Transportation
Vacuum truck services
Bulk liquids, sludges, sumps and tank cleaning support.
Vacuum trucks remove bulk liquids, sludges and semi solids from tanks, sumps, pits and interceptors. They are the usual equipment for tank cleaning support and for aqueous streams moving to treatment or injection.
Source: 49 CFR Part 177, and 29 CFR 1910.146 for confined spaceTypical work
- Tank and vessel cleanout during turnarounds
- Sump, pit and interceptor cleaning
- Oily water and emulsion removal
- Wastewater treatment plant sludge removal
- Spill response and recovery
- Aqueous streams routed to deep well injection
Tank cleaning is confined space work
Vacuum removal of contents is one part. Entry to clean the interior is confined space work under 29 CFR 1910.146, with permitting, atmospheric monitoring, attendants and rescue provisions.
That is a separate discipline from waste handling with its own requirements, and it is planned alongside the waste side rather than discovered when someone needs to get inside the tank.
Common questions
Can you vacuum hazardous waste?
Yes, with appropriate equipment, placarding and manifesting. The vehicle and its tank are matched to the material, and compatibility is confirmed before arrival.
What about confined space entry?
It is planned as its own work package with permitting, monitoring and rescue arranged. Vacuum removal of contents frequently reduces or eliminates the need for entry.
How do you handle mixed contents?
Sampled and characterized before removal where the history is unclear. An old sump with unknown contents is profiled from analysis rather than assumption, because a vacuum truck full of the wrong thing is a difficult problem.
Related services
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This page summarizes federal requirements and is not legal advice. State programs can be more stringent than the federal baseline. Verify against current federal and state regulations before acting. Last reviewed September 2026.