09-BMP-Waste Handling and Disposal.pdf

WASTE HANDLING AND DISPOSAL –

BMP FACTSHEET 1.7

U.S. ARMY, PICATINNY ARSENAL

PICATINNY, NEW JERSEY

Definition and Purpose:

Prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants to stormwater from the handling and disposal of waste materials. To provide guidance on the correct handling procedures, operations, and pollution prevention practices when dealing with waste materials.

The goal of regulating procedures when handling and disposing of material waste is to prevent spills and leaks by requiring facility owners to comply with various safeguard requirements. These include safeguards such as good housekeeping, following proper waste storage and handling protocols, waste reduction, and following waste disposal protocols.

Many facilities on Picatinny have designated facilities which house both raw materials and waste materials. It is important when handling these materials that proper procedures are followed so that pollutants do not migrate by stormwater into our natural waterways.

Approach:

The Picatinny General Permit authorizes certain new and existing discharges of stormwater to receiving waters in accordance with your facilities effluent limitations and includes the development and implementation of BMPs (Best Management Practices). In order to insure BMPs are being implemented, visual inspections will be performed periodically and during the course of the SWPPP annual inspections.

Existing and New Facilities: When complaint investigations or routine stormwater audits for current facilities indicate impacts to water resources due to poor management practices, Environmental Division can take action to address any problems identified. Infrastructure and equipment, in addition to BMP implementation, are evaluated during inspections. To minimize the potential for compliance issues and to reduce liability, it is highly recommended that the recommendations in this document be followed.

Pollution prevention

Many of the problems associated with contamination of local waterways stem from the improper storage and handling of waste materials. The discharge of harmful pollutants into stormwater run-off can be reduced if proper procedures for waste handling and disposal are followed. Some basic ways pollution prevention can be accomplished include:

Good housekeeping practices

• Keep the waste storage area clean at all times by sweeping and cleaning up any spills immediately.

• Developing a material tracking system to keep track of material usage and locations of materials.

• Keep materials organized. Have designated areas for each type of waste.

• Use dry methods of clean up when possible.

• Stencil storm drains at the facility for employee awareness.

General protocols for storing waste material

• If possible place waste containers in a covered area and away from storm drains.

• Protect containers from direct sunlight and inclement weather.

• Keep containers elevated off the floor (i.e.

on a pallet)

• Check storage containers often for signs of leaking or corrosion.

• Make sure all waste storage containers are labeled and lids are secure.

• Do not fill containers with washout water or any other liquid other than what container was intended to store.

• Sweep and clean storage area regularity, if it’s a paved surface do not hose down area into storm drain.

• Dispense of rinse water from cleaning containers into sanitary sewer ONLY as allowed by local sewer authority.

• DO NOT MIX WASTE, this can make recycling impossible, complicate disposal, and cause harmful chemical reactions.

• As a temporary arrangement, place the material on a paved surface and cover it with tarps or plastic sheeting, secured with weights or ropes.

Storing hazardous waste

• Designate hazardous waste collection sites

• Store hazardous waste in secure area, protected from vandalism, and in compliance with fire and hazardous waste codes.

• Ground highly flammable waste

• Segregate incompatible waste (i.e.

segregate acids from caustics, segregate reactive from ignitable, segregate corrosive from flammable)

• Ensure that hazardous waste is placed in secondary containment

Secondary containment: The purpose of secondary containment is to prevent petroleum products from flowing onto the ground or into the water in the event of a spill at an AST facility. Spill containment measures, including secondary containment are required by the Environmental Protection Agency at AST facilities as well as in areas of fuel transfer from tank trucks. Secondary containment:

• Must be large, high and strong enough to hold the contents of the largest tank plus 10% for local precipitation.

• Must be constructed or lined with material that will hold petroleum products and prevent them from seeping into the ground.

• The liner should be covered with sand or gravel to prevent ripping and to provide protection from the weather.

• Double walled aboveground storage tanks are not required to be located within a secondary containment area provided they have a high liquid level alarm, and a flow restrictor or automatic shut off device

Secondary containment structures must allow inspections of the tanks or containers, the timely detection of any leaks and recovery of any spillage, and the removal and proper disposal of any captured precipitation so that the minimum required capacity is maintained at all times.

Outdoor unloading/loading of waste materials (spill prevention)

• Park vehicles and conduct loading/unloading only in designated areas so that spills or leaks can be contained.

• Cover the loading/unloading docks to reduce exposure of materials to rain.

• Clean loading/unloading areas regularly to remove potential sources of pollutants.

• Use drip pans underneath hose and pipe connections and other leak-prone spots during liquid transfer operations.

• If possible, conduct loading and unloading in dry weather.

• The area where truck transfers take place should be paved and free of cracks and gaps.

• Make sure emergency spill kit is fully stocked and readily available in loading/unloading area.

• Position roof downspouts to direct stormwater away from the waste storage area

• Avoid placing loading/unloading areas near storm drains.

Waste disposal, reduction and recycling

• Whenever possible recycle waste. Many types of waste including lead-acid batteries, waste oil, gasoline, and antifreeze can be recycled or repurposed.

• Materials that cannot be recycled should be disposed of at a properly permitted landfill.

• Turn-in waste before volume or time limit has been reached (waste must be removed within 3 days of meeting this threshold).

• Label with the date container was filled.

Contact Picatinny HazWaste removal at 973-724-5951 for information on waste turn in.

Spill response – In the event of a spill or leak follow the appropriate Spill response procedures posted at your facility. Survey the incident from a safe distance and identify the source of release and the material being released.

* If ANY amount of leaked materials has entered a storm drain or waterway call the Picatinny Police department at x911 and DPW Environmental Affairs at 973-724-3664.