Pollution Prevention
Sustainability is ensuring the land used is maintained in an environmentally sound fashion so that it can remain in use for Soldier training far into the future.
The Massachusetts Army National Guard at Camp Edwards works to ensure their training activity is not harming the environment. Soldiers who train at Camp Edwards are careful to:
- Prevent hazardous materials or hazardous waste, including gasoline and oil, from entering the environment
- Properly store materials to prevent spills and if a spill does occur, to prevent it from spreading
- Properly label materials
The compliance program at Camp Edwards manages the Pollution Prevention Program, which includes hazardous materials disposal and waste minimization and recycling programs
Soldiers are taught how to minimize their hazardous materials use and disposal at Camp Edwards:
- Reuse: Many rags are used in vehicle and equipment maintenance shops at Camp Edwards. Instead of throwing out the rags which are full of oil, they are sent to a company that removes the oil and cleans the rags for reuse
- Reduce: Instead of using toxic solvents to clean oil from air craft and vehicle parts at Camp Edwards an Aqueous Cleaner is used. Hot steam cleans the parts, which reduces the use of solvents that can be harmful to the environment
- Recycle: Engine oil and a fuel called JP-8 are recycled