Bioversal HC cleaning products for use on waterways
Bioversal HC is a pH-neutral, highly biodegradable oil spill treatment agent that encapsulates oil particles on the water surface and uses BioActivator technology to break them down into water (H₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). It is up to 500 times less harmful to the environment than synthetic dispersants, safe for wildlife, plants and responders, and is the ecological alternative for use in sensitive environments including harbours, rivers, estuaries, and protected coastlines across Ireland. Available from SSI Environmental, Dublin. Call 01 866 5676 or enquire here.
What Is Bioversal HC and What Is It Used For?
Bioversal HC is a professional-grade, biodegradable oil spill treatment produced by Bioversal International, a specialist environmental solutions company with over 20 years of experience and ISO 9001 certification. Unlike conventional synthetic oil dispersants that push oil into the water column where it can harm aquatic life, Bioversal HC keeps the oil-water mixture on the surface and activates a natural biological degradation process, ultimately leaving only water and CO₂.
It is specifically designed for use in situations where standard chemical dispersants would cause unacceptable harm — particularly in ecologically sensitive zones such as:
- Protected estuaries, Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Natura 2000 sites
- Freshwater rivers, lakes, and inland waterways
- Tidal harbours, marinas, and coastal rock platforms
- Beaches with active bird or marine mammal populations
- Canal lock walls and water infrastructure structures
SSI Environmental supplies Bioversal HC throughout Ireland, including Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford, and nationwide for civil contractors, harbour authorities, emergency response teams, and local councils.
BIOVERSAL HC is a very coefficient cleaning product for oil problems in the environment and at the same time for directly averting danger and eliminating oil disasters on large waterways, coasts and shores.
BIOVERSAL HC encapsulates oil particles and prevents them from sticking to and landing on shorelines, beaches, rocks, plants and animals. BIOVERSAL HC can be used to clean easier walls of locks and other water structures. BIOVERSAL HC is pH-neutral and dermatologically safe.
When used on waterways, the BIOVERSAL HC – oil – water mixture remains on the surface. The bioactivator contained in BIOVERSAL HC ensures high accelerated biological degradation of the remaining oil residue and leaves H2O and CO2 as a result. This substantially reduces the potential danger from the oil.
In those cases where conventional oil combating agents are not applicable on waterways or do not show any satisfactory effect, BIOVERSAL HC when used correctly can be harmless to the environment.
BIOVERSAL HC is highly biologically degradable and helps animals and plants to regain their natural environmental conditions.
Bioversal HC — Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is Bioversal HC and how is it different from a standard oil dispersant?
Bioversal HC is a biodegradable, pH-neutral oil spill treatment agent that uses BioActivator technology to encapsulate oil particles on the water surface and accelerate their biological breakdown into water and CO₂. Unlike standard synthetic dispersants — which fragment oil into sub-surface droplets and can harm aquatic organisms — Bioversal HC keeps the treatment process at the surface, minimises water column contamination, and leaves no toxic residue. It is considered up to 500 times less harmful to the environment than conventional synthetic products, making it the preferred choice for ecologically sensitive environments including Irish harbours, rivers, estuaries, and protected coastlines.
Q2: Is Bioversal HC safe to use in Ireland’s rivers, canals, and protected water habitats?
Yes. Bioversal HC is specifically designed for use in sensitive ecosystems where synthetic dispersants would risk further environmental damage. Its extremely low eco-toxicity profile, pH-neutral formulation, and plant-derived natural raw materials make it appropriate for use in freshwater rivers, canals, tidal estuaries, SAC-designated sites, and areas near fish habitats and bird breeding zones. It is also dermatologically safe and exempt from GHS/EC REACH hazard labelling, reducing PPE requirements for response teams. Always consult the product SDS and, for major incidents in regulated water bodies, notify the EPA and relevant authority as required under Irish environmental legislation.
Q3: How quickly does Bioversal HC break down oil, and what is left behind?
Bioversal HC begins encapsulating oil particles on contact. The BioActivator then accelerates aerobic biodegradation by naturally occurring microorganisms. Published performance data shows hydrocarbon reduction rates of 40–120 ppm per day on water surfaces, and 240–570 ppm per day on shoreline and soil applications. The end products of the biodegradation process are water (H₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) — neither of which represents an environmental hazard. No synthetic chemical residue is left in the treated environment, which distinguishes Bioversal HC from conventional dispersants that may leave surfactant or solvent residues.
Q4: When should Bioversal HC be used instead of containment booms or absorbent materials?
Bioversal HC is most valuable in situations where physical containment and absorption alone are not sufficient — for example, when an oil slick has already spread across a wide water surface, when the shoreline or rocks are already contaminated, or when a spill occurs in conditions (weather, current, access) that prevent full boom deployment. It works best as part of a combined response: deploy oil containment booms and absorbent booms first to limit the spill perimeter, then apply Bioversal HC to treat the remaining surface oil within the contained area. For large waterway incidents, it may also be applied ahead of or alongside physical recovery to accelerate the overall clean-up timeline.
Q5: Can I buy Bioversal HC online in Ireland, and how do I get the correct quantity for my needs?
Bioversal HC is available through SSI Environmental, Dublin 15. As product sizing and application rates vary depending on spill type, surface area, and oil concentration, SSI recommends contacting the team directly to confirm the right quantity and format for your needs — whether for a standby stock in your spill response plan, a one-off incident, or a large-scale emergency deployment. Call 01 866 5676 or 087 936 7065, or send an enquiry here and the SSI team will respond promptly.
Related Products from SSI Environmental
If you are building or updating an oil spill response capability for a harbour, marine site, or waterside facility in Ireland, the following products work alongside Bioversal HC:
- Barracuda Oil Spill Containment Boom — large-scale marine containment boom for harbours and coastal waters
- Oil Absorption Booms — polypropylene absorbent booms for oil recovery from water and land
- Disposable Absorbent Skirt Boom — single-use containment and absorption for marina and vessel spills
- Marine Spill Kits Ireland — pre-packed kits for vessel operators, harbour staff, and ERT teams
- Emergency Spill Response Service — SSI Environmental’s trained response team for large-scale incidents
Contact SSI Environmental — Bioversal HC Enquiries
Are you specifying Bioversal HC for a Spill Response Contingency Plan? Responding to an active incident? Building a marine spill kit for your harbour or vessel?
The SSI Environmental team has been supplying spill response products across Ireland since 1997. We understand Irish EPA requirements, harbour authority obligations, and the practical realities of waterway spill response.
- Phone: 01 866 5676 / 087 936 7065
- Email: enquiries@ssienvironmental.ie
- Address: Unit 245, Block A, Blanchardstown Corporate Park 2, Dublin 15
- Send an enquiry online →
Response within one business day. Emergency product availability: call the number above.