Good Housekeeping Pollution Prevention for Municipal Operations –

Keeping Pollutants in Check and Checking Boxes

Presenter: Liz Feinberg, Consultant to PECCollaborators: Paul Racette,

Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC)Date: October 2015

MS4 Permit…“a Catalyst for Progress”

In the absence of NPDES regulations,

where would we be?

MCM 6 requires:

Inventory facilities and municipal activities (vehicle fueling/maintenance/washing, waste handing, transfer activities, painting/coating operations, etc.)

Operation and Maintenance Plan

Employee Training

This presentation…

Share observations and insights from Pollution Prevention Good Housekeeping Training for Municipal Operations

1. Accomplishments

2. Progress

3. Barriers

4. Areas of Needed Improvement

5. Areas of Needed Research

NPDES MCM 6keeping pollutants in check …

Updating practices

Replacing outdated equipment

New standards (SOPs)

Awareness-raising

Justifying expenditures & budgets

Modeling behaviors for others to follow (businesses, residents)

PEC’s Workshops have…

Trained > 1000 municipal officials since 2006

Reached ~ 150 PA municipalities

Educated Target Audiences (public works, streets, parks, inspectors, facility managers) (78% reported positive learning experience )

Engaged multiple stakeholders & partners

Documented BMP improvements thru site visits

Helped advance Good Housekeeping P2 BMPs

Trainings Cover:

Stormwater Runoff

Pollutants & Impacts: Oil/Grease, Organics/Toxics, Nutrients, Silt/Dirt, Chlorides/Salt

Pollution Prevention Best Management and Good Housekeeping Practices:

Vehicle Maintenance, Fueling, Washing, Storage

Waste Handling and Disposal

Material Storage and Transfer

Winter Road Management – Deicing

Spill Cleanup Procedures and Supplies (MSDSs)

Inspection & Record Keeping

Feedback from Attendees

Motivating the Audience …

Making the issues personal / making connections to “their” lifestyle (i.e., fishing, boating, hunting)

Peer Pressure – highlighting local MS4s

Seek MS4 input, engagement, presentations

Recognize & showcase good practices

Refresher on proper practices & procedures

Information is Power – informed/educated

Progress -

Vehicle Washing

Progress

Covered Fueling Areas

Accessible Cleanup Supplies

Drip pans & spill control products

Improved site, street, inlet cleaning

Progress

Progress Chemical storage,

containment, cleanup

Vehicle maintenance practices

Winter Road Deicing Practices

& Products

Progress

Improved Storage Practices

Improved Treatment

Practices

Managing compost facility runoff

Inspection and documentation

Signage & Labels

Accessible and Updated MSDS Notebooks

Progress

Barriers to Progress

Resistance - old habits

Leadership – top down commitment

Fiscal resources

Space limits

Awareness

Confusion

Areas of Needed Improvementbased on observations from site visits…

Cover, Contain and Elevate all sources of runoff pollution

(i.e., supplies, wastes, dirt/compost/mulch stockpiles)

Poorly functioning waste receptacles (i.e., lidless & leaking)

Ensure delivery personnel know P2 policies & procedures

Adhere to E&S for earth disturbance, streets, utility projects

Landscaping/mowing reliance on fuel/toxics

Water Quality Insert inspection-cleanout procedures

Other Improvements Needed

Better documentation

Simplify/standardize P2 practices - make it easy for staff (i.e., spill cleanup products in-stock and accessible)

Ensure subcontractors /delivery services know proper procedures

Oversight - summer staff and new employees

Research/Information Needs

Vehicle Washing - is wash-water sufficiently treated; which cleaning products are preferable

Surfactants and water quality inserts / oil grit separators

How biodegradable is “biodegradable”

Effectiveness and impacts of citrus-based degreasers & aqueous products (impacts on equipment)

Road Salt / Deicing Alternatives – environmental impacts, optimum application

Case studies and Municipal Staff Presentations (peer-to-peer)

THANK YOU

PEC’s January & February 2016 Trainings will cover GSI

Inspection & Maintenance as well as GHK

Contact Liz Feinberg (efeinberg@akrf.com)

Paul Racette (pracette@pecpa.org)