Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 5, 1992 TAG: 9201010224
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Diane Maceachern
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
MASSACHUSETTS STRIKE FORCE GETS TOUGH WITH POLLUTERS
In most states, stopping environmental crime is a disorganized affair shared by several different agencies and perhaps an attorney general. As a result, many environmental crimes go undetected.All that has changed in Massachusetts. Since May 1989, the Massachusetts Environmental Crime Strike Force has been combining high-tech environmental surveillance with old-fashioned law-enforcement techniques to prosecute individuals and companies for illegal ground-water discharges, hazardous-waste dumping, illegal sewer connections, air pollution and natural-resource damage. Tough jail terms, record fines and a new environmental ethic is the result.
The Strike Force uses resources of all state agencies: technical staff members from the Department of Environmental Protection, full-time prosecutors from the attorney general's office, environmental police officers from the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, metropolitan police officers and, occasionally, civil attorneys from the attorney general's office.
The Strike Force sought and won the largest penalty against any environmental offender in Massachusetts when it successfully prosecuted the Monsanto Co. of St. Louis, Mo., for illegally discharging 200,000 gallons of untreated industrial wastewater into the Mystic River.
The wastewater, which contained acid, leaked over a two-day period from a Monsanto facility in Everett, Mass., through a discharge pipe directly into the river. Following an 11-month investigation, the Strike Force proved that the company waited almost three days to report the incidence to the state Department of Environmental Protection, while claiming that only 5,000 gallons of acid-laden wastewater had been discharged.
Other successful prosecutions DIANE MACEACHERN have cornered a scrap-metal operation charged with illegal disposingof hazardous waste in a wetlands area and a sewage hauler who illegally dumped thousands of gallons of untreated human waste only a few hundred yards from a reservoir.
For further information, write to Anne Kelly, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, One Winter St., Boston, Mass. 02108; or call (617) 556-1000.
\ Enlightening tips
If you're still trying to figure out how to buy the right compact fluorescent light bulb, consult the new mail-order catalog from the Save Energy Co.
A chart in this 23-page booklet describes clearly which fluorescent bulb will fit any lamp or lighting fixture, and matches the size, type and incandescent wattage currently used to the appropriate energy-efficient bulb.
Other catalog items include an electronic programmable thermostat that controls both heating and cooling systems and an "energy buster" to reduce the energy used by your refrigerator, freezer, washer and power tools. A computerized regulator monitors and continually adjusts voltage and current levels to a unit's motor, increasing the motor's efficiency. Simply plug it in to install.
You should also check out the Squeezedriver, a ratchet-powered tool that uses neither batteries nor electricity to drive screws and comes with reversible Phillips and regular screwdriver bits.
The free catalog is available by calling 800-326-2120.
\ Caring for company cars
If you or your company own several vehicles, here are some suggestions from "The Green Commuter" by Joel Makower (National Press Books) about improving fuel efficiency for a fleet of vehicles:
Check the level of octane in the gas you're buying. Don't waste your money on a higher octane gas than necessary.
Keep all vehicles properly maintained to keep them in peak condition. You'll not only get better gas mileage, but longer life out of each vehicle.
Make sure drivers operate their cars properly. They should check tire pressure and oil levels regularly, and drive the speed limit at all times.
When buying or leasing vehicles, try to specify smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles when appropriate.
Use environmentally responsible practices to recycle air-conditioning coolant, antifreeze and motor oil. If you maintain your vehicles at an outside shop, still insist on these practices.
If you operate vehicles on regular delivery routes, consider using a computer program to help map the shortest, most fuel-efficient routes. Check with a business software dealer for the best program.
Investigate use of alternative fuels, such as natural gas and electricity. These are particularly appropriate for vehicles that are driven 75 miles per day or less, particularly within a few miles of your facility.
\ Q: How can I keep my oven clean without using harsh chemicals?
A: Try to clean it after every use. Wipe up spills as soon as oven surfaces are cool enough to touch. The fresher the spilled food is, the easier it will be to clean up.
You can also try pouring salt on fresh spills, then wiping with a damp cloth or sponge.
To remove baked-on and burned food, make a paste of baking soda, water and a little mild soap. Apply when the oven has cooled. After a couple of hours, scrub off gently with a soft plastic scrubber or sponge so you won't damage the oven's finish. Wipe clean with a damp dishrag.
For a stronger alternative, combine 2 tablespoons liquid soap, 2 teaspoons borax and warm water in a sprayer bottle. Spray the oven surface, leave for 20 minutes, and then scrub with a non-chlorine based scouring powder.
\ Send questions about the environment to Tips for Planet Earth, in care of the Washington Post Writers Group, 1150 15th St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20071-9200. Questions of general interest will be answered in the column; individual answers cannot be provided. The Washington Post