Evaluation of Best Management Practices at Army Motor Pools To Control Small Spills

(DOD) pollution-prevention procedures require cleanup of spills of any size or volume. Army vehicle maintenance shops typically use drip pans and absorbing materials, mostly clay-based compounds, to clean up spills. The use of absorbents (sorbents) to clean spills is the preferred alternative by DOD and Army installations. The U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) conducted this study to evaluate and summarize the properties of the many commercially available absorbing materials. This study concludes that no single solution exists to control oil drips and clean up small oil spills at Army motor pools. Most installations require a combination of drip pans, sorption pads, and sorbing loose material. The study further found that: 1. While election of sorbents is specific to installation and application, in general, cellulose products are the best choice, followed by synthetic products. 2. Disposal of the saturated sorbents is a critical factor in selecting sorbents. Regulatory requirements and cost are key elements in deciding disposal procedures. 3. Training is required for all Army staff on characteristics of different products and their applications to avoid wrong applications that may result in environmental problems