EPA is proposing revisions to strengthen the 1988 federal underground storage tank (UST) regulations by increasing emphasis on properly operating and maintaining UST equipment. These revisions will help improve prevention and detection of UST releases, which are one of the leading sources of groundwater contamination. The revisions will also help ensure all USTs in the United States, including those in Indian Country, meet the same minimum standards.
EPA’s proposed rule revises the UST technical regulation in 40 CFR 280 by:
- Adding secondary containment requirements for new and replaced tanks and piping
- Adding operator training requirements for UST system owners and operators
- Adding periodic operation and maintenance requirements for UST systems
- Removing certain deferrals
- Adding new release prevention and detection technologies
- Updating codes of practice
- Making editorial and technical corrections
EPA is also proposing to update the state program approval (SPA) requirements in 40 CFR 281 to incorporate the proposed changes to the UST technical regulation listed above.
EPA developed the following resources to help interested and affected stakeholders review the proposed revisions to the 1988 UST regulations:
This is the first time EPA is proposing significant revisions to the federal UST regulations since they were first promulgated in 1988.
Williamsburg RCRA and DOT Training
Orlando RCRA and DOT Training
Safety Consultant/Trainer
Environmental Resource Center has a new opening for a safety consultant and auditor. We are looking for a former OSHA CSHO, OSHA trainer, or state inspector for this position in our Cary, North Carolina, office. Applicants should have excellent writing and speaking skills and be willing to travel 7–14 days per month. We are looking for an expert in all of the General Industry and Construction standards who is capable of performing audits of industrial facilities as well as conducting on-site training.
Strong consideration will be given to applicants who also have experience providing HAZWOPER, Hazcom, lockout/tagout, confined spaces, and machine guarding training.
The position includes maintenance of training materials (books and presentations), working on consulting projects, development of classes and computer-based training programs, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
How to Author GHS Safety Data Sheets
OSHA is adopting the new Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for the classification and labeling of hazardous chemicals. A cornerstone of GHS is the adoption of a completely revised Safety Data Sheet (SDS).
- November 3, 2011
- December 15, 2011
How to Label Hazardous Chemicals Using OSHA’s New GHS Hazcom Standard
Workplace and supplier hazard communication labels are being reinvented as OSHA adopts the new Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for labeling hazardous chemicals.
- November 4, 2011
- December 16, 2011
EPA Adds Google and Ingram Micro as Green Power Partners
EPA has released its list of the top organizations using the most renewable electricity in North America. The Green Power Partnership’s top 50 purchasers use more than 14 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the electricity use of more than 1.2 million average American homes. Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, and low-impact hydropower.
“By making the switch to renewable power, these forward thinking companies are reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other harmful air pollution so that Americans can breathe easier,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest.
Google is purchasing green power from NextEra Energy Resources, Renewable Choice Energy, and Puget Sound Energy. In addition, Google helped create the largest residential solar fund in the US and has invested in several renewable energy projects, including the world’s largest wind farm, the Alta Wind Energy Center near Tehachapi, California, and the Ivanpah Power Tower solar project in California’s Mojave Desert.
Google has also signed two long-term contracts to purchase the output from over 200MW of wind generation in Iowa and Oklahoma, at set prices over 20 years. The renewable energy from these NextEra Energy Resources wind farms will be applied to Google data centers in these regions.
Ingram Micro’s corporate headquarters in Santa Ana, California, is purchasing more than 3 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet 107% of the facility’s electricity use. The company is buying renewable energy certificates (RECs) from Renewable Choice Energy.
Ingram Micro, Inc., is a Fortune 100 company and is the world’s largest technology distributor and supply-chain services provider, offering sales, marketing, and logistics services for the IT industry worldwide. The company is a global broad-based IT distributor, serving more than 150 countries on six continents with a comprehensive portfolio of IT products and services.
In Newsweek’s 2011 Green Rankings, Ingram Micro is listed at No. 33, leading the technology distribution industry with its efforts to lessen its impact on the environment.
EPA’s Green Power Partnership works with more than 1,300 partner organizations to voluntarily purchase green power to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use. Overall, EPA’s Green Power Partners are using nearly 20 billion kWh of green power annually, equivalent to avoiding the CO2 emissions from the electricity use of more than 1.7 million average American homes.
Green power resources produce electricity with an environmental profile superior to conventional power technologies and produce no net increase to GHG emissions. Purchases of green power also help accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide.
EPA Launches Spanish Version of MyRTK Application
Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reporting was established in 1986 by the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and later expanded by the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990. Together, the laws require facilities in certain industry sectors to report annually on releases, disposal, and other waste management activities related to over 650 toxic chemicals. TRI data is available through MyRTK and several other online TRI tools.
California’s Attorney General Sues Plastic Water Bottle Companies Over Misleading Claims of Biodegradability
California’s Attorney General Kamala D. Harris has filed a first-of-its-kind “greenwashing” lawsuit against three companies that allegedly made false and misleading claims by marketing plastic water bottles as “100% biodegradable and recyclable.”
Under California law, it is illegal to label a plastic food or beverage container as biodegradable. Plastic takes thousands of years to biodegrade and may never do so in a landfill. This lawsuit is the first government action to enforce the state’s landmark environmental marketing law.
“These companies’ actions violate state law and mislead consumers,” Attorney General Harris said. “Californians are committed to recycling and protecting the environment, but these efforts are undermined by the false and misleading claims these companies make when they wrongly advertise their products as ‘biodegradable.’“
Balance and AquaMantra sell their products in plastic water bottles marketed by ENSO Plastics, LLC. According to the label, ENSO claims that a microbial additive created the “first truly biodegradable and recyclable” plastic bottle. The bottles’ labeling states that the bottles will break down in less than five years in a typical landfill or compost environment, but that claim is false because the additive does not speed up the centuries-long process required to break down plastic.
The claim of recycling is also deceptive. The microbial additive put into the bottle is considered by the Association of Post Consumer Plastic Recyclers to be a “destructive contaminant” that can compromise the strength of the products they make.
Consumers may buy these defendants’ bottles and either dispose of them incorrectly, on the assumption that they will biodegrade quickly, when in fact they will simply take up space in landfills, or they will try to recycle them, creating problems and costs for recyclers.
A recent Gallup poll found that 76% of Americans buy products specifically because of their perception the product is better for the environment.
In 2008, the California Legislature banned the use of words like “biodegradable,” “degradable,” or “decomposable” in the labeling of plastic food or beverage containers. Senate Bill 567, signed into law by California’s Governor this year, will expand that law to all plastic products beginning in 2013.
Tetra Micronutrients to Pay $70,000 Penalty for Risk Management Program Violations
International Mineral Technologies, LLC, doing business as Tetra Micronutrients, of The Woodlands, Texas, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $70,000 to the US for Risk Management Program violations related to the use of anhydrous ammonia at its former Fairbury, Nebraska, facility.
According to an administrative consent agreement filed by EPA Region 7 in Kansas City, Kansas, an inspection of the Tetra Micronutrients Fairbury facility in February 2010 by EPA noted several violations of the federal Clean Air Act’s Risk Management Program regulations.
In July 2011, International Mineral Technologies reached an agreement to sell the Fairbury facility—which produces liquid plant nutrition and dry micronutrient products—to Agrium, Inc., an agrichemical company headquartered in Alberta, Canada.
EPA’s February 2010 inspection of the Fairbury facility noted that International Mineral Technologies, doing business as Tetra Micronutrients, had failed to determine or document the priority order for conducting process hazard analyses; that it had failed to update and revalidate its process hazard analyses every five years; that it had failed to develop operating procedures that address the Risk Management Program requirements; that it had failed to conduct a periodic compliance audit; that it had failed to develop a written plan of action for employee participation; that it had failed to provide all the information required for its level of process; and that it had failed to revise and update its Risk Management Plan at least once every five years.
Under the federal Clean Air Act (CAA), International Mineral Technologies was required to take those actions because the Tetra Micronutrients Fairbury facility had about 150,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia onsite at the time of the EPA inspection, or approximately 15 times the 10,000-pound regulatory threshold amount.
By agreeing to the settlement, International Mineral Technologies has certified that the Fairbury facility is now in compliance with federal Risk Management Program regulations.
EPA enforces the Risk Management Program regulations of the CAA with a goal of preventing accidental chemical releases and minimizing the impact of releases or other accidents that may occur. The establishment of Risk Management Programs and formulation of Risk Management Plans helps companies, industries, and municipalities operate responsibly, assists emergency responders by providing vital information necessary to address accidents and other incidents, protects the environment by preventing and minimizing damage from accidental releases, and keeps communities safer.
New Hampshire School Bus Company Pays Penalty for Violating Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations
A New Hampshire school bus company has agreed to pay a $25,000 penalty to resolve Clean Water Act (CWA) violations for having failed to fully implement Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans at two of its facilities located in Auburn and Weare, New Hampshire.
In addition to paying the penalty, the Goffstown Truck Center, Inc., and its affiliated companies—Ocean State Transit, LLC; Student Transportation of Vermont, Inc.; and STA of Connecticut—have entered into a compliance order with EPA to ensure that all its New England facilities subject to the SPCC regulations are in full compliance with the requirements of those regulations by December 31, 2011. This includes a total of 13 New England facilities, located in the New Hampshire communities of Auburn, Bedford, Epsom, Peterborough and Weare; the Vermont communities of Middlebury and Milton; Exeter, Rhode Island; and the Connecticut communities of Danbury, Griswold, Guilford, Higganum, Ledyard, Naugatuck, and Stamford.
An EPA inspector documented violations of the SPCC regulations at the Goffstown Truck Center, Inc., facilities in Auburn and Weare, New Hampshire, during inspections in November 2010, and March 2011.
The Carwasher Inc. of the Valley Fined $14,901 for UST Violations
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office have announced that The Carwasher, Inc., of the Valley has agreed to pay a $14,901 civil penalty for violations of Arizona rules concerning leaking underground storage tanks (USTs).
In August 2007, the company removed three 10,000-gallon underground storage tanks from its facility, located at 7501 E. Indian School Rd., in Scottsdale, Arizona. During the removal process, releases from the tanks were discovered. ADEQ inspectors were able to confirm through laboratory results that the tanks had two unleaded gasoline releases and a notice of violation was issued in March 2009.
ADEQ issued a compliance order to the company in August 2009 requiring it to submit a site characterization work plan to address cleanup of the gasoline, but the company failed to submit that plan. Notices of violation were issued for not submitting the plan and for failure to comply with the requirements of an administrative order.
“Companies involved in removing leaking underground storage tanks need to make sure that they follow the proper procedures for environmental compliance,” ADEQ Director Henry Darwin said. “We have a long-standing practice of trying to work these issues out without going to court. But when a company refuses to work cooperatively with us, we have no other choice but to take it to court.”
“Arizona companies must comply with the requirements that protect our soil and groundwater from contamination from these tanks,” said Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne.
Recycling Thermal Cash Register Receipts Contaminates Paper Products with BPA
Bisphenol A (BPA)—a substance that may have harmful health effects—occurs in 94% of thermal cash register receipts, scientists are reporting. The recycling of those receipts, they add, is a source of BPA contamination of paper napkins, toilet paper, food packaging, and other paper products.
Kurunthachalam Kannan and Chunyang Liao explain that manufacturers produce more than 8 billion pounds of BPA worldwide every year. Thermal cash register receipts contribute approximately 33.5 tons of BPA to the environment every year in the US and Canada. Research links BPA with a variety of harmful health effects. BPA has been used in plastic water bottles, the lining of food cans, and a variety of other products; but how much do non-food sources contribute to humans’ daily BPA exposure? BPA coats the surfaces of thermal receipts, where it acts as a developer for the printing dye. To see whether this source of BPA was a concern, the researchers analyzed hundreds of samples of thermal cash register receipts and 14 other types of paper products from the US, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
They found BPA on 94% of the receipts. The only receipts with that were BPA-free were those from Japan, which phased out this use of BPA in 2001. BPA was in most of the other types of paper products, with tickets, newspapers, and flyers having the highest concentrations. However, these levels still paled in comparison to BPA on receipts, which the study said are responsible for more than 98% of consumer exposure to BPA from paper. They note that handling of paper products can contribute up to 2% of the total daily BPA exposures in the general population, and that fraction can be much higher in occupationally exposed individuals.
Saving Money, Staying Warm: Winter Energy Efficiency Tips from Energy Star
The average family spends $2,200 a year on energy bills, nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling. With winter approaching and Americans heading indoors, EPA’s Energy Star program is offering easy energy saving tips that increase household efficiency while helping Americans save money and stay warm.
EPA recommends taking the following steps this winter:
- Maintain your heating equipment. Dirt and neglect are the top causes of heating system failure. If your heating equipment is more than 10 years old, now is a good time to schedule a pre-season checkup with a licensed contractor to make sure your system is operating at peak performance. Check your system’s air filter every month, and when it is dirty, change it. At a minimum, change it every three months.
- Use a programmable thermostat. Control your home’s temperature while you’re away or asleep by using one of the pre-programmed settings. When used properly, programmable thermostats can save up to $180 every year in energy costs.
- Seal air leaks in your home. If rooms are too hot/cold or you have noticed humidity or excessive dust problems you should consider taking action to seal air leaks. Sealing air leaks with caulk, spray foam, or weather stripping will have a significant impact on improving your comfort and reducing energy bills. If you are adding insulation to your home, be sure to seal air leaks first, to ensure you get the best performance from your insulation.
- Utilize the Energy Star website. Use Energy Star’s Home Energy Yardstick to compare your home’s energy use to similar homes across the country and see how your home measures up. Energy Star’s Home Energy Advisor can give recommendations for energy-saving home improvements for typical homes in your area.
- Look for Energy Star qualified products. Whether you are replacing light bulbs or appliances in your home, Energy Star qualified products can help you save energy and reduce energy bills. The label can be found on more than 60 types of products ranging from heating and cooling equipment to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).
Energy Star was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a market-based partnership to reduce GHG emissions through energy-efficiency. Energy Star offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to decrease energy consumption, save money, and help protect the environment. More than 20,000 organizations are Energy Star partners, committed to improving energy-efficiency in homes, products, and businesses.
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Trivia Question of the Week
According to the UN’s new State of World Population 2011 report, what milestone in global population has just been reached?
a. 5 billion
b. 5.5 billion
c. 6 billion
d. 7 billion
