School Waste Reduction

Transportation

• Introduction
• Department of Toxic Substances Control Board Resources
• California Integrated Waste Management Board Resources
• Other Resources

Introduction

A school district’s transportation department produces many types of waste (see examples listed below)--some hazardous, some not necessarily hazardous but potentially damaging to the environment if not handled appropriately. If not properly treated and/or disposed of, these wastes could result in a significant cost to a school district.

Examples of Transportation-Related Waste Materials

By implementing key pollution prevention strategies targeted at reducing the amount of such materials purchased and disposed, a school district may receive the following benefits:

• Decreased operating costs.
• Decreased waste disposal costs.
• Reduced long-term liability.
• Preservation of environmental quality.
• Improved workplace safety and health.
• Projection of a positive public image--being a good neighbor.

Both the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) provide resources to assist with the proper management, recovery, and disposal of the waste types listed above. These resources can also be used to identify specific pollution prevention (P2) opportunities that can be incorporated into the department’s day-to-day operations and to develop administrative procedures to support a districtwide waste reduction policy.

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Department of Toxic Substances Control Resources

The DTSC regulates hazardous waste, cleans-up existing contamination, and looks for ways to reduce the hazardous waste produced in California. DTSC staff work to ensure that companies and individuals handle, transport, store, treat, dispose of, and clean up hazardous wastes appropriately.

DTSC's Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development developed the Vehicle Service and Repair Project to reduce environmental and health impacts of vehicle repair and maintenance operations in California. The program focuses on several typical activities in the vehicle service and repair shop, and introduces alternative methods that will reduce the amount of hazardous wastes generated, reduce operational costs, and increase shop operators' ability to comply with environmental regulations.

Through this program, you can obtain:

• Fact sheets on typical shop processes and best management practices to eliminate hazardous wastes generated at your school district.
• Pollution prevention (P2) options for shop processes.
• A P2 Opportunities checklist (PDF, 65 KB) to assess shop activities.
• Training modules on how to use pollution prevention alternatives to reduce waste and pollution.
• A directory of P2 products and services.
• A list of local assistance contacts.
• Information on the recognition program—learn how to become a Model P2 Shop.
• Information about special programs such as grants and awards.
• Links to P2 and other useful resources.

High Efficiency Oil Filter Study

A related project at the Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development is a demonstration study of high efficiency oil filters, also known as by-pass filters. The filters continuously clean the engine oil by filtering to a higher degree than a standard oil filter, which allows the useful life of the oil to be extended several times. Use of these filters in fleet vehicles should result in cost savings and significant reduction of used oil generation. The filters will be installed on 100 State vehicles and monitored for one year to demonstrate their benefits.

Other DTSC Resources

Hazardous Waste Generator Guidance

• Fact Sheets: Information on proper handling, labeling, storage, and transportation of hazardous waste.
• Generator FAQs: Answers to frequently asked questions from generators.

If you have questions about hazardous waste regulations, contact a Duty Officer in one of DTSC’s regional offices by e-mail or toll free number (800) 728-6942.

California Commercial Offsite Hazardous Waste Management Facilities
This listing (PDF file, 64 KB) includes all commercial hazardous waste permitted Recycling, Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDF) that accept offsite waste for a fee and perform treatment and/or disposal at the facility. This listing will be periodically updated as additional information is obtained.

Registered Hazardous Waste Transporter Database
In California, unless specifically exempted, it is unlawful for any person to transport hazardous wastes unless the person holds a valid registration issued by DTSC. A hazardous waste transporter registration is valid for one year and is assigned a unique registration number. You may check on a transporter’s current registration at the link above.

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California Integrated Waste Management Board

The Office of Local Assistance (OLA) is your resource at the CIWMB for inquiries about waste reduction, including setting up districtwide recycling programs and identifying local resources. OLA staff serve as liaisons between school districts, local jurisdictions, and recyclers/haulers, building a solid team to address your district’s waste management needs. The following are some of the programs and resources that the CIWMB offers to assist with and promote waste reduction programs related to a school district’s transportation department.

Grants for Tire-Derived Products
The CIWMB provides grants to state and local agencies, including school districts, to purchase tire-derived products such as rubber fatigue mats, resilient padding and floor protection, rubber truck bed liners, playground mats, rubber tracks, wheel chair access products, and many more. See the CIWMB Tire Program’s Grants page for more information.

Used Oil Registration Program
School districts can earn $0.16 for every gallon of used oil they recycle by registering as industrial generators. Districts must submit claim reports to the CIWMB to receive this payment. School districts that have already taken advantage of this program include:

• Desert Sands Unified School District, Riverside County.
• East Side Union High School District, Santa Clara County.
• Kern High School District, Kern County.
• Mountain Empire Unified School District, San Diego County.
• Placerville Union Elementary School District, El Dorado County.
• Sonora Union High School District, Tuolumne County.
• Tulare City School District, Tulare County.

For additional information about how to register, please call (916) 341-6457. The CIWMB also maintains interesting facts about used oil and filters to help promote your district’s program.

Rerefined Oil
Did you know that school districts have the option of purchasing from the State's rerefined oil purchasing contract? Information regarding this contract--including purchasing and price details--is available in the CIWMB’s Rerefined Lubricants fact sheet. Get the facts about rerefined oil, including common myths and questions, the process of rerefining, who uses rerefined oil and why, automotive industry positions, and a list of rerefiners, blenders, and distributors.

Fact Sheets

• Antifreeze: Hazards and Responsible Use explains what antifreeze is and the hazardous effects it could have on our health and the environment. It also presents practical ideas on how to use, store, recycle, and properly dispose of antifreeze.
• Lead-Acid Batteries--Hazards and Responsible Use describes negative health and environmental effects of lead-acid batteries if they are disposed of or handled improperly. It also presents tips on maintaining lead-acid batteries and information on recycling them.
• Don’t Waste Tires provides tips on tire maintenance, encourages use of tire-derived products and retreaded tires, and promotes the reuse or recycling of tires.

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Other Resources

In addition to the information and tools the DTSC and CIWMB offer, a number of other resources are available to help you develop and implement an integrated waste management program that will meet your district’s needs:

Alternative Fuel Vehicle Fleets and Niche Markets for School Buses
U.S. Department of Energy offers a toolkit to help introduce alternative fuel vehicles to the school bus niche market. It contains customizable presentations, contact and product lists, market and air quality reports, and case studies that can be reproduced to meet specific needs.

City/County Recycling Coordinator
You can use the Local Assistance Contacts page to obtain the contact information for your local and primary partner in developing a school district waste reduction program.

Earth 911
Through a single toll-free phone call to 1-800-CLEANUP or the use of this website, you can access several sections of community-specific environmental information at no cost. For community-specific information, simply enter your ZIP code to obtain information about used motor oil recycling, household hazardous waste, recycling services, and dozens of other resources.

Flex Your Power at the Pump
Conserve Gas--Save Money!!! Save up to 15 percent on fuel costs by utilizing the simple steps under the State’s Flex Your Power at the Pump program.

King County Environmental Purchasing Program
King County, Washington purchases many recycled and environmentally preferable products, including re-refined antifreeze and motor oil used by all county vehicles, including the fleet of 1,200 Metro buses--one of the largest in the nation, low-VOC asphalt cold-patch compound, plastic lumber, compost, shredded wood waste, tire retreading services, hybrid vehicles, biodiesel, and bio-based oil. Many of these products are more economical than those they replace, and the county saved almost one million dollars by their purchase in 2004.

Filter Manufacturers Council
You can access a listing of companies, by state, that transport, process, and recycle used filters by calling the Filter Manufacturers Council hotline at 1-800-99-FILTER.

Lower-Emission School Bus Program
The goal of this California Air Resources Board program is to replace older buses with safe and clean new buses and clean up in-use buses. This will reduce school children's exposure to harmful diesel exhaust emissions.

New York City WasteLe$$
The NYCWasteLe$$ Business program provides simple and easy-to-use tracking and measurement tools to assist in documenting the cost savings derived from waste reduction efforts, such as using reusable oil filters and shop towels, and substituting synthetic for petroleum lubricating oil.

Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA)
The RMA recommends taking five minutes every month and before every long trip to check your tires, including the spare. "Be Tire Smart--Play Your PART: Pressure, Alignment, Rotation, Tread" with RMA’s tire maintenance checklist.

Tire Retread Information Bureau
The Tire Retread Information Bureau publishes useful retread facts.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)

• Consolidated Screening Checklist For Automotive Repair Facilities Guidebook (PDF, size unknown). The EPA developed this resource as a public service to the automotive service and repair industry. The checklist and guidebook highlight important or key environmental requirements as they apply to the various federal environmental programs. This is an update to the 1997 guidebook.
• Fuel For Thought...How to Reduce Wastes at Your Shop (PDF, size unknown). This brochure identifies waste reduction and pollution prevention (P2) options that may be followed to ensure that wastes do not end up in the wrong place where they can cause harm. In addition, a list of important contacts and useful waste reduction and P2 tips are provided.
• Retread Tires fact sheet
• 2004 Buy-Recycled Series: Vehicular Products (Acrobat PDF 114 KB) provides recommendations for purchasing vehicular products, myths and facts about recycled-content vehicular products and case study information.
• Search EPA’s Supplier Database for products containing recovered materials.
• Clean School Bus USA. The goal of this program is to reduce both children's exposure to diesel exhaust and the amount of air pollution created by diesel school buses. In 2005, EPA announced a $7.5 million grant program to school districts for clean school buses (Closing Date: July 22, 2005). For additional funding information, please visit the Clean School Bus USA Grants and Funding page.

Local Government Green Business Programs
The following local governments have recognition programs for businesses and public agencies that employ environmentally preferable practices. These programs have easy to follow checklists for energy and water conservation measures, nonhazardous waste reduction, and water quality best management practices in addition to the P2 practices already mentioned. If you are located within one of the areas below, you may participate in the program or use the checklists they provide to assess your district’s transportation facilities.

• Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Green Business Program
• Sacramento Area Green Business Program
• San Diego Area Green Business Program
• Santa Cruz-Monterey Area Green Business Program

Other Helpful/Resourceful Websites
The following documents may contain hazardous waste regulatory compliance information that is not applicable in California. These fact sheets do not replace or supersede relevant California statutes or regulations. These documents are referenced for Pollution Prevention information only.

• Western Regional Pollution Prevention Network--Auto Repair Hub. A guide to P2 information, technical assistance, and on-line resources.
• Waste Reduction in Auto Repair and Fleet Maintenance. North Carolina Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance web page regarding the automotive repair and maintenance sector discusses cost-effective strategies to improve environmental performance and worker safety in the automobile repair industry. Information is provided for improved methods to manage vehicle fluids, batteries, tires, solvents and shop rags. Environmentally friendly parts cleaning, surface preparation, and coating techniques are also discussed

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Last updated: April 04, 2008