Factor TABLE 4-2-8C Important Design Factors in the Selection of Conventional Compaction Equipment Size of loading chamber Remarks Fixes the maximum size of wastes that can be placed in the unit. The time required for the face of the compaction ram, The volume of wastes that can be displaced by the ram in 1 h. The pressure on the face of the ram. The distance that the compaction ram penetrates into the receiving container during the compaction cycle. The further the distance, the less chance there is for wastes to fall back into the charging chamber and the greater the degree of compaction that can be achieved. The initial volume divided by the final volume after compaction. Ratio varies significantly with waste composition. Affects the design of service areas in new building and provision of service to existing facilities. variable variable recycling of used oils and solvents is discussed in Section 4.4. The military specification (MIL-F-2495) that allows the reclamation of used oils and solvents is given in Table 4-3-2A. Both of these methods are resource conservation measures because the original products do not enter the waste stream and require disposal. TABLE 4-3-2A Specifications for Fuel Oil Reclaimed (MIL-F-2495) (1) FOR (Fuel Oil Reclaimed) shall be essentially free of chlorinated material. To determine the presence of chlorinated material, a clean copper wire is heated in a clear blue gas flame (to red heat) until no green shows in the flame. The wire is dipped while still hot (into a sample of FOR) and then put back into the flame. No green shall show in the flame. (For practice, a blend of 1% trichloroethane in DFM or other distillate fuel may be used as a sample of an oil that fails this test. The oil should be purged of any sodium chloride by washing with fresh water.) (2) (Or other approved ASTM method.) In the United States, sulfur limits shall be as specified by the EPA, state, or community where the fuel is to be used, whichever is more restrictive. In foreign countries, the sulfur limit shall conform to the limit established in the Status of Forces Agreement. 4.3.3 Material Conservation. Another method of resource conservation is to reduce the amount of material used to make certain products. Normally, this will have very little effect on military installations. However, there are three ways in which material conservation can be encouraged on military installations. (1) Encourage purchase of materials with a minimum amount of packaging. Many times the packaging in a shipment is larger or heavier than the material it protects. This is unavoidable in the shipment of delicate instruments, computer components, etc; however, many times durable goods are shipped in the same manner. (2) Shipping and packaging specifications shall be written in order to avoid use of excess packaging. Military procuring agencies shall inventory shipping and packaging policies to determine if unnecessary packaging is being used or required. (3) Reuse of cartons and packaging materials may also be encouraged in some instances. 4.3.4 Use of Recycled Materials. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (PL 94-580) requires federal procuring agencies to "procure items composed of the highest percentage of recovered materials practicable consistent with maintaining a satisfactory level of competition." [Section 6002 (c)(1)(a)]. This requirement applies to items with a purchase price in excess of $10,000 or where a quantity of items purchased in the preceding fiscal year was $10,000 or more [Section 6002 (a), RCRA]. These policies have resulted in federal agencies being required to evaluate their procurement regulations and have helped create a market for recycled, and therefore recyclable, materials. Procurement of materials in such a manner to minimize the generation of wastes is required. 4.3.4.1 Careful planning by procurement agencies to order items containing recycled materials will result in their being ordered in large quantities. This practice will result in reduced per unit costs. Some items that regularly contain recycled materials and which are ordered by most federal purchasing agencies are paper products (especially office paper, packaging, paper towels, and bathroom tissue) and certain types of metals, plastics, and fabrics. Re-refined oil may also be purchased in bulk quantities by procurement agencies. Where it has been shown to be more economical than burning used oil in heating plants, make every effort to enter into a program in which waste oil generated by the installation may be sold to a re-refiner and re-refined. oil purchased for a reduced price. Current military specifications allow for the use of re-refined oil in administrative vehicles. As these specifications are expanded to include tactical vehicles, procurement agencies shall in turn eliminate specifications requiring the purchase of virgin petroleum products and preventing the purchase of re-refined products. 4.3.5 Minimize Waste. Commanders shall ensure that waste of military items and property is prevented. One way is to conduct a survey to determine waste generated by shops and other facilities. The items found by the survey shall be evaluated to determine if waste could be minimized by substitution of materials, change of process, or elimination of material or process. Every effort shall be made to procure items so that the items or components of the items can be converted to other users when no longer suitable for their original use. Some examples of waste reduction applicable to military installations are: use of refillable beverage containers use of reusable food service plates, cups, and utensils 4.3.5.1 Military agencies shall make every effort to prevent overissue of expendable items. Procurement agencies shall make every effort to ensure that the product ordered is the product actually required to accomplish the task. Using the product for which it was designed will help to extend its functional lifetime. 4.3.6 Recovery of Resources 4.3.6.1 Why Establish a Resource Recovery and Recycling Program? The Military Construction Codification Act (PL 97-214) became effective 1 October 1982. The provisions of this Act expanded the scope of recyclable materials and provided increased incentives for implementing recycling programs. Under appropriate departmental guidance, generators of recyclable materials can establish Qualifying Recycling Programs (QRP). Expenses of operating and improving recycling programs must be accumulated and reimbursed from proceeds of sales of recyclable materials prior to any other disposition. of the proceeds. 4.3.6.2 Projects such as those described in Section 2577 (b) (2) of the Act are not to be included in the normal military construction program if sufficient recycling program proceeds are available at the installations needing the projects. Accumulation of proceeds from sales of recyclable materials is authorized only for installations with qualifying recycling programs. The proceeds from the sale of recyclable materials must be deposited into **F3875 "Budget clearing account (suspense)" and segregated within that account to ensure proper accounting as to the amounts collected and their disposition. The accumulation of funds in **F3875 is not affected by fiscal year end, so proceeds acquired during one fiscal year may be carried forward and merged with proceeds of subsequent fiscal years. Reimbursements to operation and maintenance accounts to cover the expenses of recycling programs shall be made from **F3875 as needed within a fiscal year. Funds remaining in **F3875 after reimbursement of expenses may be used only for projects and activities as described in Section 2577 (b) (2) or may be disbursed to the morale and welfare account of the installation pursuant to Section 2577 (b) (3) or both. If the balance of an installation's proceeds remaining in **F3875 exceeds $2,000,000 at the end of each fiscal year, the amount in excess of $2,000,000 must be deposited into the U.S. Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. 4.3.6.3 Successful recycling programs exist at many military installations. For example, for FY 87, four installations reported proceeds in excess of $500,000. Additionally, 19 other activities reported proceeds in excess of $100,000 for the same year. 4.3.6.4 Paper goods, including cardboard, are the materials most often recycled. At support or construction activities scrap metal and sometimes scrap wood are important sources of income for recycling programs. Recycling aluminum cans is best in areas where aluminum is produced. Otherwise transportation costs significantly decrease net income to the base. 4.3.7 Development of Resource Recovery and Recycling Program. A Resource Recovery and Recycling Program (RRRP) must be developed systematically and be justified economically. The main steps involved in establishing a new program are shown in Figure 4-3-7A. |