The toughest storage job around: nuclear waste!

The toughest storage job around: nuclear waste!

People put things into storage for many reasons, usually it’s things we might want to see again or else why are we keeping it? Nuclear waste is not one of those things. It’s something we hope to never see again when we lock it away. For this reason very complicated steps are involved in the long term storage of such wastes. In most instances the intention is that these items will remain safely locked away for thousands of years.

On a small scale getting rid of something forever can be fairly simple. Just drop it into an icy crevice or a trench deep in the ocean. Many a treasure has been lost buried in unmarked holes or sealed deep in caves long forgotten and never to be seen again. Unfortunately for scientists the dangers presented simply by the presence of nuclear waste in open air or water or even buried securely far from human habitation are too great to be handled without the utmost caution. Nuclear waste presents an unprecedented scientific dilemma, since this radioactive material can remain dangerous long, long into the future, beyond perhaps even this era into a time when records may have been lost and warnings and locations of dangerous materials lost to the ravages of time.

The first approach scientists take in ensuring the highest security in radioactive waste storage is the careful design of incredibly long-lasting storage containers that sealed the material against even the most destructive of accidents. These storage containers or “casks” are made from the most sturdy of metals. Externally they are designed to withstand the most brutal punishment and tested to this effect. Even the earliest and most crude designs for containers built for the storage and transport of radioactive materials proved hardy enough to withstand the impact of a speeding diesel locomotive and still remain tightly sealed. This was 20 years ago and the technology has only improved.

Modern casks have multiple layers of protection for the dangerous material kept inside. Usually multiple layers of high-impact steel are separated by layers of concrete inches thick. The construction of the cask is usually so highly protective of its dangerous contents that be container itself is 5 to 10 times larger than the innermost storage compartment.

Safety is augmented by the suspension of radioactive material in glass. Wastes are mixed with molten glass before being form poured into the innermost storage container of the multi ton cask. This ensures that even if the cask itself cracked open in the most unlikely circumstances the dangerous radioactive material would still be stored in a solid form, unable to flow out of the broken cask.

Unfortunately public opinion is currently extremely negative on the issue of transporting radioactive material across borders for long-term secure storage. As a result the expense of casking radioactive waste is often not undertaken as temporary storage while less secure requires less space and expense. People do not realize in large numbers how much safer the transportation of radioactive waste is then to simply leave it in temporary storage at the location where it is generated. Eventually however the need to store permanently and therefore transport safely radioactive waste material will become undeniable – fortunately the tools to do so are readily at hand.

Technology Advances in Modern Self Storage

Technology Advances in Modern Self Storage

Most people have a pretty strong preconceived notion of what self storage options are available. However these days there are many more options then ever before, and the concept of storage has changed radically from even a decade ago. Advances in technology have allowed self storage companies to become diverse and specialised. Options for storage that were unimaginable just a few years ago are now commonplace. Allowing consumers to store items they might not have considered appropriate for storage previously.

Below we will list a few of the modern advances in the self storage industry and how they are helping consumers think of storage in a whole new way.

Climate control

Climate control technology has advanced to the point where it is not only ecologically efficient but affordable for almost every self storage customer. Previous concepts of the storage unit which is blazing hot in the summer and bitterly cold in the winter are woefully out of date. With new electronic advancements in climate control your self storage unit can be kept not only at a constant temperature but also at a controlled level of humidity. This allows storage of delicate items which you might have never considered previously. And don’t have qualms about the impact on the environment, new technology has made self storage climate control even more efficient Then environmental systems used in homes and office buildings.

Security innovations

Advances in self storage security have accrued rapidly in the past few years. Long gone are the days of relying on sturdy chain and hefty padlock alone to guarantee the security of your storage unit. Modern storage facilities utilise numerous technically advanced security systems to guarantee the safety of their customers belongings. Video surveillance has always been a core component of storage site security but advances in technology have led to more widespread monitoring, while decreases in the expense of technology allows for a greater Investment in cameras and motion detection systems. While previously only a few key areas may have been monitored by video now it is affordable for almost every section of the facility to be kept under video surveillance.

While the keyless, keypad entry system as long than a standard of self storage modern systems allow for biometric identification, and or wireless access. Many sites also employ a two-tier verification system. Tying in a cell phone notification step before granting access with matching key card. Similar systems are in place for secure access to individual units, in addition to access to the overall facility.Such radical advances in security allow customers to store expensive and important items with a sense of total security.

Storage Automation

While it seems like something out of science-fiction a prevailing trend in modern self storage is a move toward robotic automation. Many modern storage facilities now rely on automated mechanical systems to retrieve and store storage containers of almost any size. From a car down to a shoebox many facilities now offer a service where a robot takes your items to be stored from a receiving area and places it gently and automatically in a secure warehouse far from human hands. The benefit to the customer – apart from the obvious security advantages – is being able to organise and deliver items to be stored to a single central location. Instead of having to wind your way through a maze of storage units and warehouse lockers, each customer now only has to visit one area and their storage unit is brought to them.

A mountain of storage containers from ancient Rome to the modern day.

A mountain of storage containers from ancient Rome to the modern day.

Historians know that humans have used clay storage containers for thousands of years mainly for the storing of food and beverage items. By perfecting the manipulation of clay it was possible for the first time to protect food from the elements with with relatively airtight jars which could be sealed by animal skin or paraffin wax. For the first time ever humans were able to move perishable goods over long distances and keep the bounty of the harvest in storage for the times later in the year.

Perhaps the greatest testament to the popularity of these clay containers is Monte Testaccio which can be found in the center of one of the world’s most ancient cities, Rome. Not a true mountain, Monte Testaccio is perhaps the world’s oldest scrapyard for used storage containers. For hundreds of years Romans disposed of used clay pots and vases known as amphorae. popularly used for the storage and transportation of wine, amphorae were relied upon by ancient Romans for everyday use. However these fragile clay storage containers were only useful for storage when in pristine condition. Relatively inexpensive amphorae could be discarded with little regard when the slightest flaw was discovered. As the contents were infinitely more valuable than the broken container.

From the first century BC until the third century BC Romans created Monte Testaccio by disposing of hundreds of thousands of olive oil containers. Historians speculate that these 70 L containers were too difficult to recycle into other uses and therefore were discarded creating a mountain of broken pottery hundreds of feet high and covering 20,000 m². In the intervening centuries this mountain of discarded storage containers has served as a geographical landmark in Rome which at times has had with religious and military significance.

Archaeologists began studying the mountain in the 1870s. It has provided fascinating insight into the culinary lifestyle of ancient Rome. The site is adjacent to what was once the cities governmental olive oil reserve. By excavation and study of the discarded storage containers found at various levels throughout the mountain experts have sermons that at its height in the second century BC Rome was importing up to 7.5 million liters of olive oil per year. From this historians can extrapolate information previously unknown of Rome in ancient times such as population and the reach of trade partnerships. Even today archaeologists still plumb the depths of Monte Testaccio in search of more artifacts to help flesh out our ideas of life in ancient Rome. This process is made easier by the very structure of the mountain itself. As explorers have discovered the disposal of these clay storage containers was a highly organized and government regulated activity. Build of several tiered levels over the centuries the pile was constructed by carrying intact clay storage containers to the top on the backs of donkeys. The containers were then broken and formed into tightly packed tiers which were then covered with lime ostensibly to control the stench of rotting oil, but conveniently serving as an excellent preservative for the delicate shards themselves. This highly regulated system of storage has made study by archaeologists highly productive.

Self storage facilities as an inventory solution for small business.

Self storage facilities as an inventory solution for small business.

As every small business owner names one of the largest and most unavoidable business expenses is property overhead. The rent on your basic business is an expense that cannot be avoided. This is why so many businesses go to pains to find the perfect location that is not only convenient for their customers but also allows them to perform their business seamlessly. Unfortunately these two qualities can sometimes be hard to reconcile. Often businesses will find that a location that is convenient for customers is in an area where property of significant size is too expensive. On the other hand areas with large properties available to business can often be far from centers of consumer interest.

This can be a vexing conundrum for a small business owner. You pay more to a larger property near to your customers or instead choose a more affordable property that has all the facilities your business requires yet will be far from the consumer center and runs the risk of limiting your customer base?

What many business owners fail to consider is that it is possible to downsize your property requirements without risking the quality of business you perform. Consumer self storage facilities can be an excellent resource for small businesses. Instead of investing in a larger property that allows you to keep all your inventory close at hand, keeping that inventory which is not an immediate need in a self storage unit can be vastly cheaper than the difference in rent for a larger commercial property.

Every city, large or small, as a variety of self storage businesses from which. to choose. This helps the business owner buying and off-site storage facility that is close by and therefore convenient to his or her business. Many small business owners use self storage not only for excess inventory what to keep seasonal items on hand allowing them to make initial purchases that are larger and more cost-effective.

Small business owners realize that having more inventory on hand (or nearby, in this case) means less chance of disappointing customers with out of stock items. Being able to answer a customer’s needs at any time translates to more sales and satisfied, long term customers. Why wait for items from the supplier that may take weeks to arrive, when a 15 minute drive your nearby self storage facility can fulfill the need?

The benefits provided by storing excess inventory at a self storage facility exceed just be simple necessity of investing in a larger commercial space. Utility costs are also reduced. Many self storage facilities offer a variety of climate control storage units which are accessible 24 hours a day. This allows you to keep your excess inventory in pristine condition without having to pay extra for climate control, refrigeration and electricity at your main commercial site.

Now that you know this, as a small business owner consider what items in your commercial space can be moved to a nearby, off-site storage facility without interrupting your. daily flow of business. With these items securely stored almost commercial space you really need for your business? It might now be possible to locate your business in a new, more economically feasible location more convenient to your customers.

Self storage auctions: what you need to know – part 1

Self storage auctions: what you need to know – part 1

A self storage auction is what occurs when a storage facility has to disabuse itself for one reason or another of abandoned items in storage. Not only is it a way for the self storage business to more easily get rid of unwanted items by allowing auction bidders to remove the entirety of an abandoned storage unit, to the wise and attentive auction bidder they can be a source of profit with a sense of adventure. Each new storage unit is a mystery to explore for the lucky bidder who wins the auction, but not every storage unit is chock-full of treasure. By following a few basic guidelines you can increase your chances of stumbling across hidden treasure while avoiding expensive mistakes.

Now popular in the mainstream media thanks to a documentary style television show about the adventures of a few professional auction buyers and storage treasure hunters, self storage auctions are more heavily attended than ever. This means that the more prepared you are the better your chances will be against a growing amount of competition.

Perhaps the most important overriding principle of bidding in a self storage auction is the simple mantra, “Use Common Sense.” Sure, on television you see auction hunters digging out valuable antiques from amongst piles of otherwise unwanted and even depressingly worthless dross. Real auction hunters know that these diamonds in the rough are rare despite their relative frequency in auction shows. What is more likely is to find salable and well-kept valuable items in those storage units which look clean and well-kept themselves.

Even though you may not find precious coins or expensive antiques in every clean and organized storage unit up for auction a good Auction Hunter knows that at the end of the day it is not these rare finds that give you the best return on money, rather it is more common goods that are of proper condition. Sure, a coin collection or precious vase may bring a single high payday but properly store and wrapped appliances and furniture are valuable as well and far more common. Holding out hope for the hidden treasure while ignoring the common sense profits of everyday items is like buying lottery tickets. A serious auction Hunter does not rely on luck.

Before the auction begins you are allowed a look inside each storage unit that will be up on the block for bidding. To use this time most effectively make sure you are prepared for your turn. While you need not go to such extremes as night vision gear or telescopic lenses there are a few items that you can easily carry with you to make your job appearing into the dark history of a self storage unit from the doorway much easier. First is a strong flashlight or better yet handheld spotlight. This will allow you to see back into the dark corners and revealed details of items lurking in the shadows. It can also be helpful to have a small stool or stepladder, to allow you a higher vantage from which to peer into the far reaches of the storage unit under consideration. Last but not least make sure you have on hand pen and paper for taking notes. Depending on the organization of the auction you may view numerous storage units in a short span of time before bidding on each one, taking notes is the best way to remind yourself of which units you prefer to bid on and why.

When the bidding process begins it is important that you have a set price in mind, and that you do not exceed that set price. This will help you to stay inside of your budget plan, which is the only true path to success and profit in storage auction hunting. Do not be afraid to approach the auctioneer before bidding begins to offer up a high opening bid if you are confident on a certain unit. And while the bidding process should be fun remember it is also a serious business do not upset the auctioneer or your fellow bidders by making small increases on the bid amount. If you are serious increase your bid by a reasonable number.

Seasonal self storage more popular with homeowners.

Seasonal self storage more popular with homeowners.

These days it is not uncommon for a homeowner to maintain storage of items in a facility away from his or her home. Those people with long-term rental of storage location have found that as the seasons change so do their storage needs. Why clutter up your garage or attic seasonal only use a few times a year?

Self storage facilities see a spike in activity by customers when seasons change. In January customers will arrive with their unneeded Christmas and holiday decorations. Fake trees, boxes of ornaments and sparkly lights all locked away until the fall when they are needed again. This is also the time of year when people put into storage obsolete items they find around the house after receiving replacements as gifts over the holidays. Other people simply take advantage of sale prices in the holiday season to invest in large items such as new appliances, or furniture. All, replaced items often going to storage. People also buy things such as barbecues and lawn care equipment they will not need to use for several months — instead of keeping these things around the home people find putting them in storage units until they’re needed is the right solution.

When spring rolls around many people visit their storage space to switch their wardrobe, retrieving warm weather items which were stored in the fall and carefully putting away items which will not be needed until next winter. This is also a time of year when people will exchange sports equipment in the same manner. Why keep your snow skis in the trunk of the car when you are at least nine months away from using them again? Of course no one wants to that, or carry their golf clubs around all winter.

Storage spaces are the perfect repository for your seasonal sporting goods. This holds true into the advent of summer, when water sports become popular. Bulky items such as flotation devices can easily be stacked in an accessible location on top of heavier items without fear of damage to either item. This is also the time of year when homeowners truly appreciate the various size availabilities of storage units. After all as many people have learned it is much easier and convenient to store even watercraft such as jet skis, canoes and rowboats and even larger watercraft such as speedboats or even trawlers!

Self storage is growing in popularity as a climate controlled option for the storage of delicate machinery such as vehicles that are sensitive to changes in weather. Summer is also the time when people retrieved from storage warm weather road vehicles such as motorcycles and four-wheel-drive buggies. Why clutter your garage or backyard with vehicles better cared for in a climate controlled storage facility?

When the fall rolls around homeowners visit their storage unit again. School is starting so items for students are often hot on the list to retrieve from storage. This is doubly true for homes with children moving away to attend school. Old furniture is retrieved for the decorating of dorm rooms and off-campus apartments, luggage is brought out and dusted off for the long trip away from home. This is also the time when people put away their summer toys and retrieve their holiday ornaments. As the peak of the holiday season grows closer storage units also serve another, secretive purpose. Storage facility operators report homeowners sneakily using their units as a temporary hiding place for children’s surprise holiday presents.

Saving the world ecological diversity – a storage space more important than the rest.

Saving the world ecological diversity – a storage space more important than the rest.

The end of the last century geneticists began to raise the alarm that storage facilities for the planets biological diversity were under very real threat from ecological or sociological disaster. These various and widespread seed vaults are facilities form with the intention of protecting the Earth’s genetic plant diversity from biological or ecological disaster. In the event that an entire plant line was accidentally (or intentionally) wiped out seeds from these scientific institutions could be used to re-create entire biological gene lines. It was noted however that many of the storage facilities were exclusively regional in nature and therefore under very real threat. Should one individual facility be wiped out, the genetic plant diversity of an entire region could be lost.

A storage facility for genetic plant material that would be located in a remote location far from both ecological and political activity. A global seed backup plan if you will. The remote Norwegian island of Spitsbergen was chosen due to its near constant cold temperature perfect for the preservation of seeds in the event of a refrigeration failure. The local permafrost can keep the facility adequately chilled should the electoral system fail. The island is also highly tectonically stable, so the vault is protected from the threat of earthquakes. The remote location makes the vault easy to secure and far from any social instability or political violence. The vault itself is designed to last without human intervention for hundreds or even thousands of years. The location is 430 m above sea level, ensuring that the important seed stocks will be kept high and dry even if the global icecaps were to melt completely. Buried in the sandstone of Spitsbergen Island this important storage facility is not manned full-time by employees but rather it is monitored by robust security systems.

The storage facility was paid for and constructed by the Norwegian government but its maintenance and operation is funded through a consortium of scientific groups and charitable organizations. Most notably a large endowment from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation helps to keep the facility running. Not that there is any threat of funding shortfalls due to scientific indifference. In fact the seed vault is a well recognized necessity for the continued ecological well-being of the planet.

Over 770,000 seeds are secured in four ply envelopes and stored in tens of thousands of plastic containers. Seeds arrive daily from around the world but the vault itself is far from full having been designed to comfortably store the entire planets global seed diversity collection which is estimated at over 1.5 million seed samples. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault has been designed to handle 4.5 million samples in anticipation of expansion in the future.

Recognizing the global importance of the storage facility artists from around the world at contributed to the design and decoration of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault making it not only a repository for genetic samples but also an ersatz art museum in a way only 1300 km from the North Pole. The entrance to the storage facility was specially designed to reflect and mimic the unique lighting conditions of this far north location. During long periods of darkness it is illuminated by thousands of fiber optic lights while in the long days of summer the reflective materials used to construct and decorate the entrance sparkle in the Arctic sunshine.

Large corporations are seeing the benefit of temporary self storage.

Large corporations are seeing the benefit of temporary self storage.

When people think about temporary self storage there is always an understandable tendency to think the service is mainly used by families and individuals for the storage of household items. In fact modern trends in storage point to a growing utilization of self storage facilities by businesses and corporations both large and small.

Storage companies are beginning to see an appreciation by larger corporations of the many high quality benefits self storage provides. Corporations around the world have begun to form contractual agreements with a variety of self storage companies for both large and small spaces as well as long and short-term storage periods.

Unlike individual consumers and corporations may have interests in multiple cities around the globe by forming contractual partnerships with large self storage networks or even individual self storage facilities makes for a good long-term economic sense. By being able to guarantee the economic reliability of on-time payments or in many cases upfront fulfillment of contractual obligations corporations and take advantage of special offers and discounts offered by self storage facilities.

With the flexibility of contracted self storage a corporation can take advantage of storage options in a variety of locations either near or far to their business interests. Some corporations use contracted self storage solely for the benefit of their employees. A globe spanning company may be required to relocate employees across the country or even across the world. In order to spare their employees the convenience of having to arrange their own storage and moving expenses corporations frequently they in-house contracts with storage and moving companies. Employees of modern corporations at home to expect some benefits to be included with employment that involves frequent travel.

Being able to provide an employee who travels to many different locations frequently the ability to store not only personal items, but business materials as well will ultimately save the company money in innumerable ways. It not only saves time for the employee, therefore translating into savings expense for the company it also reduces the requirement to ship materials frequently to different locations. These storage facility can also serve a multi-use purpose as it is under contractual agreement to the Corporation, not the individual employee. This means that while the self storage unit may continue to be of use to the individual traveling employee, employees who work local to this self storage facility and also utilize the space.

Businesses around the world have long recognized the many advantages of temporary self storage. The secure, climate controlled location that is off site for your business means less commercial real estate required. Excess inventory, temporary marketing materials, or not in use seasonal items do not need to be stored in a company maintained storage facility when a long-term contractual rental of temporary self storage insert the same purpose at a much reduced expense. These same benefits can be enjoyed by a large corporation. Even a corporation that does not have an office in the area near the self storage facility. If employees frequently travel to certain locations where a corporation does not have a permanent operating facility temporary self storage can serve as a holding facility for corporate materials and inventory that only needs to be accessed infrequently. This allows employees to travel with less expense, not having to pay extra for freight shipment on commercial air travel.

Preparing your automobile storage – part one: short term storage.

Preparing your automobile storage – part one: short term storage.

Most people think that storing the car for a period of less than three months is a simple procedure that does not require any special preparation. However leaving any automobile on use and immobile for any time even as short as a few weeks can lead to irreparable damage of certain susceptible parts or even result in costly deterioration of the entire vehicle. However with a few simple steps easily performed much of the damage of long or short-term vehicle storage and be avoided.

If you’re planning to leave your car unattended for a period of one to three months there are some quick and simple steps which will help protect your car from the ravages of time.

Perhaps the simplest and most commonsensical first step is to thoroughly clean the interior and exterior of your automobile. By removing all the trash that has accumulated inside the car you are helping to prevent damage to carpets or surfaces by forgotten discarded items as well as discouraging insects and rodents using the clutter accumulated in your vehicle as nesting items. Wipe down all interior surfaces and treat with protective treatments or cleansers. For the exterior, wash the car thoroughly and apply car wax to all painted surfaces.

Ideally you would like to store your vehicle inside away from the elements. If this is not available to you a car cover is highly recommended. It is best to have a cover designed specifically for your make and model vehicle though you may find this difficult to find and/or expensive. Do your best to find the best fitting car cover for your car. As a last resort a tarp or large fabric sheet can be used as a cover as long as it is secured tightly. Avoid using plastic tarps as their deterioration and and abrasion caused by motion resulting from wind can possibly end up being worse than leaving your car uncovered.

If you are able to store your car in an enclosed and secure location you want to leave your windows cracked open to prevent accumulation of humidity, mold and mildew inside the vehicle.

For storage shorter than three months it is not necessary to take special precautions to protect your vehicles tires. Modern tires are designed to withstand “flat spots” caused by standing in one spot for too long. It is recommended however that you let 10 psi of air pressure out of each tire to help preserve the malleability of the rubber.

As for the delicate mechanical workings of your vehicle the best way to prepare for short-term storage is to make sure all fluids are filled to the utmost. This prevents the presence of air and therefore condensation throughout the internal components of your engine. The quickest and easiest way to do this is a quick visit to your local automobile mechanic for a tune up. The one exception to this rule is windshield wiper fluid which you should drain completely if you are storing your car in an area which will have freezing temperatures.

Removing, or simply disconnecting the negative to your car’s battery will help prevent a rapid loss of charge. Make sure however that you will not be inadvertently disconnecting any important electrical components such as a desired security alarm or a continuously operating computer monitoring system that is found in many of today’s modern vehicles. Consult your owner’s manual for details on battery disconnection. An alternate option is to connect your battery to a “trickle charger” which feeds a small but constant electrical charge into your battery keeping it at an optimal level of storage.

Preparing your automobile for storage – part two: long term storage.

Preparing your automobile for storage – part two: long term storage.

Although there are plenty of physical preparations to be done for the safe storage of your automobile and preservation of its mechanical components, one of the more important steps for long-term storage of an automobile is checking your insurance paperwork. Most insurance policies have requirements and/or clauses regarding the long term non-use of an insured automobile. Notifying your insurance company of your intention to leave your vehicle for a long period without use can be a requirement of some policies. Alternately many insurance companies will lower insurance rates for vehicles in storage and not on the road. You may also want to check with your state and local laws regarding vehicle registration. You may be required to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles about your intention to be your vehicle used for a long period of time.

In addition to all the preparations mentioned in a previous article in regard to storage of automobiles for less than three months cars I’m used for longer periods of time require extra preparation. In about an hour or so you will be able to prepare your automobile for an extended period of non-use in a fashion that will best protect the value and workability of your vehicle for no matter how long it is stored.

It is a good idea to loosen all belts in the engine area. Relieving this tension will keep your drive belts from losing the elasticity which is necessary to their function. You should also release all areas of moving parts such as the axle and drivetrain.

Treat all keyholes including that on the steering column with key lubricant.

Make sure you have added fuel stabilizing chemicals to the petrol with which you have filled your car’s tank. Without stabilizing chemicals modern gasolines will deteriorate in the span of a year. Nevertheless it is important to keep your tank full to avoid damaging humidity and moisture throughout the fuel system.

Unlike short-term storage you want to close all windows securely and seal any other entrances which may be infiltrated by insects or rodents. This primarily means covering up the end of the exhaust pipe.

Although your car will be motionless for a long period of time is very important that you do not engage the parking brake when keeping the car for long-term storage. The system may lock up freezing the parking brake in a locked position after a long period of non-use. Instead use wheel chocks or possibly even suspend the vehicle up on jacks to keep it securely motionless.