Improper disposal of electronic, hazardous and universal waste causes problems Published May 19, 2010 By Environmental Management EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Facility managers should know the drill. Electronic, hazardous and universal waste must be kept out of the trash, but recent finds by landfill workers show this is sometimes not the case. Last month, workers found nearly a ton of government-owned electronics, hazardous and universal waste dumped in the large metal trash bins located near some base facilities. The landfill team removed these items from the trash and coordinated with the hazardous waste team to have the items disposed of properly. "My guess is the people doing this didn't know who to call to find out how to dispose of these items, and so they dumped them in the garbage," said Kathryn Curtis, hazardous materials/waste program manager at Environmental Management. "They might have been cleaning out a building, storage cabinet or something like that and thought, 'look at all of this junk' and didn't know what else to do with it." But ignorance won't wipe away a notice of violation, which could have been given on the spot if a regulatory agency representative had dropped in for a no-notice inspection. The NOV could have also been accompanied by a fine of up to $25,000 per violation per day. In addition, state scientists say hazardous, universal and electronic waste products leak toxic substances -- mostly metals -- into a typical landfill. Common items falling under hazardous, universal or electronic waste include, but are not limited to: televisions, computers, monitors, fluorescent lights, copy machines, toner cartridges, paint, cleaners, gas cans, aerosols and batteries. The landfill team found all of these items in the metal trash bins. The estimated 2,000 facility managers around the base should know what to do with these types of items from their annual facility manager training courses or the new monthly facility manager briefings, but attendance at these training sessions has dropped recently. Fewer than 100 facility managers attended the annual training session in March. "Environmental Management will be providing additional training and increase communication," Ms. Curtis said. "We're also having the environmental resource specialists, or zone representatives, conduct periodic inspections of trash bins around facilities. If they find something, they will alert the shop owner and make sure things are being disposed of properly. "The big thing we want to get across is that if someone doesn't know how to dispose of something, there's always somebody who can answer their question," Ms. Curtis continued, "and if we can't give them an answer, we'll do some research and figure out what needs to happen." Basically, all hazardous waste, unwanted or expired hazardous materials, and universal and electronic waste need to be taken to the Hazardous Waste Support Facility or the Consolidation, Recycling and Universal Waste Facility, both located at Building 4904, for proper disposal. The exception is government-owned electronic equipment, whether working or non-working, which must be turned in through the 95th Communications Group Turn-in Center. Employees wanting to get rid of government-owned electronic equipment must submit a ticket to schedule a pickup. Along with the usual trouble ticket information, the user can list the condition and quantity of equipment they would like to have picked up. Contractor-owned electronic equipment should be taken to the CRUW. For more information, facility managers should attend the monthly facility manager meetings scheduled on the third Wednesday of each month at the Civil Engineer Directorate, Bldg. 3500, in the main conference room from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Brochures on disposal practices for hazardous, universal and electronic waste for base residents can be picked up at the Base Housing Office and a brochure oriented for facility disposal practices is in development. The latter will be given out at future training sessions and sent to facility managers around the base in an effort to eliminate these wastes from finding their way into the trash bins or the landfill. Quick List Here's a list of contacts available to answer questions about the disposal of hazardous waste, materials, universal waste, electronic waste and government-owned electronic equipment: 1) HWSF/CRUW-Drop-off center for hazardous waste, universal waste, electronic waste, and hazardous materials that can be reused (however, no government-owned electronic equipment can be received at this location). 661-277-3681 Building 4904 2) 95th Communications Group Turn -in Center-Government-owned electronic equipment must be turned in through this center. Go to www.af.mil and follow this path, "MAJCOM: Air Force Materiel Command: Air Force Flight Test Center: 95 Air Base Wing: 95th Communications Group: Client Services Center: CG Equipment Turn-in Center (or type in https://remedyit.edwards.af.mil/rsubmit.asp?formtype=ExIT_Turnin) 661-277-3107 3) Environmental Management-For more information about hazardous, universal and electronic waste procedures. 661-277-1401 Building 2650A 4) Margaret Larsen, Facility Manager Facilitator-For more information about the facility manager briefings. 661-277-2420