, at unlicensed facilities, is a direct cause of environmental pollution, posing a direct threat to water, soil and air quality as chemical residues, wastewater and hazardous substances enter nature. Releasing the wastewater generated after cleaning into the receiving environment in an uncontrolled manner and without treatment damages groundwater and surface water resources. Storing or holding tank/tanker-type vehicles or packaging in unsuitable environments and/or cleaning them using unsuitable methods causes uncontrolled spills and leaks, disrupting the chemical structure of the soil and harming the ecosystem. Where cleaning and degassing operations are carried out under unsuitable conditions at unlicensed facilities, the volatile toxic gases released into the environment pose a risk to air quality. Air, water and soil pollution can lead to numerous serious and chronic illnesses for all living things in nature. KTTD (The Turkish Association Of Chemical Transport Equipment Cleaners) adopts environmental protection as a core objective by managing, together with its member cleaning stations, the cleaning processes for vehicles/equipment and packaging carrying chemical substances in compliance with legal regulation and national and international standards.
Employees of cleaning stations that are members of KTTD (The Turkish Association Of Chemical Transport Equipment Cleaners) must be ensured working environments in which the necessary and sufficient occupational health and safety measures have been taken, given that, while carrying out cleaning operations, they are required to perform confined-space work inside tanks/tankers, work with flammable and explosive chemicals, be exposed to chemical vapour, be exposed to the release of hazardous gases, be exposed to high-pressure water, work with hot surfaces, and work at height on top of tanks/tankers, along with similar tasks.
KTTD's recommendations for its members to observe in their working environments: requesting and assessing the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) of the last product carried before every cleaning operation; carrying out gas measurements and providing ventilation before entering the tank/tanker, and keeping at least one supervising staff member on standby outside to provide emergency response and communication while personnel are working inside the tank/tanker; using appropriate filtered masks, protective coveralls, goggles and gloves against chemical vapours and gases; preferring non-sparking tools and ex-proof electrical equipment against flammable and explosive chemicals; wearing thermally protective clothing against contact with high-pressure water and hot surfaces; not intervening in or touching equipment until system pressure has been reduced to a safe level; using anti-fall guardrails, safety harnesses and safe walkways during cleaning and inspection work carried out on top of the tanker; safely locking out the mechanical pumps, valves and hot-water/steam lines used to clean the tank/tanker or packaging before starting work and isolating the energy supply — that is, following the Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) system; investigating, reporting and recording accidents and near misses that occur; ensuring all relevant personnel regularly complete their training and health checks; and keeping emergency response plans and the station's risk assessment studies up to date.
Cleaning tank/tanker-type vehicles or IBCs, plastic drums and jerrycans is, by its nature, a process prone to consuming water, energy and chemicals. Sustainability for cleaning stations that are members of KTTD (The Turkish Association Of Chemical Transport Equipment Cleaners) therefore means adhering to a method of completing cleaning processes properly while avoiding the excessive use of resources and using only the resources that are sufficient. Licensed cleaning stations that are members of KTTD aim not to use more water and chemicals than necessary during cleaning operations, following the procedures they apply in compliance with regulation. Because a cleaned tank/tanker-type vehicle and/or packaging such as an IBC, plastic drum or jerrycan is certified with a Cleaning Certificate/Label, a properly cleaned vehicle, item of equipment or piece of packaging does not need to be re-washed at the loading point, which in turn prevents the unnecessary consumption of resources caused by repeated washing.
The EFTCO Cleaning Document (ECD) is a document that proves, on the basis of a single standard applied across Europe, that equipment used to transport chemical and food products has been cleaned. The document's effectiveness stems from its coding system; for example, a hot-water wash or steaming procedure carried out at a station is recorded under a standard code, so it is read and interpreted in the same way at a loading point in Germany, France or Türkiye. An ECD can only be issued by cleaning stations that have passed a comprehensive SQAS audit and whose infrastructure, processes, workplace safety and environmental management have been assessed. The ECD's numbering system, under which a separate number is issued for each document, allows every document to be traced back to the relevant station and prevents the issuing of fraudulent cleaning documents. As EFTCO's sole member in Türkiye, KTTD (The Turkish Association Of Chemical Transport Equipment Cleaners) grants the authorisation to use this document to those of its members who meet the relevant conditions.
Cleaning equipment used to transport bulk food products gives rise to additional requirements beyond those for chemical transport. The EFTCO Food Assessment is an assessment carried out in addition to the standard SQAS audit, measuring a cleaning station's competence to perform cleaning suitable for food transport. This assessment covers the food-contact suitability of the water and cleaning agents used, microbiological control, management of allergen cross-contamination risk, segregation of chemical and food lines, staff hygiene training, and, where required, whether kosher or halal cleaning practices are applied. Only stations that pass this assessment may issue an ECD for food transport, thereby protecting both consumer health and the integrity of the food supply chain.