Common EPA Violations and How You Can Avoid Them at Your Work Site
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) helps protect the natural world in many ways, the most important being that it sets the rules and regulations to protect the environment from pollution caused by work sites. At your job site, it’s vital to follow EPA regulations to avoid fines and keep the surrounding environment pollution-free. From making sure your spill containment berms are ready to handle spills to disposing of waste properly, here’s how you can avoid four common EPA violations.
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Spill Containment Berms |
Having proper waste containers is one of the most important parts of following EPA regulations. Hazardous waste can harm you, your team, and the environment. A waste container that isn’t specifically built to handle these materials is a recipe for disaster. While a water storage bladder is great for holding your team’s drinking water, you’ll want a wastewater bladder for contaminated liquid. It’s essential to make sure your container is closed, secure, in good condition, and the right size for the waste. If it fails to meet these criteria, it might not meet EPA regulations.
Corrective Actions Are Delayed
This situation might not be on your radar. One of your machines is leaking, but your spill containment berm has the leak under control. You’re safe to sit back and relax, right? Not exactly. It is essential that you quickly and efficiently address the source of the spill. It’s great that you have a containment berm to keep the spill from spreading, but the EPA requires prompt repairs to prevent any accidental damage to the environment. So, while your berm keeps the oil, coolant, or other chemical contained, you can address the leak itself and repair the machine in a timely manner.
Your Response Plans and Operation Strategies Must Match
Operational changes happen all the time. It’s something that should be on your radar. Right alongside these changes, though, should be the fact that your waste management plans need to be updated at the same time. It could be a detail as simple as where you store your oil absorbents, or something more extensive like your comprehensive disaster response plan. Your contingency plans and waste management documentation need to reflect your current operation strategy. That way, the EPA can confirm you are taking the necessary steps to stay safe and protect the environment.
Improper Disposal of Hazardous Waste
One of the most common EPA violations is improper waste disposal. This isn’t merely where you store your waste but how you get rid of it when you’re finished with a job. Dumping it down the drain or throwing it out with normal trash can introduce potentially harmful chemicals into the environment. Instead, you should dispose of this waste in the right location and with all the proper documentation. Whether it’s oil you collected in a spill containment berm, polluted water in your wastewater bladder, or a barrel of caustic waste, you need to know exactly how to dispose of it in a safe and legal manner to comply with EPA regulations.
About AIRE Environmental
Whether you’re the head of an emergency relief organization or the foreman of a construction site, AIRE Environmental—formerly known as AIRE Industrial—has what you need. Their top-of-the-line spill containment berms, portable water bladders, and environmental protection solutions can help your project, event, or job site run smoothly and efficiently. AIRE Environmental designs and manufactures their products in the USA to ensure the highest quality products for your work site. Leaks, spills, erosion, and liquid waste don’t stand a chance with AIRE Environmental on your side. Don’t see a product that meets your needs? You can work with AIRE Environmental’s team of designers and engineers to build a custom solution at their headquarters in Meridian, Idaho. It’s the best way to stay prepared for any obstacle you might face.
Discover all the tools you need for waste and spill management at https://www.aireenvironmental.com/
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