Page 5
Recyclers News Press
I am back out on the road conducting I-CARE audits. I
enjoy that aspect of my work so much it hardly seems
like work at all. Not only to I get to see all the wonder
that is Iowa but I get to reconnect with the Iowa Auto
Recycler members when I’m not constantly being
pulled in different directions as is often the case when
I see you at the Summer Outing. Plus I had not been
on the road as much in the last year or so due to my
health issues that I hope are now resolved and I am
on the mends as they say. So be ready because we
all know what a tornado affect I can have when I’m
feeling good!
What joy there is to see the I-CARE Program continue
to work. The sharing of information between the audi-
tor and the facility managers and owners make the
program what it is, what it has become and what it will
be in the future. Many of our members are at different
phases of implementation in the I-CARE program. We
passed so many hurdles in the past few years such
as getting all members to implement their storm water
permits, conduct NMVTIS reporting and turn in those
mercury switches that I often forget to brag about our
overall level of compliance as a group.
One opportunity presented itself recently that re-
minded me that we have not gone un-noticed. The
Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) asked
one of out stellar members to host a training program
at their facility after the DNR Field Officer had found
such a great example of compliance at their site.
So on that hot and humid day we proceeded to walk
through the facility and have a very open and comfort-
able dialog with our regulatory agency. To my great
surprise they were familiar with the I-CARE program
and complimented us on the voluntary implementa-
tion. Which of course is both a
kudo
and a bit humor-
ous since the program is entirely made of regulatory
requirements it is hardly voluntary.
I think perhaps it is better to say that the organization
of the program is the voluntary aspect but the rules
contained within are, in fact, requirements by Iowa
DNR such as storm water permitting, EPA for hazard-
ous waste management, OSHA for safety compliance
and DOT for licensing.
The organization of the I-CARE Program does lead to
organization in the shop. Take the two fundamentally
different aspects of safety and environmental.
I have had several of our members and my Safety
Subscribers say that adding a monthly safety training
meetings to their repertoire has grounded them to
sticking to regularly scheduled meetings which are
necessary for their safety program but they get bene-
fits in team building and communication too especially
in those smaller shops that often feel silly conducting
formal meetings just to facilitate discussion.
The environmental aspect of I-CARE has an even
broader reaching affect. The initial site visit usually
starts in the shop or the yard to really set the stage
for what level of compliance we have to begin with.
In this initial walk through I usually start with discuss-
ing the staging of newly acquired vehicles. These ve-
hicles should be inspected upon arrival. Next the vehi-
cle gets inventoried and fluids get evacuated. That is
to say that is the norm. It is at this point that the or-
ganization of the I-CARE environmental standards
can help to facilitate both compliance and tracking
which is, of course, organization at it’s core.
Continued on next page...
From the Desk of the Executive Director
Sue Speaking
