BEST PRACTICES

Even when not required by environmental regulations, the following best practices are recommended. In some instances, best practices presented here are actually required by regulations.

Vehicle and equipment washing have the potential for contaminating receiving waters through the discharge of grit, oil and other contaminants.

1. Soapy or oily vehicle wash waters must either be collected for off-site disposal or discharged to the sanitary sewer, if allowed by the local water authority.
2. Consider using a commercial car wash if your facility is not equipped properly.

Training employees on proper procedures to reduce your facility's impact on the environment is a best practice. More detailed training information is provided in the regulatory requirements sections of the EVC. Employee training may include the following:

1. Spill response training for personnel who handle hazardous material,
2. Fork lift training,
3. Surface water pollution prevention education,
4. Hazardous materials management,
5. Emergency preparedness, and
6. Awareness-level training, for example, a general overview of the school's environmental management system.

When performing general vehicle repair/maintenance work near floor drains, implement the following to the maximum extent practical:

1. Drain and crush oil filters (and oil containers) before recycling or disposal. Store crushed oil filters and empty lubricant containers in a leak-proof container.
2. Drain and properly dispose of all fluids and remove batteries from vehicles, and equipment.
3. Use biodegradable products and substitute materials with less hazardous properties where feasible.
4. Maintain clean equipment by eliminating excessive amounts of external oil and grease buildup. Use water-based cleaning agents or non-chlorinated solvents to clean equipment
5. Store mechanical parts and equipment that may yield even small amounts of contaminants (i.e., oil or grease) away from drains.
6. Sweep or vacuum the shop floor frequently.
7. Designate specific areas indoors for parts cleaning.
8. Clean up any spills promptly.
9. Keep rags, mops, absorbents, and other cleanup supplies readily accessible to all work areas.
10. Never sweep or flush wastes into a floor drain.
11. Promptly transfer drained fluids to a designated waste storage area.
12. Place bulk fluids, waste fluids, and batteries in secondary containment to capture accidental spills.
13. Service "pits" should have concrete floors and not earthen floors or floors with drains.
14. Service bays within the facility should be segregated by operation (brakes, radiator, oil changing, etc.) to avoid cross-contamination.