Why molasses at a construction site?

[jharvey963]

There is a very large construction site near my work where they are building a large mall. Sitting in this construction site are 3 LARGE containers of molasses, probably containing hundreds of gallons each. (The container is a white plastic tank, about 3.5’ by 3.5’ by 3.5’.)

There are no shops anywhere near built. Only a couple of cement pads have been poured, so I’m thinking that the containers are not for a restaurant. And it is way too early for a delivery of molasses to a shop, anyway.

Does anyone have a clue why they might need so much molasses at a construction site?

Thanks,
J.

[Shagnasty]

Some jokester may be trying to recreate this.

[Zabali_Clawbane]

The containers were labled as such? Odd! Maybe it’s something else, being put in reused containers that once held molasses? I’ll be watching this thread, to find out why, or if molasses would be used, I can’t see how, or why myself though.

[panache45]

Construction work tends to build quite an appetite. This way, they don’t have to lug their own molasses to work every day.

[panache45]

Perhaps they’re constructing a gingerbread house.

[Kimstu]

@Shagnasty

Some jokester may be trying to recreate this.

:eek: Yikes!

At 529 Commercial Street, a huge molasses tank 50 ft (15 m) tall, 90 ft (27 m) in diameter and containing as much as 2,300,000 US gal (8,700,000 L) collapsed. […] The collapse unleashed an immense wave of molasses between 8 and 15 ft (2.5 to 4.5 m) high, moving at 35 mph (56 km/h) and exerting a pressure of 2 ton/ft² (200 kPa). The molasses wave was of sufficient force to break the girders of the adjacent Boston Elevated Railway’s Atlantic Avenue structure and lift a train off the tracks. Nearby, buildings were swept off their foundations and crushed. Several blocks were flooded to a depth of 2 to 3 feet.

[Kimstu]

Well I’ll be a son-of-a-gun. jharvey, is the construction company by any chance trying to treat contaminated groundwater as part of its project?

In May 1995, the responsible parties presented EPA with a remedy that could be used to clean up the contaminated groundwater beneath the facility instead of the previously selected pump and treat remedy. The new remedy included metals precipitation of the groundwater using a diluted molasses solution to reduce hexavalent chromium to trivalent chromium, a safer element, and air sparging and soil vacuum extraction (SVE) to remove organics. EPA approved a six-month pilot study using these new remedies. The pilot studies began in October 1995. Because the pilot studies were successful, EPA issued a new cleanup plan in December 1996. The 1996 plan officially selected the new proposal to replace the previously selected pump and treat remedy. The metals precipitation remedy, using diluted molasses to address chromium contamination, was designed in the fall of 1996, and construction was completed in January 1997.

[Zabali_Clawbane]

Well, I’ll be! That’s COOL!

[Kimstu]

You think that’s cool, check out this new method using a combination of molasses and cheese whey!

A pilot program using molasses and cheese whey to clean contaminated groundwater and soils at an East Palo Alto industrial plant could render an effective tool for treatment of similar pollution elsewhere in the region.

It’s a toxic waste management system! No, it’s a dessert topping!

[Zabali_Clawbane]

Heh, who says learning isn’t fun?

[jharvey963]

@Kimstu

Well I’ll be a son-of-a-gun. jharvey, is the construction company by any chance trying to treat contaminated groundwater as part of its project?

I bet that’s it! The construction site is an old General Electric plant. Those of you familiar with San Jose will be familiar with that plant at Tully and Monterey road. I’m not sure what all they did there, but I used to see a lot of electrical transformers there, even ones big enough to need a semi trailer to haul. So it’s probably contaminated ground water, as you surmised.

Thanks,
J.

[DSYoungEsq]

@jharvey963

I bet that’s it! The construction site is an old General Electric plant. Those of you familiar with San Jose will be familiar with that plant at Tully and Monterey road. I’m not sure what all they did there, but I used to see a lot of electrical transformers there, even ones big enough to need a semi trailer to haul. So it’s probably contaminated ground water, as you surmised.

Thanks,
J.

Wow, they are finally doing something constructive with that site??? Bout damn time!

[Duckster]

And when they are done with the molasses, will they distill it?

[Kimstu]

@Duckster

And when they are done with the molasses, will they distill it?

Now with yummy trivalent chromium!

Actually, AFAICT from the second linked article, the deal with the molasses and/or whey is that they provide a breeding ground and food supply for bacteria in the soil. The bacteria population explodes and then the molasses runs out, so the bacteria have to start eating the pollutants in the soil instead, which they break down into water and CO2.

So if jharvey’s local project works the same way, there won’t be any molasses left over once they’re done with it—it will all have been converted into bacteria excrement.

[jharvey963]

@Kimstu

So if jharvey’s local project works the same way, there won’t be any molasses left over once they’re done with it—it will all have been converted into bacteria excrement.

Ewwwww! You mean I’m working next to bug s**t???

J.

[Kimstu]

Heh, it sure beats what you would be working next to if they weren’t cleaning up the site…