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.

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.

The Safe and Secure Way to Store Documents

The Safe and Secure Way to Store Documents

We always hear about storing boxes of big and small items when we move and it is always easier to manage and handle when these are more ‘tangible’ and can be felt by the sense of touch.

However, for offices especially those small offices that handle a lot of paper work, these offices end up with a too many hard copy  documents and a diminishing office space. Even though the office manager would like to avoid handling too many documents, if it is essential to the day to day operations of the business and it is part of doing business after all, then the manager can’t do it away. Then how to manage paper work that needs to be kept for a certain period of time or what we call a lifespan and at the same time to have enough office space? How will the office manager able to save some space left without being drowned from office space?

Nowadays, apart from big items storage facilities, there is a growing number of smaller document storage companies who are serving a niche market requiring document storage or paper work. There are variations to the services being offered but basically, these are a few of the services it offers:

1)    Free boxes and delivery of the boxes right at your doorstep

There are some companies who provide and deliver the boxes you need for free at your doorstep while there are some companies who would first require a consumable deposit for a certain number of boxes and once you engage the company for storage, they will deduct the deposit from the total bill.

2)    Free pick up and delivery of packed boxes

Not all companies would provide free delivery of boxes back to you but most of the time this is already incorporated in the total quotation. If you wish to deliver and pick up by yourself, then it is best to have the associated costs during the quotation stage.

3)    Provision of industrial grade, durable mobile pods

Since what you are storing with them are important documents, it is right to get industrial grade mobile pods to ensure the safety and security of your documents. These mobile pods would usually keep moisture out but sometimes not. And if the latter is the case, check whether the storage facility where these pods are stored have humidity and temperature control.

4)    Storage of durable pods in highly secured warehouses

Warehouses where these mobile pods should be secured and sometimes these are temperature and humidity controlled. It is best to check this with your service provider to ensure safety and also how accessible your documents are to you.

5)    No minimum number of days required to commit. Pay only of what you use.

These are some service providers who would provide discount for longer periods of time but most of the time, the transaction is just only pay as you use.

6)    Free virtual storage space for documents that you need to be scanned and retrieved anytime you want

Although the documents are very important to you to retrieve at the end of the contract or as and when you would like to retrieve these, but there are some documents that you would like to use a point of reference only without having to get the actual hard copy. Such service is provided when you need a cloud storage for such documents that you would like to access anytime.

7)    Hard drive that contains data of scanned documents provided for free

Apart from cloud storage, some companies would also provide you with a free hard drive of your stored scanned documents that you can carry anywhere

8)    Insurance

This is very important since under any fortuitous events, you can claim for any damages especially if your documents are delicate and sensitive in nature.

As you can see there are many element5s to keep in mind if you want to be sure that the storage of your documents is indeed safe and secure.

Safely packing your dishware for moving and storage.

Safely packing your dishware for moving and storage.

For hundreds of years some of the most cherished items in the family household have been also the most utilized. Dishware and silverware are some of the most important items of daily use in every home. Sometimes quite valuable and often presented as gifts on special occasions such as weddings these important heirlooms require special handling during moving and storage.

When preparing to store utensils and silverware it is important that each item is carefully cleaned and in the case of valuable silverware, they should each be polished with a solution designed for that purpose. To avoid scuffs and dings utensils should not be stacked or bound together tightly without some material in between each item in the next. Many people find that wrapping each utensil in one poll of the cloth napkin before stacking rolling and wrapping the next piece can allow five or six pieces of silverware to be wrapped together securely and safely. These small bundles can be secured with an elastic band but this is usually not necessary if you have numerous bundles pressed against each other in a small box. Historically this box will be wooden to secure against damage from accidental impact during moving.

China and dishware should be wrapped together in small bundles of matching size plates and bowls. For the best protection wrap each plate in one sheet of newspaper or packing paper then secure these plates in bundles of two or three takes securely together to avoid shifting. Place should then be boxed on edge, not flat. It is best that this is a wooden box again, to avoid impact damage during moving. However when the boxes of such size and weight are generally no longer used in moving or storage so make sure your vertically stacked plates are surrounded on all sides by dense packing material such as old clothes, towels or moving blankets. Crushed newspaper or packing peanuts are not suggested as packing. For China or dishware as overtime they tend to settle and lose their protective abilities. Make sure that the box containing your china and dishware is packed snugly so as none of the items inside will shift or move during transport.

Glassware and crystal are especially delicate and therefore require special handling. Never nest glasses or cups inside each other as this can cause breakage from very simple shifts in weight during transportation. Instead wrap each glass individually in newsprint or packing paper be sure to pass over the outer surfaces of the glass at least twice when wrapping. Stemmed glassware and crystal should be placed in the box upright, in the position they would be found standing on the dinner table. As you might expect this will require a large number of boxes to properly protect your glassware and some of the more valuable or fragile items need to be double boxed. This means that the glassware is wrapped as described above, boxed as described above and then back box placed in a larger box filled with packing material. This “double wall” protection provides the greatest security short of a solid wooden box.

How to prepare your precious artwork for storage.

How to prepare your precious artwork for storage.

One of the things customers often need to consider when putting valuable art works in self storage is how to best protect those items from the ravages of time. Fortunately your self storage company does most of the work for you by keeping your items in a climate controlled environment with relative low humidity.

Preparing individual art pieces for self storage is also recommended, and though the requirements of each piece may be unique your artwork for storage is something the average person can do without any training. When you consider the potential upside of increased value of artwork preserved properly over many years the benefits of properly storing your valuable artwork becomes self evident.

One of the greater misconceptions people have about story two-dimensional art such as paintings, prints and photographs is that storing them rolled up in an art tube is one of the better ways to protect them. While a cardboard tube is an excellent solution for many to transport two-dimensional art safely for students over time it can have a deteriorating factor on most paper and canvas artworks.

Two-dimensional artworks should be stored flat, mounted (though not necessarily permanently) on a matte board. The thickness of the board should be strong enough to prevent artwork mounted to it from curling away when mounted vertically. Heavier canvasses will require heavier matte boards. Once mounted artwork should be covered with polyester film thick enough to avoid a casual puncture and is not attached to the artwork itself, rather it is folded over the back of the matte board where it is gently attached with adhesive tape. While it may seem counterintuitive, be careful not to tightly seal the polyester film along all edges where it meets the matte board. Gaps should be left to allow a small amount of air circulation. The folded edges where the polyester film wraps itself around the matte board plenty of protection from changes in humidity.

If your artwork is delicate and easily smudged extra steps may need to be taken. A front frame also made of matte board with a window provided to allow you to see your artwork can be taped into place over the item wrapped in polystyrene film. At this point it is also recommended to place a matte board cover over the front frame. Attach the cover with tape along one side and it becomes a hinge allowing you to easily view your artwork safely stored and at the same time protect its precious surface.

If you have a large number of smaller items printed on paper or canvas such as photographs and postcards they can be stored together in acid-free, cardboard boxes available at almost any art supply store. This allows you to easily access the various items in your collection while keeping them stored safely.

Three-dimensional artwork, such as sculptures will have unique individual needs. Of course of the utmost concern is keeping the artwork safe from crushing or jarring. The fragility of your sculpture will dictate how much protection is required. At the very least any sculpture consisting of any material short of high impact steel should be boxed in cardboard or even wood and surrounded by soft packing material such as crushed packing paper or Styrofoam packing material.

Keeping your Items Safe in Storage

Keeping your Items Safe in Storage

There’s something to be said about having your items located in a different location from where you are. Most people prefer to keep their belongings close to their person or within their own property. Such is the nature of having possessions and probably what drove people to need to own their own houses – so they could keep things that belonged only to them within.

Moving your things out to storage takes a great deal of trust. Trust in the Storage Company and the reliability of their services to keep your things away from harm and secure from other less scrupulous people.

So what should you look for when you’ve made that decision to entrust your items to someone else, some place that may not be exactly within arm’s reach? We’d like to highlight some basic requirements and precautions that the storage company you’re looking at should take.

First things first is to have a look-see around the storage facility and warehouse. Ask to view the storage area for existing container contracts so that you can assess the environment for cleanliness and to generally see how dry the surrounding areas are. Because it may be a difficult gauge – not being able to see inside other people’s containers, do check with the staff about climate control options and any extra precautions they are taking to help your items stay fresh over the years.

The facility should also be well staffed, with security guys most importantly. Security monitoring or on hand staff lessen the chances of unwanted thieves and other opportunists skulking around. There are some Storage Units which are located further out in the boonies and these might be a bit more susceptible to theft despite the remote location. This is due to the fact that people take it for granted that the facilities need to be monitored even out in the suburbs.

Your Storage unit should also have some isolated form of protection. Latch, lock and key are all good ideas to have to ensure that there is a final line of defense between the outside and your items within.

On the off-chance that the storage company doesn’t provide these reassurances, but you still choose to go with them for whatever reasons such as location or personal relationship with the business owner that will increase your confidence levels in their service, you can always take some precautions on your own.

One thing you can look at are moisture absorbers. If there aren’t precautions taken for climate control, then you can make sure that there are some moisture absorbers packed with your items that are more susceptible to moisture and mildew. This would include items like upholstery and other textiles. Just make sure that you have sufficient access to your items so that you can replace the absorbers within the storage unit every once in a while and keep the interior environment fresh.

Play smart! Don’t put your heirlooms and priceless items in there! If you are guaranteed by insurance and have an adequate security plan at the storage facility then by all means, but we still wouldn’t advice it. Some things just are irreplaceable and there are proper places to keep the items which run into the thousands and hundreds of thousands. Pick a bank for these and please continue to make sure that your items are insured.

Climate Control And Regular Self Storage

Climate Control And Regular Self Storage

Climate control is the latest in the range of additional features which are available to you to keep your items in tiptop shape when you put them into safe-keeping at your local self-storage facility. But what exactly is the big deal with it? We look at the 2 most important factors that you need to consider when looking at climate control for your items – the TYPE of item and the COST of storing with climate control.

What items are you storing?

Now this is the most important factor to consider when you’re picking out a self storage facility. The items that you’re keeping may be determined by the climate that you live in – obviously when you have seasons of nature to contend with, the type of things you own will reflect the different temperatures you have to deal with in those hot or cold months. When we are talking about temperature sensitive items, obviously a bit of climate control may be in order to provide better protection in the long run.

Other items that may require a little bit more control in the storage environment are valuable items like furs or wines, or paintings and other art objects. Humidity and spores from moulds can be present in our environment in microscopic amounts, but they can still affect the items within storage. Climate control can limit and even freeze the effects of these outside effects on your things.

If you’re a business, then you should definitely look at climate controlled storage to protect your assets which may have cost your company a pretty penny. The more valuable or difficult the item is to come by, the higher the likelihood that climate controlled storage units will be worthwhile for you to rent.

What’s your budget?

It’s fairly obvious that more protection for your items are going to mean increased costs of storage and the truth is, you really need to have a think about whether the extra protection is worth it! Again, this boils down to factor #1 – which is what the item you’re storing is. If you’ve got expensive items going into storage, then you may want to spend the little bit extra to ensure that the value of your items are kept as it was when it was going into storage.

If you’re a little short in the money department, there are other things that you can consider when it comes to storing your items safely without having to resort to climate control and that includes dehumidifier and vacuum-sealing your textiles. You can also ensure that items are well-cleaned and treated or prepared for long-term storage before you seal up the self storage unit!

Just as an afterthought, it’s also important to quickly think about how long you expect your items to be in storage before you take them out. The longer they are in storage without anybody checking up on them should give you the indication whether you could spot decay and damage early or whether you have to take measures to keep things fresh until someone does come to open the self-storage unit up.

At the end of the day, whether or not you decide to take on a climate controlled self storage unit, do remember that you can still take on some content insurance! Never discount the importance of taking the precaution to protect your investments or your items from damage or unforeseen circumstances. Despite the best of care that can be provided for your things, accidents and acts of God can still happen, so better to be safe than sorry!

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.