AJ`s Auto Repair Receives National Small Business Pollution Prevention Award

The Salem business is recognized for pollution prevention excellence.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM) - AJ`s Auto Repair, a Salem area auto service and repair business was the recipient of a national award for its environmental leadership in pollution prevention.

Owner Robert Anderson accepted the second Annual Environmental Leadership Award during the 13th Annual Small Business Ombudsman/Small Business Assistance Programs National Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.

The award was presented by the National Steering Committee for the Clean Air Act`s Small Business Assistance Programs, the National Compliance Advisory Panel, and the US Environmental Protection Agency Office of the Ombudsman.

DEQ staff, along with local government counterparts worked to certify AJ`s as an "Eco-Logical Business".

AJ`s has been recognized as an Eco-Logical Business since 2002.

Eco-Logical Business is the first multi-media (air, water, hazardous and solid waste) program of its kind in the nation.

The program is administered by a multi-agency cooperative group working toward a cleaner environment. Members include the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Northwest Automotive Trades Association, Clean Water Services and various city and county governments.

Among the practices employed by AJ`s to protect the environment and human health:

• Replaced over 2,500 mercury convenience switches with a non-toxic ball bearing alternative at no charge to their customers;
• Parts washing is done with a water-based parts washer using a biodegradable detergent. The parts washer evaporates the water and separates out excess oil to be used in one of three used-oil furnaces;
• A "bird bath" brake washer, reducing asbestos exposure and eliminating the use of chlorinated solvent brake spray cans;
• Recycle everything from scrap metal, engine parts, automotive plastics, paper, etc.;
• Recycle used antifreeze in-house and burn used-oil for heating their shop;
• Constructed an innovative floor and berm secondary containment system to prevent spills of hazardous products from reaching the environment;
• Locate refrigerant leaks using dry nitrogen gas instead of Freon.
• Developed alternatives to hazardous materials by using common products in innovative ways: vegetable spray is used as a lubricant and Milk of Magnesia is used as an anti-seizing compound.

AJ`s follows a Spill Prevention Plan that includes:

• Removing all unnecessary hazardous materials and wastes from the facility as soon as it is practical;
• Purchasing non-toxic or the least toxic chemicals needed for the job;
• Providing regular spill prevention training to staff;
• Locating spill kits near places in the shop where accidental spills might occur;
• Providing secondary containment for drums containing hazardous product; and
• Labeling and tracking all hazardous wastes generated by the facility.