Spill Absorbents

A good quality spill absorbent will make short work of any unwanted leakage or puddling, wicking away the excess liquid into the core of the absorbent material and making cleanup a far easier and quicker process. Spill absorbents can typically hold many times their own weight in soaked-up liquids or oils, often using a quick-wicking open-backed matting material that's robust enough to be driven over by forklifts and other work vehicles. They also tend to be available for bulk buy in higher quantities for better overall value.

Our range of spill absorbents features products made by 3M, Lubetech, Pyrasorb and RS PRO, and includes versions designed for chemical spills, oil spills, marine use, as well as for general maintenance.

What type of spill absorbents exists?

Spill absorbents cover a fairly broad range of product types and applications, with one thing in common - the fact that they're specifically designed to provide excellent absorbency in the event of an accidental leak of fluids, be they oils, harsh chemicals or any other type of industrial liquid product.

Many spill absorbent products are sold either as mats, pads or pillows, as this is one of the most convenient forms of spill cleanup to throw down in a hurry - both mats and pads tend to cover large, flat areas with relative ease.

However, there are a number of other options, as follows:

• A spill absorbent sock is a flexible tube of absorbent filler material, designed to quickly limit the spread of smaller indoor spills
• An even longer version of the sock intended for outdoor use on larger spills or areas of land/water tends to be called a boom
• Absorbent sheets are rather like very large tissues, and tend to come in similar-looking stacks, but have a much higher capacity for soaking up and holding liquids
• Heavy-duty spill absorbent rolls are common in workshops and on factory floors
• Spill absorbent powders, such as alumina silicate pouches, can be used to absorb and solidify spills of body fluids, hydrocarbons, industrial liquids and aggressive chemicals
• Most spill absorber products are colour-coded either in white, yellow or black/grey - white usually means suitable for oil spills only, black/grey tends to mean anything except aggressive/corrosive chemicals, while yellow can absorb anything including aggressive chemicals.