Questions to Ask Before You Choose

Since 1992 Forrester Environmental Services, Inc. has been providing heavy metal stabilization technologies and services to government, industry, and remedial contractors. In that time, we've seen many costly choices made by waste generators or remedial contractors because they didn't have all the facts.

Whether you choose FESI-BOND® technology or some other technology, in the end you'll want to know you made an informed decision.

The following questions will be valuable in helping you choose your technology vendor.

• Are you a licensed professional skilled and trained in this field?
• How long have you been in the remedial business?
• How many projects have you done like this one? Can you provide references?
• Who exactly will be managing my project and what is their background and experience?
• Which technologies and/or methodologies have you considered?
• Has the federal government and/or state approved the technology you recommend?
• Is the technology guaranteed?
• If the technology is patented, do the patent claims cover the proposed method?
• Do you have the right to use the technology? Show me the license rights or show me your patent.
• Will your company indemnify us against patent infringement?
• Are you solving one problem, but creating another, i.e., does the technology produce a transitional or simple phosphate that produces a carcinogen?
• Does your method modify pH to pass TCLP and produce transitional hydroxides which eventually leach Pb back into the environment such as with the use of cement or alkalie.
• Does the technology produce hazardous by-products such as hydrogen sulfide?
• Does the technology permit the waste to pass other RCRA criteria such as corrosivity [high pH] and reactivity [residual sulfide].
• Are you presenting me with all the costs involved...what is the true cost of the technology? Is there a weight increase, what is the haul fee, etc.
• Does the technology require mixing, if so, what are the associated costs?
• What are the equipment needs and associated mobilization, demobilization, and decontamination costs?
• Can you guarantee your project schedule and provide minimum processing rates?
• Have you run your systems in sensitive locations and environments?
• Does the technology cause difficulty with post-treatment handling, such as cementing.
• Can you provide a full MSDS and disclosure of chemistry used?
• What business use advantages do you offer such as meeting minority or women-owned vendor criteria?