The Latimat from Environmental Cleaning Systems of Rexdale, Ont., is a heavy-duty plastic containment pad that will hold any liquid it catches. Developed by company president Doug Latimer for mobile washing applications, the pad is approximately 75 feet by 14 feet and weighs about 400 pounds, but can be modified in size to suit individual applications. There also are specific models for different chemical exposure situations.

The pad consists of two parts. The first component, the pad, has a fixed inflatable and/or foam containment berm with safety release valves to prevent over-inflation or excessive pressure.

The second part of the Latimat are the underlay pads, which are used to ensure longer life when the pad is used on a rough surface area, such as gravel or stone.

You can drive on or off the pad even while the berm is inflated; a secondary berm prevents fluid from escaping when the vehicle drives over it. The polluted liquid can then be pumped off the pad into a container.

The Latimat system can also be modified with accessories to fit most existing mobile wash trucks or installed as part of a permanent wash station.