European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 17, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Arjang v/i5 a amps Marc Mcfann staff sgt. John Daly left explains what is done with hazardous liquid drained from an aircraft Heater he is repairing to instructor capt. Michael Van Valkenburg Center and workshop participant tech. Sgt Paul Sherman. Airmen gel the word on cutting pollution by Nancy Horner us. Bureau t Here will be less pollution causing waste at military bases in Europe if a special workshop at Raf Mildenhall England accomplishes its goal. The workshop conducted late last month by a Safe was attended by 65 service members from Raf Mildenhall Raf Lakenheath Raf Alconbury and Raf Fairford who in turn Are to teach the pollution abating techniques they Learned to others. The same workshop was held recently at Ramstein a Germany. Quot we want people to become More aware of the air Force s pollution prevention program and How they can apply it in their everyday workplace Quot said capt. Mike Van Valkenburg one of the workshop instructors from die pollution prevention directorate he air Force Center for environmental excellence Brooks fab Texas. The air Force has set five pollution reduction goals to be met by 1999, Van Valkenburg said. The workshops Are intended to help bases meet these goals. Quot bases have done a lot to implement the easily obtainable pollution prevention opportunities especially Back in the states Quot Van Valkenburg said. Quot but we re going to have to be More and More creative in bringing pollution prevention into our work  less obvious pollution control methods now must be sought including better efficiency Van Valkenburg said. For instance some paints must be mixed for a particular Job and the excess cannot be stored. By carefully measuring the amount of paint that will be required and by combining All jobs from different units that require the same paint pollutants can be reduced he said. Workshop participants Are taught to watch for similar opportunities. A a workshop participants were selected from work areas that tend to generate a we be going to have to be More and More creative in bringing pollution prevention into our work areas a a capt. Mike Van Valkenburg workshop instructor waste products such As maintenance transportation and civil engineering units said capt. Joseph Hotovec maintenance supervisor with the 100th Maint so at Raf Mildenhall. Quot if we Don t generate it waste we Don t have to reduce it Quot Hotovec said. Quot what they re workshop participants learning is How to go Back look at what they re doing on the Job and ask questions about it with the intent of preventing pollution. The class teaches them different things to look  participants Are introduced to a wide Range of topics during the workshop such As the Impact pollution has on the environment the identification of hazardous materials recycling and waste management and disposal Van Valkenburg said. Participants also visit various work stations to learn firsthand How to identify waste that could be eliminated thereby reducing pollution. Quot a pollution prevention program is any method or technique that reduces the use of hazardous materials and generates As Little hazardous waste As possible Quot Van Valkenburg said. Quot it s a source reduction  for instance military forces once used methylene Chloride a hazardous material to strip paint from aircraft Van Valkenburg said. This waste has been Cut drastically by sandblasting instead he said. Also Many cleaning and decreasing agents that contained solvents have been replaced with water based substances he said. Quot i be Learned a tremendous amount Quot said tech sgt. Paul a. Sherman with the 48th trans so at Raf Lakenheath who participated in the workshop. Quot the assessment portion of it is going to be a big  a Sherman said he would be going Back to his Section to look for environmentally Safe products that could be purchased to replace any pollution causing products currently in use. He said he also would assess what changes could be made to Cut waste and ultimately save Money. Master sgt. Lawrence Ozimek who also attended the workshop said that although the session took participants away from their work centers for nearly four Days Thuc time was Well spent. Quot Well become the educators in our units Quot said Ozimek who is Wilb the 351st air refuelling so at Raf Mildenhall. Quot they Are teaching us a Good analytical  closer look air Force aiming for cleaner bases by 99 the . Air Force has five goals for reducing pollution at military bases that Are to be reached Between the end of 1996 and the end of 1999. The base lines for most of the pollution reduction goals were measured in 1992, said capt. Mike Van Valkenburg a Bio environmental Engineer with the pollution prevention directorate he air Force Center for environmental excellence Brooks fab Texas. Unless stated otherwise the following pollution reduction goals Are based on a 1992 Baseline a a 50 percent reduction by the end of 1996 in the use of 17 toxic chemicals that have been identified by the . Environmental Protection Agency. These chemicals include such things As benzine and components containing chromium. I a a 25 percent reduction by the end of 1996 and a 50 percent reduction by the end of 1999 of hazardous waste. This waste includes flammable corrosive toxic or reactive materials. A a 50 percent reduction by the end of 1999 in the use of chemicals that fall under the . Emergency planning and Community right to know act this act requires that local authorities be notified when emissions from certain chemicals such As de greasers and those from painting operations exceed limits specified in the act. The base line for reducing this Type of pollution was measured this year. A a 30 percent reduction by the end of 1996 and a 50 percent reduction by the end of 1997 in municipal solid waste or trash. A continual improvement in obtaining and using products that contain elements that already have been recycled. As part of a workshop conducted recently by Van Valkenburg participants were taught How to assess the environmental and health benefits of changing a current practice in relation to the Cost involved he said. This can be helpful in promoting pollution prevention programs. Participants also Learned How to budget for these projects. A Nancy l Tomer a amps Marc Mcfann capt. Michael Van Valkenburg right conducts an exercise with tech. Sgt. Paul Sherman. Monday october 17,1994 the stars and stripes he 15