All concrete polishing can be performed with "GREEN"  environmentally responsible methods and materials.

Concrete polishing construction creates a very small and manageable waste stream.

Disposal issues then fall into 2 categories.

            1. Disposal of waste concrete during grinding and polishing process.

            2. Disposal of chemical residue and rinse water during the process.

The grinding and polishing process removes a small layer of the concrete surface with diamond abrasives. The waste can be wet or dry, dependent on many factors including how a particular slab responds to diamond grinding or hardness of the aggregates and final mix strength. Strengths can vary from under 2,500 psi to over 8,000 psi. Your contractor will likely perform a test grind to determine the correct procedure for your floor.

           1. Wet grinding is often a faster process, water being used to cool and lubricate the tooling as the grind proceeds. This leaves a wet slurry behind which must be vacuumed off and disposed of. The concrete slurry is a nonhazardous waste stream which is merely finely ground concrete powder suspended in water.

• Various methods are employed for proper disposal, including:
• Pump or press driven filtration systems which de-water the slurry, leaving a dry or semi-dry cake which can be properly disposed of as solid waste.
• Returning the waste stream to the ready mix plant's settling pit.
• Eco-pans can be rented,  located on site and removed when finished.
• If allowed to settle out, the slurry will separate, water can then go down the drain, while the concrete powder forms a solid or semi-solid cake that can be used as fill or disposed of as solid waste.
• Concrete powder, wet or dry is an excellent base fill for new concrete pours.

          2.  Dry grinding and polishing is an alternative to wet, and your contractor will decide if this is the best option for your floor. The dry concrete powder is a nonhazardous waste stream which is merely finely ground concrete powder. Certain precautions must be taken when grinding and polishing dry, as the powder is extremely fine and can be inhaled, which can over time lead to serious health issues.This is discussed in another article - "Dangers of Dry Grinding".

• Various methods are employed for proper disposal, including:
• Vacuum containment of grinding and polishing equipment, sealing the dry powder in bags for solid waste disposal.
• Further Hepa air filtration of the area is recommended during the grinding and polishing process for the protection of construction personnel and others who may be affected.

• Densifiers Hardeners and Sealers should be able be applied and cleaned up after without creating a hazardous waste stream.  pH and other hazards of the waste stream are of concern here. Not all densifiers hardeners and sealers will measure up to current "GREEN" standards of the concrete polishing technology. See our article "DENSIFIERS AND HARDENERS" for a more in depth study.
• pH neutral densifiers and those that do not require residue removal and disposal are the best choice.
• Cleaning chemicals should be "GREEN", not requiring hazardous disposal methods.

Feel free to consult a GREEN POLISHING EXPERT for further answers.