01_HP (Page 1) - Herald-Post

12 NEWS
Thursday, April 10, 2008 HP
Local center manages reuse of hazardous
materials, saves government $180,000
By ArtMcQueen
HERALD POST STAFF
If you work for the U.S.
government, chances are you
use or purchase hazardous
materials as part of your job
–you may not even realize it.
The role of one local office is
to save money by efficiently
redistributing hazardous material
throughout U.S. Army
Garrison Baden-Württemberg.
In this way, the Hazardous
Material Reuse Center, located
on Spinelli Barracks in
Mannheim, reduces wasteful
procurement of even more
HAZMAT; ever-rising disposal
costs are also kept to a
minimum. The center also
works with the safety and
Directorate of Public Works
offices to save the environment
by reducing the need for
HAZMAT.
George Spears admits his
team’s efforts can have a huge
impact on the environment,
but, he says, “we are conscious
environmentalists.”
“Our whole job is to minimize
hazardous materials getting
on post, prevent accidental
spills, reduce stockpiling of
HAZMAT, reduce the costs to
the Army, and work together
to find alternate materials that
are more environmentally
friendly,” the USAG Baden-
Württemberg HAZMAT
manager said.
The center’s efforts resulted
in savings of nearly $180,000
last year from procurement
savings alone, as recovered
material is distributed for
free.
Hazardous materials include
but are not limited to:
solvents, antifreeze, brake
fluid, petroleum products
and cleaning supplies such
as degreasers. “Basically anything
found in a motor pool,”
Art McQueen
The shelves at the Hazardous Material Reuse Center on Spinelli Barracks in Mannheim are stocked with chemicals
that can be redistributed to offices and units in lieu of a costly purchase.
Spears said.
“But that is not all,” added
Dave Refosco, Hazardous Materials
Management System
program manager. Common
office supplies – such as copier
and laser printer toner, paint
pens, furniture polish, spray
glue and floor cleaners qualify
as hazardous materials.
The center reclaims equipment
and materials primarily
from units that are deploying,
relocating or drawing down.
“Usually the unit does not
have the manpower or transportation
to take care of their
excess stuff,” Refosco said.
The HMRC can help with
minimizing waste by providing
shelf-life extensions for
existing materials units have
on hand, and assistance on
avoiding some big commander
liabilities, Spears said.
“If HAZMAT is improperly
stored, there are health and
safety liabilities for the commander
– such as for spills,”
he said. “Units should not
stockpile HAZMAT.”
Those with excess, or a valid
mission need for hazardous
materials should make the
HMRC their first stop, Spears
said.
“Units should check with
us before purchasing any
sort of HAZMAT,” Refosco
said. “Some of it is extremely
expensive, we have had specialized
oils that cost $1,100
a barrel. Even equipment – a
secondary HAZMAT containment
for example – costs
at a minimum, $1,200 brand
new.”
The inventory is based on
all the excess the team recovers,
he said, and the inventory
changes every day. Further
savings to the government
and the environment, come
from reducing the cost of
disposal. Hazardous materials
can’t be legally buried or
poured down the drain.
“A good rule of thumb is
that the cost of disposal equals
about 10 times the procurement
cost,” Spears said. “It’s
costly, and the price is just
going to go up; it never gets
cheaper.”
Guiding their efforts are
the final governing standards
for Germany. The document
combines the most stringent
guidelines on hazardous materials
handling, from both
the United States and Germany,
into one document.
“Everyone has to comply with
it,” Refosco said.
The center has the expertise,
which they are eager to
share with any Department of
Defense organization in the
garrison footprint.
“Wewill go to a unit and assist
them with shelf-life management,
storage procedures
and help them with their spill
plans anytime,” Refosco said.
“This is like a courtesy inspection
to help them pass, and
keep them in compliance with
the final governing standards
for Germany.”
Units do not have to fill out
any paperwork once they have
contacted us and we have determined
what items have
potential further use. The
HMRC tracks itfromthere.
Cliff Shumate, materials
handler, said the center’s
mandate will soon expand
with responsibility for tracking
all hazardous material in
the garrison “from the cradle
to the grave.”
Reuse Center
Operating Hours
Turn-in and Issue:
8 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Friday
Screening Property:
8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday
Services
wAccepts excess HAZMAT
wRedistributes excess material
wProvides shelf life information for
HAZMAT and submit samples for
testing
wCentralized facility for Material
Safety Data Sheets
wProvides pick-up and delivery for
HAZMAT
wProvides labels and placards
Items Accepted
wChemicals and solvents (FSC 6810)
wMiscellaneous chemical specialties
(FSC 6850)
wCleaning compounds and detergents
(FSC 7930)
wPaints, dopes, varnishes and related
products (FSC 8010)
wPreservative and sealing compounds
(FSC 8030)
wAdhesives (FSC 8040)
wOils and greases – cutting, lubricating
and hydraulic (FSC 9150)
Items not accepted
wRadioactive material
wInfectious substances
wAmmunition and explosives
wExpired shelf-life material
wChemical defense equipment
wDrugs and biological waste
A new system, called the
Hazardous Materials Management
System, is scheduled
for implementation later this
year. The joint and inter-agency
Web-based system tracks
the procurement, storing, distribution,
use and disposition
of hazardous materials and
waste.
“In the future, we will have
to approve all unit purchases
of HAZMAT, whether it is
ordered through the supply
chain or using an IMPAC
card. This will enable us to
save even more than last year,”
Shumate said.
Contact the HMRC
at DSN 384-6607 or civ.
0621-730-6606.
National Health Care Decisions Day to be held in Heidelberg
By Capt. Allison Pliske
LEGAL ASSISTANCE ATTORNEY
April 16 has been declared National
Health Care Decisions Day to educate
Americans regarding their health care
decisions.
The goal istoensureeveryonehas
the opportunity to express their wishes
regarding health care treatment in
case they are unable to communicate
with health care professionals at the
time of treatment.
The staff of the Patton Legal Center
will be at Heidelberg Hospital April
16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., to assist eligible clients
with completing their advance
medical directives. Active-duty service
members, retirees and their family
members can consult with an attorney
or paralegal on a walk-in basis.
All services will be provided without
appointment and on a first come first
served basis in front of the pharmacy
at the Heidelberg Hospital.
Patton Legal Center provides a
number of relevant health care legal
services to eligible members of the
Heidelberg community.
These services include drafting estate
planning documents which include
two types of documents known
as advanced medical directives. AMDs
provide clients the opportunity to appoint
health care agents and to reduce
to writing a variety of end of life decisions.
For information about the services
available at Patton Legal Center in
support of National Health Care Decisions
Day or for other services provided,
contact the staff at DSN 373-5058,
or stop by Patton Legal Center, Building
107 on Patton Barracks.