EMERGENCY SPILL CLEAN-UP

Amazon UK - Swansea Fulfilment Centre, Swansea, South Wales, SA1

Client's Challenge

APT ICC received an urgent emergency cleaning call-out from Amazon UK following a bitumen spill originating from parcels travelling along an internal conveyor system at their Swansea fulfilment centre.

The escaped bitumen contaminated over 100 metres of conveyor belt and roller line, forcing the immediate shutdown of a critical section of the production flow. This resulted in severe operational disruption, with parcels unable to progress through sorting and dispatch.

Amazon required a rapid, specialist response capable of safely removing the bitumen contamination and returning the conveyor system to full operational status within hours, without leaving chemical residues that could compromise system performance once production restarted.

Assessment & Planning  

Given the operational impact, APT ICC initiated an immediate remote emergency assessment with Amazon’s production line management and Health & Safety team.

The assessment focused on:

• Confirming the extent and spread of bitumen contamination
• Understanding restart deadlines and operational constraints
• Identifying conveyor materials and cleaning sensitivities
• Selecting a residue-free, site-approved cleaning solution
• Planning an overnight mobilisation to protect morning operations

APT ICC’s technical team selected a controlled, low-residue cleaning approach, ensuring compatibility with Amazon’s operational and environmental standards.

    Methodology

    APT ICC delivered the emergency clean-up using a structured, time-critical approach:

    1. Remote emergency assessment via video call to confirm scope and constraints.

    2. On-site verification of contamination extent and conveyor configuration.

    3. Specialist bitumen removal from belts and roller assemblies using controlled methods.

    4. Progressive wipe-down and residue capture to prevent recontamination.

    5. Final system checks to confirm the conveyor was safe for restart.

    All works were completed under controlled conditions to ensure no chemical carryover into live operations.

    Site Access & Logistics

    Equipment
    • Specialist hand tools for controlled residue removal
    • Containment materials to prevent contamination spread
    • Full PPE for emergency spill response

    Chemicals
    • Citrus RTU – ready-to-use citrus-based degreaser and adhesive
    remover, selected for effective bitumen breakdown while leaving no harmful residue

    All products and methods were selected to meet Amazon’s environmental and operational requirements.

    The Results
    • Bitumen contamination successfully removed from over 100 metres of conveyor line
    • Conveyor system restored to full operational condition
    • Emergency response completed overnight to protect morning production
    • No chemical residue left within the conveyor or roller system
    • Operational downtime minimised