News and Insights
Page 6

Environmental regulators have created a new category of soil called “Impacted Soil” to more consistently manage soils that have contamination below notification thresholds but above background levels. Regulators have long wrestled with the problem of enforcing anti-degradation rules for soil that does not trigger management under a state’s waste site cleanup program with the creation of “Impacted...

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Maureen & Stephen Sakakeeny, principals, were recognized by the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Boston Post as the recipients of the prestigious 2014 S. Peter Volpe Award.  This annual achievement award honors a SAME member whose support and loyalty to the SAME Boston Post has been without fail.  It signifies all that the SAME Boston Post and...

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Soils management and disposal has been a constant headache during construction projects all over Massachusetts. This always leads to the question of: Why? In order to answer this question, it is worth looking at these issues from the landfill’s point of view. There are several competing factors that landfill operators face in order to operate their business. The availability...

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Construction soils management continues to be an important discussion topic among contractors, consultants, and even the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). With the limited amount of disposal locations in Massachusetts, finding proper locations for soils has become a significant issue during many construction projects. In order to resolve some of these issues, MassDEP issued a “Similar Soils Policy&rdquo...

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In November 2013, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) proposed changes to their air pollution control rules governing asbestos.  Significant changes include the explicit requirement for building owners/operators to inspect for asbestos prior to demolition, renovation or other disturbance.  An expanded definition of “friable” material incorporates material that is crumbled, shattered, pulverized or reduced to powder...

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Massachusetts’ own version of process safety management, 527 CMR 33, continues with first year implementation filing deadlines for manufacturing operations that “involves or produces a hazardous material”.  Five (5) permit categories have been established with Category 5 users involving or processing the greatest quantity of hazardous materials and Category 1 the least (i.e. vessels equal to...

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The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) is an international approach to hazard communication, providing agreed criteria for classification of chemical hazards, and a standardized approach to label elements and safety data sheets (SDS).  OSHA has modified the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to adopt the GHS and as such employers that are currently subject to HazCom rules must comply with GHS...

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In February 2014, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) promulgated significant amendments to the Department’s solid waste regulations 310 CMR 19.000 that include the addition of commercial organic waste as a “waste ban” material, and lowering of thresholds to existing banned materials such as paper, plastic, glass, and metal.  Commercial organic material means food material...

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SAK Environmental LLC was recently admitted to the National Association of Environmental Managers. NAEM is the largest professional trade association of corporate EH&S Managers. Membership was no easy task and required sponsorship, interviews, and board approval.  Learn about NAEM....

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SAK Environmental received approval for a Massachusetts Brownfields Generic Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) by US EPA Region 1. This Generic QAPP was developed in accordance with US EPA guidance documents to provide a framework to Brownfield assessments and cleanup within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  The purpose of the QAPP is to establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for sampling...

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