February 2000 Number 75

Governor’s Pollution Prevention Award, 1999 Recipient 121st Air Refueling Wing of the The Governor’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Pollution Prevention have The 121st Air been presented since 1986. The 121st Air Refueling Refueling Wing was one of nine recipients Wing, Ohio Air to receive the award in 1999. These awards National recognize outstanding commitments to Guard, is improve Ohio’s environment through recognized for: pollution prevention. Evaluation criteria for • eliminating the awards include: the reduction of waste ozone- at the source, recycling or recovery of depleting chemicals purchases; materials, cost-effectiveness, ability of the program to serve as a model for others, and • minimizing the use of toxic effectiveness in promoting pollution chemicals; prevention as the preferred long-term approach for environmental management. • reducing the amount of hazardous waste generated from 121st Air Refueling Wing a baseline of 108,603 pounds in 1993 to 10,064 pounds in 1998; The 121st Air Refueling and Wing (ARW) of the • recycling more than 346,000 fly and maintain KC-135 fixed wing aircraft. pounds in 1998, up from less than st The 121 ARW is located at Richenbacker 20,000 pounds in 1993. International Airport in Columbus. The major support operations performed include aircraft maintenance, aerospace ground equipment maintenance, ground vehicle maintenance and facility maintenance.

Office of Pollution Prevention, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio, 43216-1049, (614) 644-3469, www.epa.state.oh.us/opp Governor’s Pollution Prevention Award, 1999 Recipient

The mission of the 121st percent by 1999 from a ARW more than $4,000 in ARW is to provide highly baseline year of 1993. The disposal costs. trained professionals in 121st ARW’s pollution support of federal, state and prevention plan outlines the In addition to the hazardous community interests by: actions to be undertaken by waste reductions, the 121st the base to meet this ARW has eliminated the use/ • providing timely challenge. All organizations purchase of all class 1 worldwide air refueling, at the 121st ARW are ozone-depleting chemicals. airlift and support forces - committed to integrating federal role; pollution prevention ethics The 121st ARW also is active into their day-to-day in and committed to storm • protecting life and activities to meet these water pollution prevention, property, and preserving goals. co-chairing the Walnut peace, order and public Creek Watershed Group. safety - state role; and Pollution Prevention The 121st ARW has Activities developed and implemented • participating in local, state a storm water pollution and national programs that The 121st ARW has prevention plan. add value to America - developed and implemented community role. a pollution prevention plan. Replacement of To help implement the plan Solvent Parts Commitment to and seek other pollution Washers Pollution Prevention prevention opportunities, 11 personnel from the 121st Through a service contract, The 121st ARW formalized ARW attended a week-long the 121st ARW used a total its statement of commitment pollution prevention training of 12-36 gallon solvent to pollution prevention on course. Some of these parts washers. The solvent March 13, 1997. Its policy opportunities were was replaced every five to is to maximize pollution identified through pollution nine weeks. This generated prevention efforts through prevention opportunity approximately 11,000 eliminating ozone-depleting assessments conducted by pounds of hazardous waste st chemicals purchases, the 121 ARW. per year, at a cost of minimizing the use of toxic $12,492. chemicals, and minimizing The 121st ARW has reduced the generation of hazardous the amount of hazardous The 121st ARW purchased and solid wastes. The Air waste generation from a new solvent parts washers, Force and the Air National baseline of 108,603 pounds manufactured by ZEP Guard have established to 10,064 in 1998. The Manufacturing Company, hazardous waste, solid 1999 generation is projected which allows for closed- waste, and toxic release to be less than 6,000 loop recycling of the solvent reduction goals of 50 pounds, saving the 121st and a less hazardous solvent.

2 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard

The solvent has not had to be generated per year. Plastic controls all hazardous replaced in any of the tanks media blasting is used for materials bought and used in with almost two years of paint stripping in place of the installation. The use of use. The only waste that has chemical stripping. Spent all hazardous materials is been generated is replacing plastic beads are sent off- tracked with a database from filters, at less than 500 site to be reused in making cradle to grave. In addition, pounds per year. The filters counter tops. any unused or unneeded extend the life of the hazardous materials are solvent. The purchase of the In addition, personnel are no returned to the pharmacy for systems, solvent and filters longer exposed to the paint use by another workplace. It was $12,000. Annual and paint stripper during is estimated that through the operating costs are less than these operations. hazardous material pharmacy $1,000. This new system and only issuing the amount for parts cleaning had an Hazardous Material of material needed for a job, immediate payback. Pharmacy the 121st ARW reduced the amount of hazardous waste In addition, personnel are Before implementing the generated by more than using a less hazardous hazardous material pharmacy 20,000 pounds per year. solvent. at the 121st ARW, if a workplace needed three Through this program, they Paint-Related gallons of paint, it would buy have been able to identify Projects a five-gallon container. The less toxic materials to be workplace would use what used and have eliminated all The 121st ARW previously they needed and the rest of class 1 ozone depleting spray painted all stencils and the paint would end up being chemical (ODC) purchases decals required on the KC- disposed as hazardous waste. and greatly reduced the use 135s. Parts were chemically If a shop needed two cans of of class 2 ODC’s. stripped before painting. spray paint, the supply Operating costs were $3,000 system issued a box of 12 Additionally, 121st ARW - 5,000 per year. Paint- cans to the shop. Several greatly reduced use of the related hazardous waste was personnel in the same work 17 chemicals targeted by the generated at approximately area would use a different Toxic Release Inventory 5,000 pounds per year. can for small jobs and half- (TRI) as part of U.S. EPA’s full cans would become 33/50 Program and The 121st ARW purchased a hazardous waste. These hazardous air pollutants vinyl stencil machine for all examples were happening (HAPs) under the Clean Air stencils and decals, throughout the installation. Act. eliminating the use of paint. The operating costs are The 121st ARW designed, The hazardous materials approximately $1,500 per organized and implemented a pharmacy reduced the year. Less than 500 pounds hazardous material pharmacy number of line item of hazardous waste are concept, which centrally hazardous material usage

3 Governor’s Pollution Prevention Award, 1999 Recipient from a baseline of more than • paint gun washers; For more information 2,000 separate hazardous materials to 681 and from • two vehicle and equipment 121st Air Refueling Wing 3,000 manufacturers/ cleaning wastewater Ohio Air National Guard suppliers to 1,572. This has recycling systems; and 7370 Minuteman Way saved the 121st ARW Columbus, Ohio 43217- thousands of dollars and • power/pressure washers 5875 reduced chemical exposures (for washing aircraft, uses to the personnel. up to 60 percent less Roger Jones water). Environmental Coordinator Other (614) 492-4110 The 121st ARW has The 121st ARW purchased increased the amount of closed-loop antifreeze materials being recycled recycling units. All from a baseline of less than antifreeze is now recycled 20,000 pounds in 1993 to and reused. This eliminated more than 346,000 pounds 1,500 - 2,000 pounds of in 1998. Materials currently waste antifreeze generated recycled include all annually. batteries, paper, cardboard, metal, wood, tires, Other pollution prevention fluorescent bulbs, plastic equipment in use at the 121st bead blasting media, used ARW include: oil, plastic compact diskettes, toner cartridges • aqueous parts washer; and antifreeze.

• high volume low pressure (HVLP) spray paint guns;

www.epa.state.oh.us/opp

The Office of Pollution Prevention was created to encourage multi-media pollution prevention activities in Ohio to reduce risk to public health, safety, welfare and the environment. Pollution prevention stresses source reduction and, as a second choice, environmentally sound recycling while avoiding cross media transfers. The Office develops information related to pollution prevention, increases awareness of pollution prevention opportu- nities, and can offer technical assistance to business, government, and the public. Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with soy-based inks

Ohio EPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 4