United States National Risk Management

Environmental Protection Research Laboratory

Agency Cincinnati, OH 45268

Project Summary

Research and Development EPA/600/SR-96/114 September 1996

As part of its Waste Reduction Evaluation at Federal Sites (WREAFS) Program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Risk

Management Research Laboratory

(NRMRL) worked cooperatively with the

U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to integrate

waste prevention and recycling activities into the waste management programs at various postal facilities

through the conduct of pollution prevention opportunity assessments

(PPOA). This summary report describes

the findings of the PPOA for the USPS

Post Offices in Bridgeville, Hickory,

Houston, McDonald, Morgan and Washington, PA.

The report describes the various Post

Offices, including operations performed, processes and materials employed and the wastes and emissions

generated. The report makes recommendations concerning the procurement of office supplies, maintenance

supplies and hazardous materials; management of hazardous materials and

wastes; purchase of chemicals on

USEPA’s 33/50 list; improvement of

source separation and recycling of paper and paper products, metals and

plastics; management of unwanted

equipment; and other options for reducing or eliminating pollution.

This Project Summary was developed

by USEPA’s National Risk Management

Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH to

announce key findings of the research

project that is fully documented in a

separate report of the same title (see

Pollution Prevention Assessment

U.S. Postal Service Post Offices,

Pittsburgh, PA Area

Project Report ordering information at

back).

Introduction

Since 1988, EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL)

has managed a technical support effort

known as the Waste Reduction Evaluations at Federal Sites (WREAFS) Program.

WREAFS was established to provide pollution prevention solutions to environmental issues through research, development

and demonstration of pollution prevention

techniques and technologies, and transferring lessons learned within the federal

community and related private sector industries.

 The United States Postal Service

(USPS), in cooperation with NRMRL’s

WREAFS program is engaged in an effort

to integrate pollution prevention and recycling activities into the waste management

programs at postal facilities. The purpose

of this project was to perform pollution

prevention opportunity assessments

(PPOAs) at Postal Service facilities, recommend implementation strategies, and

develop facility guidance that can be incorporated into a revision of the USPS

Waste Reduction Guide. The project was

funded by the U.S. Postal Service through

an interagency agreement (IAG) with EPA

NRMRL.

This report describes the findings of the

PPOA conducted for six United States

Postal Service Post Offices located in

Bridgeville, Hickory, Houston, McDonald,

Morgan and Washington, PA. The site

Carole O. Bell and Henry Huppert
2

assessments were conducted during the

week of June 12, 1995.

Facility Description

The PPOA Team visited six USPS Post

Offices located southwest of Pittsburgh,

PA. The McDonald, Morgan and Bridgeville

Post Offices are located in Allegheny

County and the Hickory, Houston and

Washington Post Offices are located in

Washington County. Exhibit 1 provides a

summary of relevant information for each

of the six facilities.

Waste Description

Wastes generated by the six different

facilities are summarized in Exhibit 2, along

with current management practices and

pollution prevention opportunities for each

waste. Further details regarding pollution

prevention are provided in the following

section.

Pollution Prevention

Opportunities

The PPOA identified several pollution

prevention opportunities at the sites. Some

of these opportunities simply reduce the

quantity or toxicity of the waste stream,

while others offer economic as well as

environmental benefits. The pollution prevention opportunities identified by the

PPOA are addressed below.

Cardboard

• Encourage suppliers to deliver products in reusable containers and make

cardboard boxes available to customers for reuse.

• Establish corrugated cardboard recycling programs and source-separation

policy.

Paper

• Establish a duplex copying policy for

all multi-page documents; expand and

encourage the use of electronic mail;

limit distribution lists; encourage staff

to proofread on screen.

• Identify and participate in community

recycling programs.

Exhibit 1. Summary of Facilities Assessed

 Facility Hickory Morgan Houston McDonald Bridgeville Washington

Size Sq ft 585 1,836 3,850 5,331 14,439 51,885

USPS Owned or Leased Leased Leased Leased Owned Owned Owned

Employees (Full-time, Part-time) 2 FT, 2 PT 1 FT, 1 PT 10 FT 18 FT, 1 PT 43 FT, 3 PT 135 FT

Deliveries 474 479 2,143 3,435 9,403 17,559

Mail Volume Lin Ft per Week/ 112/320 40/40 300/300 600/400 1500/600 3200/500

Number of Parcels per Week

Number of Vehicles No USPS 1 vehicle from 3 vehicles 7 vehicles 16 vehicles 37 vehicles

Vehicles Bridgeville

Fleet

Avg Electric Cost per Month $42 $100 $100 $85 $678 $2,548

Waste Disposal Cost per Month $11.67 $25 $15 $32 $205.47 $319.30

Size of Container 7 bags 6 cu yd 3 55-gallon 6 cu yd 6 cu yd 8 cu yd

drums

Number of Times Emptied per Week 1 1 1 1 2 3

Typical UBBM* per Week Ln Ft 3 3 10 18 75 84

Gas Cost per Month Paid by $100 to $200 $55 to $289 $270 to $510 $500 to $1430 $180 to

Landlord $1078

Sewer Cost per Month Paid by $10 Paid by $24 $21 $62

Landlord Landlord

Water Cost per month $14 $10 Paid by $30 $59 $121.50

Landlord

*UBBM = Undeliverable Bulk Business Mail
3

• Establish waste hauling contracts that

include recycling services.

Undeliverable Bulk Business

Mail (UBBM)

• Determine whether reduction or recycling is the most cost effective management practice for UBBM.

• Reduce UBBM by expanding its mailing list maintenance service.

• Recycle UBBM to avoid the disposal

costs.

Fluorescent Lighting Tubes

• Establish fluorescent tube recycling

program.

Other Materials

• Consolidate metals and excess equipment. Evaluate potential for repair and

reuse.

• Set up recycling bins for other recyclable materials. Separate metal food

and beverage containers and establish a recycling option for these materials.

• Identify local pallet refurbishers. Collect pallets and consolidate for recycling.

Affirmative Procurement

• Establish preference programs and

adopt specifications for the purchase

of products made with the percentages of recovered materials specified

in USEPA Guidelines.

Vehicle Maintenance

• Enter into written agreements with private service stations, rather than performing maintenance activities onsite

where waste recovery equipment is

absent or minimal. The agreement

should specify compliance with USPS

environmental standards.

Vehicle Washing

• Consider washing vehicles at an

offsite installation that recovers and

reuses wash water.

• Evaluate the toxicity and pH of the

product and the impacts of wastewater discharge to the sanitary sewer.

Grounds Maintenance

• Small quantities of leaves and yard

trimmings can be composted onsite.

The finished compost can be applied

to lawns and shrubs as a soil amendment. Local farms or community compost operations may provide alternative composting sites.

• Leave grass clippings on the lawn.

Exhibit 2. Solid Waste Generation and Pollution Prevention Opportunities

Waste Current Practices Pollution Prevention Opportunities

Paper: computer printout, Discarded as waste Affirmative procurement

white/mixed office Reduce paper use

Reuse, recycle

Paper: UBBM, magazines and Typically discarded, hauled for Reduce incoming quantity

newsprint recycling by larger offices Reuse, recycle

Corrugated cardboard Typically discarded, larger Reduce incoming corrugated

facilities recycle Recover and recycle

Plastic film Discarded as waste Reduce incoming material

Seek recycling option

Plastic strapping Discarded as waste Seek recycling option

Pallets Discarded as waste Reuse, recycle

Products containing 33/50 chemicals Discarded as waste Alternative products

Product exchange

Cleaning supplies Discarded as waste Non- or less- toxic substitutes

Leaves, grass and yard trimmings Discarded as waste Leave grass cuttings on lawn

Compost

Toner cartridges Discarded as waste Remanufacture and reuse

Fluorescent tubes and ballasts Discarded as waste Recycle

Food and beverage containers Discarded as waste Recycle

Obsolete, damaged or defective Discarded or sold as scrap Repair and reuse

 equipment
4

Lighting and Energy

• In accordance with the Energy Policy

Act of 1992 and Executive Order

12902 that require Federal agencies

to reduce energy consumption 20%

by the year 2000 and 30% by the

year 2005, increase the use of motion sensitive lighting; establish a

“Lights Out” policy; obtain technical

assistance from Green Lights Program; and procure computers that

meet Energy Star requirements.

Chemical Storage and

Hazardous Wastes

• Establish a policy to purchase only

what is needed and used within a

reasonable time and adopt a first-in/

first-out policy.

Conclusions and

Recommendations

The Pollution Prevention Opportunity

Assessment report documents the processes performed, wastes generated and

current waste management practices at

six USPS Post Offices southwest of Pittsburgh, PA. The PPOA identified opportunities to reduce both the quantity and toxicity of the wastes generated by this facility and recommended techniques for implementation of those pollution prevention

options.

The full report was submitted in partial

fulfillment of Contract No. 68-C2-0148,

Work Assignment No. 3-10 by Science

Applications International Corporation under the sponsorship of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

United States

Environmental Protection Agency

Center for Environmental Research Information (G-72)

Cincinnati, OH 45268

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use $300

EPA/600/SR-96/114

BULK RATE

POSTAGE & FEES PAID

EPA

PERMIT No. G-35

Carole O.Bell, and Henry Huppert are with Science Applications International Corporation,

Newport, RI 02840

 James S. Bridges and Theresa T. Hoagland are the EPA Project Officers (see below).

The complete report, entitled “Pollution Prevention Assessment U.S. Postal Service Post

Offices, Pittsburgh, PA Area” (Order No. PB97-100051; Cost: $21.50, subject to change)

will be available only from:

National Technical Information Service

5285 Port Royal Road

Springfield, VA 22161

Telephone: 703-487-4650

The EPA Project Officers can be contacted at:

National Risk Management Research Laboratory

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Cincinnati, OH 45268