Vehicle Maintenance Facilities

Numerous Federal vehicle maintenance facilities have adopted waste prevention practices that minimize risk to human health and the environment.

The USPS now uses retread tires, antifreeze recyclers, and re-refined oil in its vehicle maintenance facilities. More information can be found online at http://www.usps.com/environment/. Click on the link for the USPS Environmental Information Portal, and then scroll down to see the links for several brochures and news items.

The USPS's Pittsburgh Performance Cluster in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania installed a wastewater recycling plant at the vehicle wash facility. Additionally, small spill packs were added to each vehicle to enable small spills to be cleaned up quickly. The cluster has also reduced the use of aerosols by purchasing multi-use alternative chemicals and sure-shot devices. For more information, contact Lawrence Denicola at (412) 359-7770, ldenicola@email.usps.gov.

A burn furnace that uses motor oil drained from vehicles heats the USPS's Huntington Park/Germantown, Pennsylvania, facility. A contractor picks up spent engine coolant, and recycles it off-site, and then resells it to the facility. The facility has a RGF Ultrasorb water treatment and reclamation system located in the wash bay. Ultrasorb is a closed loop, zero discharge system that removes contaminants from the water. The cleaned water is then automatically reused. The facility also uses aqueous parts washers that use either a biodegradable or citrus-based solvent. For more information, contact Elizabeth A. Carter at (215) 895-9330, acarter1@email.usps.gov.

The USPS's Central Florida District Vehicle Maintenance Facility uses recycled engine coolant, motor oil, filters and retread tires in its fleet. The facility also removed all of its underground storage tanks and replaced them with either above ground tanks or on-site fuel contractors. For more information, contact Michael E. King at (407) 333-8497, mking2@email.usps.gov.