JUNE 2002 Northern California Chapter, Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers - Newsletter

________________________________________________________________________

NCC-ACHMM June Meeting: Thursday June 27, 2002

Time: 5:00 p.m.

Place: Log Cabin, Presidio, San Francisco, California

Topic: "Environmental Clean-up of Former Military Bases"

Abstract:

Jennifer Hernandez, Esq will speak about her experiences with the environmental clean-up of former military bases. Local government involvement has been increasing. She will also discuss decision-making criteria for clean-up levels. Jennifer L. Hernandez is a partner in the law firm Beveridge & Diamond, LLP, practicing land use and environmental law. Hernandez, co-founder of the Environmental Law Forum, is a Board member of the California League of Conservation Voters and the California Center for Land Recycling.

Dinner: A catered dinner will follow the presentation by Jennifer Hernandez. The cost for dinner is $25.

RSVP Info: Respond to Jennifer Coats, CHMM, NCC-ACHMM Program Chair at JCoats@presidiotrust.gov

Directions: The log cabin (building 1299) is on Storey Road. Lincoln Blvd is the main road through the Presidio. If traveling west, turn left on Storey just past the Highway 1 overpass. If traveling east, turn right on Storey. If traveling south across the Golden Gate Bridge, be in the rightmost toll lane, take an immediate right once you pay your toll, continue to the end of the road which is the intersection with Lincoln, turn left, then an immediate right onto Storey. If traveling northbound on 19th Avenue, continue to LAST San Francisco exit. The "off-ramp" curves around and ends at Lincoln Blvd.; turn right, than an immediate left on Storey.

Wine donations will be gladly accepted for tasting before the dinner :-)

_____________________________________________________________________

A Note from the President

I hope you are all enjoying this fabulous summer weather. For all you CHMMs, please take 15 minutes and complete the survey sent to you by the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers. The national leadership has spent a lot of time preparing the survey and truly desires as much input as possible. They have asked for the surveys to be returned by June 24th.

Once a year, we like to invite an attorney to discuss current events. This meeting often draws the largest crowds. This year, Jennifer Hernandez, Esq. will discuss the increasing role of local governments in military cleanups, among other things. We'll have it at the Presidio Log Cabin on June 27th at 5 p.m., so carpool over and enjoy the views! We can accommodate many. If you like, please bring a bottle of wine to share. See you there!

Robin Spencer, CHMM, REA

_____________________________________________________________________

Opportunity Announcement

We have had some great programs the past 1 ½ years thanks to our NCC-ACHMM Program Chair, Jennifer Coats. Alas, she has notified us that she may be relocating and will have to move out of this role.

As a result, we are looking for a Program Chair to coordinate the last 3 meetings of the year. These meetings are already planned. The Board offers assistance in any way to the Program Chair. This is a leadership position for which re-certification points can be earned. Come join us! Please contact Robin Spencer at 925-254-2917 if you are interested.

_____________________________________________________________________

April Program: Tour of AERC

On April 24, 2002, a group of CHMMs toured AERC in Hayward, California. AERC was a gracious host and gave us a good idea of the Universal Waste recycling business.

AERC is the largest recycler of fluorescent bulbs in Northern California. Their equipment has the capacity to process 10,000 fluorescent bulbs in 8 hours. Bulbs are crushed and metals, glass, phosphor powder, and non-metallic components are separated for recycling at off-site facilities. The mercury-containing phosphor powder is processed at the AERC facility for mercury in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Other waste streams are given to local recyclers.

In addition to recycling light bulbs at their Hayward facility, AERC facilitates battery recycling, other lamp recycling, ballast recycling, and other mercury recycling services. AERC has a program for electronic waste (computers, monitors) where all recycling and disposal is done in the US. For more information on AERC, please contact Frank Cassara, Account Manager at (800) 628-3675.

Just a few other events that might interest you!

Wednesday, June 19, 2002, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. "N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA): A New Contaminant of Concern in Recycled Waters" by Dr. David L. Sedlak, Prof., Civil & Enviro. Engineering, Univ. of Cal., Berkeley, to the Groundwater Resources Association (GRA)/ American Society of Civil Engineers (San Francisco Section). At Peony Restaurant, 388 9th Street, Oakland (510 286-8866) - second floor of the Pacific Renaissance Plaza on 9th Street between Webster and Franklin Streets. 6 p.m. non-host social and registration, 7 p.m. dinner and announcements, 8 p.m. keynote speaker, 8:45 p.m. Q&A. Costs $25 for members, $30 for non-members, $10 for students if registered by June 17, otherwise a $5 surcharge. Bring a non-member and receive a GRAC MUG. Fax reservation to David W. Abbott/Todd Engineers at 510 595-2112 by June 17. See http://www.grac.org.

"NDMA is a potential carcinogen that can be formed when water is disinfected with chlorine. Recent studies conducted in California indicate the presence of as much as 1,000 mg/L in chlorinated wastewater effluent and 20 ng/L in chlorinated surface water. Because the concentrations of NDMA detected in these studies often exceed regulatory action levels, it is necessary to modify treatment systems to prevent NDMA formation or to remove NDMA prior to using the water as a potable supply. To minimize the formation of NDMA, we have attempted to identify the precursors of NDMA formation. Laboratory studies indicate that relatively high concentrations of NDMA are formed when monochloramine (NH2-Cl) reacts with dimethylamine. Analysis of dimethylamine in wastewater effluent and in surface water samples indicates that dimethylamine accounts for a significant fraction of NDMA formed during chlorination of wastewater effluent but not surface waters. Although bacteria can degrade NDMA, it often persists in groundwater. Additional research is needed to assess the fate of NDMA in soil and groundwater."

___________________________________

Tuesday, June 25, 2002, 11:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. "Annual State of the Environmental Union" by Grant Ferrier, Environmental Business International. At Hs Lordship's Restaurant/Conference Center, 1999 Seawall Drive, Berkeley Pier, Berkeley (510 843-27333). See http://www.ncalpema.org

___________________________________

Tuesday, July 30, 2002, 11:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. "Annual Environmental Technology Fair." At Hs Lordship's Restaurant/Conference Center, 1999 Seawall Drive, Berkeley Pier, Berkeley (510 843-27333). See http://www.ncalpema.org.

___________________________________

August 2002, GRA meeting in Oakland - "Assessing Contaminant Susceptibility of Public Water Supply Wells" by Dr. Jean Moran, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. See http://www.grac.org.

___________________________________

California Energy Warning: The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see California's official "Flex Your Power" Web site at www.flexyourpower.ca.gov.

___________________________________

For a copy of the "Spring/Summer 2002 California REA Newsletter," please contact Richard Bailey at RBAILEY@oehha.ca.gov.

________________________________________________________________________

Board of Directors

For more information on the CHMM credential or activities in the Bay Area, contact one of the following Directors from the NCC-ACHMM Chapter. Please see our national webpage at www.achmm.org and our chapter webpage at www.ncc-achmm.org.

Robin Spencer, CHMM, President, rspencerchmm@attbi.com or rspencer@SCHN.COM

Neill Morgan-Butcher, CHMM, Vice President, neill_morgan-butcher@urscorp.com

Georgina Dannatt, CHMM, Treasurer, gdannatt@juno.com

Chris Dembiczak, CHMM, Secretary, Cdembiczak@msn.com

Jennifer Coats, CHMM, Programs, Jcoats@presidiotrust.gov

 

Web Site Manager: John Barnard, CHMM, nexusenv@attbi.com

Distributed by Barney P. Popkin, CHMM at bppopkin@yahoo.com or ncc_achmm@yahoo.com

end