Hazardous Materials Minimization at Defence Supply Center, Columbus

by Dr. Simon Chang

The Defence Supply Center, Columbus Hazardous Materials Minimization Team is comprised of members from various DSCC Directorates with background in Environmental Engineering, DLA Office of Counsel, Operations, Office of Safety and health, and Defence Reutilization amd Marketing Office. Team members meet on a bi-monthly basis to resolve Environmental Protection and Hazardous Material Minimization issues at this center. This involves thousands of stock classes used throughout agencies all over the Department of Defence. Many of these items are procured by the Defence Supply Center, Columbus.

The Defence Supply Center, Columbus Hazardous Materials Minimization (HMMIN) Team has accomplished many noteworthy achievements. The following represents a few of these achievements:

1. The Hazardous Materials Minimization (HMMIN) Team initiated a procurement procedure change that required all DOD contractors to certify if an item is regulated as a Hazardous Material. It then becomes a contract requirement to provide a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and Occupational Safety and Healty Administration (OSHA) Compliant Hazardous Material Warning Label to identify that item.

2. The Hazardous Materials Minimization Team has been proactive in eliminating asbestos materials that are used when manufacturing brake shoe linings. Asbestos is considered to be a carcinogenic material. Because of these efforts, DSCC initiated an asbestos elimination project that has included all brake shoes and brake shoe lining items procured at DSCC for the Department of Defence. A "No Asbestos Allowed" statement was required to be included as part of the contract language for all DSCC procurement actions that involved any of these materials.

3. Memebrs of the Hazardous Materials Minimization Team are currently participating in a major project with the military services and private industry. This project involves efforts to find a suitable alternative material that will be used in electro-deposited cadmium plating processes for all DOD agencies. This new plating material will help to eliminate personnel exposure to cadmium oxide dust and substantially reduce or eliminate the amount of hazardous waste currently being generated by the cadmium plating process used industry wide. A test protocol is currently underway utilizing and testing several alternative-plating materials.

4. During the past two years, the Hazardous Materials Minimization Team has worked diligently with other DSCC Directorates on a project involving compressed gas cylinders containing ethyl ether. Many Department of Defence agencies require ethyl ether cylinders. They are primarily used as "start assist" devices for diesel-powered vehicles and other heavy-duty construction type equipment. These cylinders are also required for operating battlefield tanks and other war fighting equipment. Very large quantities of these cylinders are utilized by the U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command and other Department of Defence agencies. After the cylinders are used for their intended purpose, disposing of the empty containers has proven very difficult and extremely expensive. They are classified as compressed gas cylinders containing flammable hazardous material for disposal purposes. Some DOD agencies have paid more than $242.00 per cylinder disposal charge for these items. Several team members took the initiative to alleviate DOD customers of this excessive cost as a customer support initiative. A management team was formed and two separate National Stock Numbers representing ethyl ether cylinders were completely eliminated. All remaining ethyl ether cylinders were grouped utilizing only one National Stock Number. By doing this, they were able to find a contractor that would agree to let the customer return the empty containers to them for disposal. A new contract was awarded containing a tailored support agreement; the first of this kind at DSCC. Now, when the DOD customer receives these cylinders, detailed instructions are furnished with these items instructing how the empty containers can be returned to the manufacture after they have been used. DSCC alone procured more than 12,600 of htese type containers during FY 1997. The estimated cost savings for the first order placed against the new contract is $1.28 million for the DOD. This contract does not just limit itself to the U.S. Military services. Other federal agencies that utilize large diesel-powered vehicle fleets, such as the U.S. Post Office and General Services Administration may also request procurement of these cylinders utilizing the new DLA contract.

If you have any questions regarding the above mentioned information or would like additional information please contact Dr. Simon Chang at (614) 692-1398 or EMAIL: Likow_Chang@dscc.dla.mil.

April 2000