New Jersey DEP outsourcing cleanup of toxic sites

TRENTON, NJ — The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has decided to change the way it addresses the cleanup of polluted sites by outsourcing the work to licensed environmental consultants, according to The Press of Atlantic City.

According to the story, the DEP hopes this method, modeled after the system currently in place in Massachusetts, will be more efficient in tackling the thousands of polluted sites than the current system, in which 200 case managers oversee each cleanup individually.

A 1998 audit of the Massachusetts system found that consultants were able to clean up 14 times as many contaminated sites, the story stated.

State Senator Jeff Van Drew said: "There were literally thousands of sites remediated in Massachusetts. Quite frankly, the DEP does not have the staff to do it — nor do I want the state to hire more people. We don’t need to be expanding government. Once the system starts moving, there will be a tremendous number of sites fixed."

So far, 245 consultants have been approved through the very extensive licensing process, and small or medium toxic sites will see the most benefit from this new system, the story added.

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Resort closed for cleaning after illness outbreak

OTTERTAIL, MN — Thumper Pond Resort and Restaurant underwent a voluntary close for deep cleaning after a number of people became ill with what appears to be norovirus, according to the Detroit Lakes Tribune.

According to the story, the resort performed a deep cleaning based on guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) designed to eradicate the virus, including draining and superchlorinating the pool and water park area, cleaning bathrooms and surfaces with products effective against the virus and ensuring no employee returns to work until 72 hours after resolution of symptoms.

The MDH received a number of complaints linked to the facility from December 19 through 31, all reporting flu-like symptoms associated with norovirus, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, the story stated.

Kelly Pilgrim, who became ill after her family visited the water park, said: "Until we know more, I want Thumper Pond have an opportunity to resolve the issue. It very possibly was not even their fault; something they were exposed to from outside."

MDH spokesman Doug Schultz said the facility has been working with the department to make sure the pathogens are out of the facility, the story added.

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OSHA to hold hearings on proposed HCS rule

WASHINGTON — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced they will hold three informal hearings to solicit comments on a proposed rule to align the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) with the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), according to Reliable Plant.

According to the story, the GHS, developed by a number of countries including the U.S., was created to address inconsistencies in hazard communications and to establish a single, universal system to classify chemicals, labels and safety data sheets.

Hearings are scheduled for March 2 in Washington, D.C., March 31 in Pittsburgh and April 13 in Los Angeles, the story stated.

Those interested in attending must provide a notice of intention to appear through the Federal eRulemaking Portal by January 18, the story added.

Study: Nearly half of soda dispensers have coliform bacteria

ROANOKE VALLEY, VA — A small study of 30 machines in the Roanoke Valley area found that almost half the machines had coliform bacteria — a bacteria that may indicate fecal contamination, according to ABC News.

Coliform bacteria are banned from drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the story stated.

According to the story, the study, published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology, also found escherichia coli (E. coli), as well as species of klebsiella, staphylococcus, stenotrophomonas, candida and serratia on the soda machines.

The authors of the study ruled out water contamination and believe the bacteria may have formed inside the machines as a result of restaurant managers not rinsing the plastic tubing within the machine on a regular basis, the story stated.

Renee D. Godard, a co-author of the study, said: "My guess is that most restaurant owners wouldn't have the vaguest idea about how to flush those machines, or that they would even need too."

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School district receives EPA award for IAQ program

KELLER, TX — The operations department of the Keller Independent School District (KISD) announced at a December board meeting that their indoor air quality program has received an award from the Environmental Protection Agency, according to The Keller Citizen.

According to the story, the KISD has been monitoring indoor air quality for the past two years after the program was started by Operations Director Frank DiNella.

Department officials, using handheld monitors, test every classroom in the district on a regular basis as well as inspect schools where students have been sick or have received complaints from teachers or administrators, the story stated.

Dinella said: "Fifty percent of all illnesses are caused or aggravated by indoor air-quality issues."

Dinella also said that the district is planning to train indoor air quality personnel on how to reduce asthma triggers as part of a new asthma management training program, the story added.

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EPA to establish actions for chemicals of concern

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the establishment of a list of four chemicals that raise high environmental and health concerns, as well as actions for these chemicals, according to a press release.

Phthalates, short-chain chlorinated paraffins, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and perfluorinated chemicals — all chemicals used in the manufacturing of a variety of products — all made the list of chemicals that raise concerns, the release stated.

Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said: "We will continue to use our authority under existing law to protect Americans from exposure to harmful chemicals and to highlight chemicals we believe warrant concern."

This is the first time the EPA has used the authority of the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act to list chemicals that may present an unreasonable risk of injury to health and the environment, the release added.

ABM Janitorial Services charged with racial discrimination

MINNEAPOLIS — Charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claim American Building Maintenance (ABM) Janitorial Services used racial discriminatory hiring and pay practices against African Americans and African immigrants, according to Workday Minnesota.

According to the story, employees hired through Emerge Staffing, a non-profit organization that provides mostly African Americans and East African immigrants with training and job placement opportunities, were paid less than their coworkers and kept in temporary status — despite being promised permanent employment.

Keyla Kahl, a janitor for ABM, said: "I have worked full-time for ABM for three months now, and I am paid $2.72 less per hour than my coworkers that were not hired through Emerge."

The charges also claim that an ABM supervisor who made racially discriminatory remarks was not reprimanded after ABM management was notified of the comments, the story stated.

Javier Morillo-Alicea, president of Service Employees International Union Local 26, the union representing ABM workers, said: "ABM cannot pay them less because of who they are or what neighborhood they come from. Equal work deserves equal pay."

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