Fort Eustis and Fort Story Motor Pool Pollution Prevention Check List

A Fort Eustis and Fort Story motor pool pollution prevention check list; designed to assist you in identifying easy, cost-effective ways to prevent pollution during motor pool operations.

This is a check list designed to assist you in identifying easy, cost-effective ways to prevent pollution during motor pool operations. Pollution prevention is the use of materials, practices and processes that decrease or eliminate the quantity and/or toxicity of waste at its source. Successful pollution prevention can eliminate potential waste problems before they occur and provide financial, safety, and compliance benefits such as decreasing the amount of material used and reducing hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal costs. Within the motor pool operation there are four major ways of reducing waste and avoiding negative environmental impacts: Good Housekeeping Practices; Process Changes and Material Substitution; Waste Collection, Segregation, and Labeling; and Recycling and Reuse.

Good Housekeeping Practices

Good housekeeping involves procedures and practices that promote a clean, well-organized work area. These practices will conserve both resources and materials as well as decrease the potential for product loss due to spills and leaks.

• Keep aisles clear.
  
• Keep storage shelves in good order.
  
• Clean up spills and used absorbent immediately.
  
• Discard materials that are no longer needed.
  
• Keep materials off the floor.
  
• Use drip pans to collect leaking oils and fluids.
  
• Transport materials in containers with lids or in containers that are large enough to prevent spills due to sloshing.
  
• Make sure container lids are tight-fitting and in place when product is not in use. This precaution prevents product loss due to evaporation and spilling.
  
• Use first-in-first-out method for material usage. This will help reduce the amount of waste that is generated due to shelf life expiration.

NOTE: Oil water separators are designed only to remove small concentrations of oil from water. These separators are not effective at removing antifreeze or any other liquid that easily mixes with or is as dense as water. The disposal of large quantities of detergents into the oil water separator system will impair the systemūs effectiveness by emulsifying the oil and allowing it to pass through. Avoid disposing of fuel into an oil water separator because fuel fumes can build up in the separator and cause an explosion or fire hazard.

NOTE: Do not dispose of waste or contaminated water in storm drains. Storm drains are directly connected to natural waterways such as the James River. Therefore, the materials that enter these drains are not treated before entering natural waterways.

Process Changes and Material Substitution

The goal of process changes and material substitution is to eliminate or reduce the use of toxic chemicals within the process, thus reducing or eliminating waste. The Defense General Supply Center has published the Environmentally Preferred Products booklet which lists less-toxic or non-toxic alternatives to chemicals currently in use.

Important: Prior to implementing any process change or material substitution be sure that technical orders are not being violated. Do not implement any process changes that conflict with established technical orders. If you have any question regarding material substitutions contact your supervisor or the Pollution Prevention Coordinator 878-3720.

• Replace caustic cleaning solutions and solvents with detergent or water-based solutions.
  
• Replace solvent-based paints with water-based paints when possible. Water-based paints contain considerably less solvent and can be cleaned up with water.
  
• Change engine lubricants only when needed.
  
• Pre-clean parts in order to extend life of solvent or aqueous wash material.
  
• Reduce material loss by removing parts slowly from cleaning tanks and allowing the parts to drain thoroughly over the tank.
  
• Place hoods on all parts cleaning and carburetor cleaning processes to control solvent evaporation.

Waste Collection, Segregation, and Labeling

The most-effective way to reduce waste disposal costs is to properly collect, segregate, and label waste. It is imperative that from the time wastes are removed from equipment that they are not contaminated or mixed with any other waste or substance. Remember that mixing waste can contaminate products, increase disposal costs, or render the material un-recyclable. For example, disposing of a 55 gallon drum of antifreeze costs $100, and disposing of a 55 gallon barrel of petroleum naphtha (SaftyKleen solvent) costs $240. However, disposing of a 55 gallon barrel of antifreeze contaminated with petroleum naphtha costs $720. Proper waste collection, segregation, and labeling procedures are key to reducing waste disposal costs.

• Keep all waste separate from time of removal to disposal.
  
• Use separate labeled funnels when dispensing and transferring materials. This prevents mixing and cross-contamination of materials.
  
• Use separate collection containers or thoroughly clean the container before using it for a different type of waste or material.
  
• Label all waste as soon as it is removed. This will prevent improper disposal and allow the material to be easily identified if it is left unattended.
  
• Clearly label and color code waste collection barrels. For example used antifreeze could be placed in a green barrel labeled "used antifreeze", and used oil in a black barrel labeled "used oil". This wiln help prevent accidental contamination of substances. NOTE: it takes as little as a spoonful of a substance to contaminate an entire barrel of waste.

Spill Prevention:

• Reduce frequency of material transfer to reduce risk of spills.
  
• To reduce spills and leaks during materials storage and transferring use:
  
  • Bulk storage and distribution system for engine fluids
    
  • "No drip" transfer pumps to reduce drips and leaks
    
  • Funnels / barrel funnels for transferring liquids
    
  • Sturdy drain pans with lids
    
  • A dolly to transport full drain pans to the waste collection point
    
• Use secondary containment for storage areas.
  
• Use measuring equipment.
  
• Inspect vehicles for leaking fluids.
  
• Regularly inspect storage areas for leaks and spills.

Recycling and Reuse of Waste

Recycling recovers a waste from one process and reuses it in the same process or in another process in an environmentally-friendly way. Many of the wastes generated in the motor pool can be recycled or reused. The key to recycling is keeping the various waste types separate since mixing waste can contaminate products, increase disposal costs, or render the material un-recyclable.

Recycling and reuse can be accomplished either on-site (at your shop) or off-site (by the recycling center or by a contractor). It is preferable to recycle and reuse material on-site to the fullest extent possible prior to transporting materials to an off-site recycler.

On-site Recycling/Reuse

• Screen and reuse drysweep.
  
• Reuse shipping containers.
  
• Reuse packing materials.
  
• Reuse wash water.
  
• Reuse clean fluids in accordance with technical orders.
  
• Reuse absorbent pads.

• Corrugated cardboard
  
• Paperboard
  
• Computer paper
  
• Ledger paper (white and color)
  
• Magazines
  
• Manuals (FMūs, PMūs etc....)
  
• File stock (paper products typically found in filing cabinets)
  
• Junk mail
  
• Telephone books
  
• Newspaper
  
• #1 and #2 Plastics
  
• Aluminum cans and aluminum foil
  
• Tin cans
  
• Glass (clear, green, and brown)
  
• Serviceable pallets
  
• Metals (all)
  
• Oil (collected by a contractor and burned for energy recovery)
  
• Lead-acid batteries, tires, and unserviceable parts (recycled according to installation policy and not through the recycling center)

• Corrugated cardboard
  
• Paperboard
  
• Computer paper
  
• Ledger paper (white and color)
  
• Manuals (FMūs, PMūs etc....)
  
• File stock (paper products typically found in filing cabinets)
  
• Junk mail
  
• Telephone books
  
• Newspaper
  
• #1 and #2 Plastics
  
• Aluminum cans
  
• Glass (clear, green, and brown)
  
• Metals (all)
  
• Oil (collected by a contractor and burned for energy recovery)
  
• Lead-acid batteries, tires, and unserviceable parts (recycled according to installation policy and not through the recycling center)

• Waste Oil
  
• Antifreeze
  
• Oil filters
  
• Aerosol cans
  
• Solvents
  
• Hydraulic fluid

Purchasing Recycled Materials: Closing the Recycling Loop

Executive Order 12873 instructs federal facilities to give purchasing preference to products made from recycled materials. To ensure this Executive Order is followed, the General Services Administration has published the Environmental Products Guide (RCPG-0001). This guide lists the stock numbers of these preferred products. The guide is updated frequently so be sure that you are using an up-to-date copy. To order a copy of this guide, call Centralized Mailing List Service at (817) 334-5215 or fax (817) 334-5227. To order a copy of the DGSC Environmentally Preferred Products, call 1-800-352-2852. By purchasing and using products made from recycled material, you help to close the recycling loop.

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