N.1 Environmental Management References
N.2 Environmental Management

N.1 Environmental Management References

The latest edition of all references (i.e., regulations, executive orders, standards, manual issuances, and guidelines) shall be used. The following list is not inclusive. The Project Officer and architect/engineer (A/E) are responsible for complying with all current applicable environmental regulations.

N.1.1 Federal Regulations:

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

• 40 CFR Parts 260 through 268: Definition, identification, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes
• 40 CFR Parts 280 through 282: Underground storage tanks

Clean Water Act

• 40 CFR Part 112: Spill prevention control and countermeasure plan
• 40 CFR Part 122: Permit requirements
• 40 CFR Part 125: NPDES criteria and standards
• 40 CFR Part 131: Water quality standards

Toxic Substances Control Act

• 40 CFR Part 761: PCB use

Clean Air Act

• 40 CFR Part 61: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants

Hazardous Materials Transportation Act

• 49 CFR Parts 171 through 180: Rules, transportation, and packaging of hazardous materials

Worker Safety Requirements

• 29 CFR Part 1910.120: Hazardous waste operations and emergency response

Safe Drinking Water Act

• 40 CFR Parts 141 through 143: Drinking water standards and National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

• 40 CFR Parts 1500 through 1508: Implementation procedures

N.1.2 State of Maryland Regulations:

• Maryland Solid Waste Regulations COMAR 26.04.07
• Maryland Hazardous Waste Regulations COMAR 26.13
• Maryland Hazardous Waste Facilities Siting Regulations COMAR 14.14
• Maryland Underground Storage Tank Regulations COMAR 26.10.02
• Maryland Water Pollution Control Regulations COMAR 26.08
• Maryland Stormwater Management Regulations COMAR 26.09.02
• Maryland Drinking Water Regulations COMAR 26.04.01
• Maryland Oil Pollution Control Regulations COMAR 26.10.01
• Maryland Pretreatment Regulations COMAR 26.08.08
• Maryland Air Pollution Control Regulations COMAR 26.11

N.1.3 Industry Standards:

• American Petroleum Institute, various standards regarding design, installation, and maintenance of above-ground storage tanks
• Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), Industrial Users Compliance Requirements

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N.2 Environmental Management

This section describes the general requirements and specific goals for managing environmental issues on the NIH campus. Issues addressed in this section include:

• Hazardous materials storage and handling
• Hazardous waste storage and handling
• Bulk storage facilities
• Wastewater discharges
• Solid waste management and recycling

Attention to environmental management issues and proper waste handling is a key portion of the NIH's overall goals of ensuring the health and well-being of NIH employees, visitors, and neighbors and maintaining the NIH campus atmosphere.

N.2.1 Background: These guidelines regarding environmental management on the NIH campus encompass the current Federal and State of Maryland regulations regarding environmental management issues. They also include the requirements of local governments and agencies such as the WSSC and Montgomery County, Maryland. Federal laws applicable to environmental management on the NIH campus include:

• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
• Clean Water Act
• Toxic Substances Control Act
• Clean Air Act
• Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
• Worker Safety Requirements
• Safe Drinking Water Act
• National Environmental Policy Act

Certain environmental issues have been purposely excluded from this section of the Guidelines because they are fully addressed in General Design Guidelines, Section: Site/Civil. These issues include stormwater management and sediment control, erosion control, wetlands and use of fertilizers, and pesticides in landscaping and grounds-keeping. It is the goal of the NIH to fully comply with all Federal and State requirements in these areas.

All projects that result in any ground disturbance shall prepare a sediment and erosion control drawing in compliance with the requirements in General Design Guidelines, Section: Site/Civil.

N.2.1.1 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA applies to all projects regardless of size. This is a joint process between the Project Officer, the Division of Environmental Protection and the Division of Facilities Planning to determine the appropriate action. Based on a preliminary project description (scope), it may be possible to determine that no further action is necessary. Possible further actions include categorical exclusion, development of an Environmental Assessment, or an Environmental Impact Statement. A flowchart of the NEPA process has been prepared and is maintained by the Division of Environmental Protection.

N.2.2 General: All NIH facilities shall be designed to minimize the use of hazardous substances. Alternative nonhazardous or nontoxic materials are preferred in all new construction and renovations. The A/E should develop a plan for eliminating the use of hazardous substances. Where hazardous substance use is unavoidable, the A/E shall demonstrate that alternate nonhazardous substances are either not available, inferior to the hazardous substance, or cost prohibitive. Examples of hazardous substances that should be avoided include, but are not limited to, oil- based paints and caulks; hazardous cleaning, surface preparation, and paint-stripping solvents; and petroleum-based contact adhesives.

In general, most new construction will result in the release (off-gassing) of odors that can affect occupant comfort. If hazardous substances are avoided in the construction, these odors will generally be nonhazardous; however, they can still have a detrimental effect on indoor air quality. Examples of nonhazardous substances that can affect indoor air quality include systems furniture, carpets, and latex paints.

New facilities should be allowed to off-gas prior to occupancy. Ventilation systems on new construction shall be operated for at least 1 month before the building is occupied. For renovations, where it is not feasible to isolate NIH employees from the off-gassing, materials that will off-gas and affect indoor air quality should be allowed to air out and off-gas in a warehouse or well-ventilated, unoccupied area before they are installed.

Insecticidal dusts, such as boric acid, shall not be applied in wall cavities and voids and/or chase areas as part of the facility construction or renovation.

N.2.3 Hazardous Substances Receiving, Storage, and Staging Areas and General Handling:

N.2.3.1 Receiving Areas: Hazardous substances used at the NIH fall into two categories. They are either substances used in the facility directly by the research activity or substances used in support of the facility. An example of the hazardous substances used directly by the research activity would be laboratory chemicals used to perform analyses. An example of the hazardous substances used in support of the research facility would be chemicals used for washing glassware, cagewashing, or neutralizing wastewater discharges.

Hazardous substances that will be used in a laboratory are delivered directly to the end-user laboratory from the loading dock. Staging and temporary storage areas will therefore not be required in the receiving area for these materials.

Materials that will be used in support of a facility must be placed in a hazardous-substance storage area. In general, these materials are received in 220 L drums or larger. Storage capability shall exist for up to 10 drums. Some neutralization chemicals may be stored in bulk containers up to 1 600 L.

Each building utilizing these hazardous substances shall be designed with a receiving and storage area. This area shall be located at or near the point of use of the materials and will be used for long-term storage of hazardous materials.

N.2.3.2 Storage and Staging Areas: Hazardous-substance storage areas shall be out of the normal flow of personnel traffic. There should be convenient access from the storage area to the freight elevator and/or the loading dock without having to use heavily traveled corridors.

The storage and staging area shall be large enough to store the hazardous sub-stances and provide room for loading and unloading the drums or containers. If multiple substances will be stored, the design shall allow incompatible materials to remain segregated while in storage.

The storage area shall be designed to contain any spills of hazardous substances that may occur as a result of handling. Spill containment may be accomplished with a curb around the area, secondary containment bins, shelving designed to contain spills, or a combination thereof. Any curb used for containment spills shall be designed to allow convenient ingress/egress using a drum trolley.

A chemical-resistant coating shall be applied to the walls and floor in this area to facilitate the cleanup of spills. These areas shall be thoroughly caulked and sealed to minimize pest harborage and exclude pests.

Safety equipment shall be provided for each storage and staging area. The safety equipment shall consist of an emergency eyewash and an emergency shower. Special consideration must be given to this area in the fire protection design if flammable materials will be stored.

N.2.4 Hazardous Waste Storage and Handling at On-Campus Buildings: Laboratory and animal facility buildings on the NIH campus shall be designed with a room for temporary storage of hazardous waste and radioactive wastes. Mixed waste (hazardous waste that is also radioactive) shall be treated as radioactive waste in this temporary storage area. Hazardous waste is generally stored in this room for several hours, although it may be stored overnight.

The design of the radioactive waste room is discussed in Biomedical Research Laboratories, Section: Design Criteria.

N.2.4.1 Location: The storage room shall be located near the loading dock for easy access to the trucks that will be used to transport the waste to Building 21 for processing. Personnel shall be prohibited from processing any of the hazardous wastes, such as bulking or lab packing, in this storage room.

There shall be convenient access from the storage room to the freight elevator without having to traverse heavily used corridors. This will allow the contractor collecting the waste to bring the waste down from the laboratories to the storage room while minimizing the risks to the building occupants.

N.2.4.2 Layout and Size: The room shall consist of two individual sections: one for hazardous waste and one for radioactive waste. The storage room shall be large enough to provide for temporary storage of the hazardous waste and radioactive waste and for storage of specialized carts to transport the hazardous waste from the laboratories. The hazardous waste storage section shall be at least 2.5 by 3.5 m. The radioactive waste storage segment shall be at least 0.75 by 1.5 m. Facilities that generate larger amounts of hazardous or radioactive waste will need larger spaces.

N.2.4.3 Storage Cabinets: There shall be at least three, 2 m-high storage cabinets in each room to provide segregated storage of incompatible materials. There shall be sufficient open floor space in the storage room to accommodate one 1 m-long waste cart while allowing a person to access the storage cabinets and shelving.

N.2.4.4 Spill Containment: The storage room shall be designed to contain any spills of hazardous waste that may occur as a result of handling or mishandling the waste materials. The waste materials will normally be transported using specialized carts that will provide spill containment. The A/E may propose alternative means for spill containment within the storage room. Options may include a spill-containment curb around the room and shelving or bins designed to contain spilled materials. Any curb used for containment spills shall be designed to allow convenient ingress/egress using a drum trolley.

N.2.4.5 Floors and Walls: A chemical-resistant coating shall be applied to the walls and floor in this area to facilitate cleanup of spills.

N.2.4.6 Ventilation System: A separate ventilation system shall be installed for the storage room. Exhaust shall be directed away from the building and surrounding buildings’ air intake. This ventilation system shall be connected to the building's emergency power system.

N.2.4.7 Lighting: Standard illumination requirements exist for this room.

N.2.4.8 Fire Protection: The room shall be designed to fire protection Hazard Group 2.

N.2.4.9 Safety Equipment: Safety equipment shall be provided for each storage room. The safety equipment shall consist of an emergency eyewash and an emergency shower. A telephone to be used to contact emergency response personnel shall be located either in the room or within 10 m of the room.

N.2.4.10 Design Review and Approval: The NIH Division of Safety shall review all designs for hazardous waste storage rooms and will provide the final approval of the design. The Project Officer shall coordinate this review and approval.

N.2.5 Hazardous Substances Storage and Handling Within Laboratories on the NIH Campus:

N.2.5.1 Laboratory Modules: All laboratory modules shall be designed for the safe storage of hazardous substances while discouraging the storage of excessive amounts of hazardous substances. The designer should consider the function of the laboratory and the potential use of hazardous substances to fulfill this function.

All laboratories shall contain an approved flammable materials storage cabinet. The size of this cabinet shall be based on the volume of flammable materials used in the laboratory. The location of the storage cabinet shall be standardized in the laboratories to assist emergency response personnel. It is recommended that this storage area be located near the laboratory door for convenient access by the technician collecting the hazardous waste. For laboratory modules with a service corridor, it is recommended that this storage area be located near the service entrance rather than the hall entrance. This will avoid the need for moving hazardous waste through the main corridors of the laboratory building. Flammable materials substance storage cabinets should be placed to allow the cabinet to be ventilated, if needed. Ideally, this would place the cabinets near the fume hood.

An additional storage area for nonflammable hazardous substances shall also be provided. This storage area shall have at least two physically separated sections to allow segregation of incompatible materials. Each section of the storage area shall be designed to contain a spill of at least 1 gallon of liquid. The configuration of the storage area shall be designed to facilitate spill cleanup. Interior surfaces of the storage area shall be cleanable, corrosion resistant, and nonreactive.

N.2.6 Hazardous Waste Storage and Handling at Off-Campus Buildings: Laboratory buildings located in Montgomery County, Maryland, but not located on the NIH campus shall be designed with two rooms for storing hazardous waste and radioactive waste. Mixed waste (hazardous waste that is also radioactive) shall be treated as radioactive waste. Hazardous waste may be stored in these rooms for up to 90 days, although 60 days is more typical.

N.2.6.1 Location: The storage room shall be located near the loading dock for easy access to the trucks that will be used to transport the waste to the NIH campus for additional processing. Since this waste will be transported over public roads, the room shall be used to prepare the hazardous waste for shipment. Processing conducted in this room includes bulking waste into larger containers, lab packing individual waste containers, and labeling and manifesting the containers for shipment.

There shall be convenient access from the storage room to the freight elevator without having to traverse heavily used corridors. Given the fact that these laboratories are typically leased space, it may be difficult to meet these criteria. If this is the case, consideration shall be given to alternate uses of this leased space that will not generate hazardous wastes.

N.2.6.2 Layout and Size: The storage room shall be divided into two parts. The first part shall be large enough to provide for temporary storage of the hazardous waste as it is received from the laboratories and after it has been packed for shipment. The second part shall be used for bulking and packaging the waste. Space must also be provided for preparing manifests and other documentation. This may be provided in the storage area or in an additional space outside the room. Sufficient space must also be provided for storing specialized carts used to transport the hazardous waste from the laboratories.

N.2.6.3 Spill Containment: Both parts of the storage room shall be designed to contain any spills of hazardous waste that may occur as a result of handling or mishandling the waste materials. Spill containment in the bulking and packaging area may be accomplished with a curb around the area, secondary containment bins, or a combination thereof. Spill containment in the storage area may be accomplished with a curb around the area, secondary containment bins, shelving designed to contain spills, or a combination thereof. Any curb used for containment spills shall be designed to allow convenient ingress/egress using a drum trolley.

N.2.6.4 Floors and Walls: A chemical-resistant coating shall be applied to the walls and floor in this area to facilitate cleanup of spills. These areas shall be thoroughly caulked and sealed to minimize pest harborage and exclude pests.

N.2.6.5 Ventilation System: A separate ventilation system shall be installed for the storage room. Exhaust shall be directed away from the building and surrounding buildings’ air intakes. This ventilation system shall be connected to the building’s emergency power system. The ventilation system shall be sparkproof. The ventila-tion system shall be designed to allow easy access for routine or emergency maintenance from outside the containment area.

N.2.6.6 Safety Equipment: Safety equipment shall be provided for each storage room. This safety equipment shall consist of an emergency eyewash and an emergency shower. A telephone to be used to contact emergency response personnel shall be located either in the room or within 10 m of the room.

N.2.6.7 Fume Hood: A walk-in fume hood is necessary in the bulking and packaging area, where exposure to harmful fumes is possible.

N.2.6.8 Explosion-Proof Design: An explosion panel designed to dissipate the impact of an explosion is required in the storage room.

N.2.6.9 Lighting: Explosion-proof lighting shall be provided in both areas.

N.2.6.10 Fire Rating: Walls of the storage room shall have a 2 hour fire rating.

N.2.6.11 Design Review and Approval: The NIH Division of Safety shall review all designs for hazardous waste storage rooms and will provide final approval of the design. The Project Officer shall coordinate this review and approval.

N.2.7 Hazardous Substances Storage and Handling Within Laboratories Not on the NIH Campus:

N.2.7.1 Modules: All laboratory modules shall be designed for the safe storage of hazardous waste generated by laboratory activities. The volume of hazardous waste generated by a laboratory is a function of the type of work being performed in the laboratory. The A/E should consider the function of the laboratory to determine the space necessary for hazardous waste storage. At a minimum, a 0.75 by 0.75 m area will be required.

The A/E must also recognize that some types of hazardous waste may be incompatible and shall design the hazardous waste storage area to accommodate multiple containers. The A/E should investigate the possibility of stacked containers that will provide sufficient storage space while minimizing the footprint in the laboratory. Each storage container shall be designed to provide secondary containment of hazardous wastes.

The location of the hazardous waste storage area in the laboratories shall be standardized to assist emergency response personnel. It is recommended that this storage area be located near the laboratory door for convenient access by the technician collecting the hazardous waste. For laboratory modules with a service corridor, it is recommended that this storage area be located near the service entrance rather than the hall entrance. This will avoid the need for moving hazardous waste through the main corridors of the laboratory building.

The hazardous waste storage area shall have at least two distinct segments to allow segregation of incompatible materials. Some laboratories may require three segments depending on the types of hazardous waste that will be generated. Each segment of the storage area shall be designed to contain a spill of at least 4 L of hazardous waste. The configuration of the storage area shall be designed to facilitate spill cleanup. Interior surfaces of the storage area shall be cleanable, corrosion resistant, and nonreactive.

N.2.8 Bulk Storage Facilities:

N.2.8.1 Above-Ground Storage Tanks: Wherever possible, the A/E should consider the use of clean-burning fuels such as natural gas or liquid propane. If storage of these fuels is required (for example, a day tank to ensure uninterrupted availability of fuel), it shall be in above-ground storage tanks installed in accordance with State of Maryland and Montgomery County, Maryland, requirements.

All above-ground storage tanks shall be double walled, be provided with secondary spill containment, and meet the requirements of the American Petroleum Institute and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The tanks shall also be consistent with the NIH Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures plan.

Design considerations regarding above-ground storage tanks include the location of the tanks to provide access for delivery trucks. At the same time, the tanks shall be sufficiently isolated and protected from traffic flow to minimize the risk of accident. The tanks shall also be placed in a location to minimize the aesthetic impact of the tank on the surroundings. This would include the use of berms and landscaping to block the view of the tanks.

N.2.8.2 Spill Control: All bulk storage facilities and above-ground storage tanks shall be equipped with secondary containment to prevent discharge of the material in the event of a spill or a leak. For single storage tanks, the secondary containment shall be large enough to contain the volume of the tank and rainfall from a 10 year, 24 hour storm. For multiple storage tanks, the secondary containment shall be large enough to contain the volume of the largest tank and rainfall from a 10 year, 24 hour storm.

Materials used to provide the secondary containment shall be impervious to the substance contained in the storage tank. The containments shall be equipped with a normally closed valve to prevent accidental discharge of the substance from the containment. This valve can be manually opened to discharge accumulated rainwater after it has been determined that the water is not contaminated.

Other potential spill areas for hazardous substances on the campus are loading docks. Spills can occur at the loading docks during the loading and unloading of hazardous substances or hazardous wastes.

Loading docks shall be designed to contain spills of hazardous substances and minimize the contamination of stormwater runoff. One option to accomplish this objective consists of a loading dock with a grate drain at the base that would accumulate any spilled substances. This drain would be equipped with a normally closed valve to prevent accidental discharge of spilled substances. Uncontaminated runoff would be diverted from this drain by a second grate drain and a small berm. An overhang would divert direct rainfall from the base of the loading dock to the uncontaminated runoff drain. The designer may propose alternative designs that meet this objective.

Control of stormwater runoff and water quality around the NIH campus is discussed in General Design Guidelines, Section: Site/Civil. To ensure proper water quality, all drainage systems that collect runoff from the parking areas shall be equipped with oil/water separators.

N.2.9 Wastewater:

N.2.9.1 Wastewater Discharge: Only uncontaminated stormwater runoff shall be discharged from the NIH campus to the receiving stream. All wastewaters generated on the NIH campus shall be discharged to the sanitary sewer. Wastewaters generated on the NIH campus include domestic sewage from the lavatory facilities, nonhazardous waste discharged from laboratory or research area sinks, waters used for cagewashing and animal care, waters used in cafeteria operations, and all floor drains.

N.2.9.2 Wastewater Sampling: The NIH campus is connected to the WSSC sanitary sewer system. The NIH is permitted to discharge wastewater to the WSSC system through a Discharge Authorization Permit. Under the terms of this permit, the NIH must sample its wastewater four times every 6 months and submit an Industrial User Effluent Compliance Permit report to WSSC twice per year.

The wastewater sampling is conducted at two locations where NIH sewers connect to the WSSC system. However, for new laboratory and animal facility construction, the sanitary system shall be designed to allow for sampling at the discharge point from the individual building. This will allow for testing and troubleshooting individual building wastewater streams.

The sampling point shall be designed to allow for installation of a continuous pH monitor, installation of a programmable sampler, and personnel access for grab sampling. Cagewashing facilities shall be provided with a continuous pH monitor and recorder.

N.2.9.3 Wastewater Treatment: Since the NIH utilizes the WSSC system, it is normally not necessary to perform wastewater treatment on campus. However, it may be necessary to provide neutralization and equalization of wastewater streams from some laboratory and animal care buildings to comply with WSSC requirements.

N.2.9.3.1 Laboratory Buildings: To allow for these circumstances, the sanitary system for new laboratory buildings shall be designed with sufficient hydraulic gradient that an equalization or neutralization tank can be installed at a later date without a redesign of the sewer system or the installation of a pump station.

N.2.9.3.2 Animal Facilities: In general, the sanitary system for new facilities that include animal care areas shall be equipped with an equalization or neutralization tank.

N.2.9.4 Tanks: Tanks used for equalization and neutralization of wastewaters can accumulate sludges and hazardous wastes, require maintenance, and cause odor problems. Therefore, equalization and neutralization tanks will not automatically be installed in new construction. The A/E shall investigate the potential use of the building and attempt to characterize the potential wastewater stream on the basis of this proposed use. Equalization and neutralization tanks shall be included in new construction if the anticipated characteristics of the wastewater stream indicate that these facilities are likely to be required.

N.2.9.5 Silver Recovery: Any facility being designed with darkrooms or photo processing facilities shall have a processing facility for recovering silver from the wastewater stream from the photoprocessing rooms.

N.2.10 Solid Waste:

N.2.10.1 Waste Minimization: All laboratory and animal care facilities at the NIH shall adhere to the Environmental Protection Agency's solid waste management hierarchy, which encourages reduction of waste at the source. This hierarchy emphasizes waste minimization as the first step in sound solid waste management. The utilization of reusable products, which also has the effect of reducing the overall solid waste stream, is also encouraged. Waste products that cannot be reused shall be investigated to determine whether they can be recycled. Only those products that cannot be reused or recycled shall enter the waste stream for energy recovery or landfilling.

In general, solid waste management is an operational function. However, the requirements for environmentally friendly solid waste management must be included in the design of new construction in order for the solid waste management system to be efficient and convenient to use. Ease and convenience are keys to implemen-tation of a successful solid waste management program. All facilities shall be designed with modern and sanitary waste compaction equipment. This equipment shall minimize spillage of wastes and debris and thus the attraction of pests.

One design feature that can assist in waste minimization in laboratories is hazardous substance storage capacity. The A/E should closely examine the anticipated use of the laboratory to determine a reasonable volume of hazardous substances that will be stored in the laboratory to allow efficient laboratory operations. Excessive storage space in a laboratory can result in overpurchasing and hoarding of hazardous substances. This, in turn, can result in excessive hazardous waste generation as these substances are stored beyond their shelf lives.

N.2.10.2 Recycling: The NIH campus has an active solid waste recycling program. The program is administered by the Office of Research Facilities (ORF). This program establishes white office paper, baled corrugated cartons (OCC), aluminum cans, and polypropylene as primary recycling materials. Mixed paper, wood pallets, scrap metal, polystyrene, food and beverage containers, and yard waste are designated as secondary recyclable materials.

All new construction on the NIH campus shall be designed to be recycling friendly. This consists of designing for the placement of collection containers at convenient locations throughout the building to make it easy for NIH employees to accumulate recyclable materials. The selection of recyclables to be collected; the type, size, and number of collection containers; and the locations for the collection containers must be determined by the A/E on the basis of the planned use of the new facility. For example, more emphasis would be placed on collecting white office paper in an office building than in an animal care facility. The A/E shall coordinate this selection with the ORF, Division of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Support facilities for recycling must also be included in all new construction. These support facilities include space in the loading dock area for storing recyclable materials. Paper products, particularly white paper and OCC, must be kept clean and dry to maintain market value and be stored in a way so as not to attract pests or offer them harborage. These require either a room for storage or an enclosed container. Sufficient container space will also be required for the other recyclable materials. Multicompartment recycling rolloff containers are commercially available and may be used for recyclable storage and transportation. The potential for attraction of pests, such as flies, wasps, or rodents, to these containers must be considered when designing a placement site. The placement of these containers shall not affect personnel using the loading dock.

The A/E may want to consider installing a baler at facilities that are expected to generate sufficient amounts of OCC. A can-flattener should be considered for any facility expected to generate sufficient aluminum cans.

The selection of the recycling support facilities and equipment required for all new construction shall be made by the designer in coordination with the ORF, DEP. Potential options for the loading dock design have been developed by the ORF and can be used as guidelines by the A/E.

N.2.10.3 Hazardous Waste: All hazardous waste generated on the NIH campus shall be handled in accordance with the NIH’s generator and TSD permits. Generally, this requires accumulation of the waste at the generation point, temporary (1 day or less) staging at the building loading dock, and transportation to Building 21 for processing. Any facility that cannot meet this format shall be considered a special exception to these guidelines. The A/E shall develop the solid and hazardous waste design for this building in consultation with the ORS, Division of Safety and the ORF, DEP.

N.2.11 Decommissioning: Prior to the renovation of any facility on the NIH campus, that facility shall be decommissioned. For the purpose of these guidelines, decommissioning is defined as all work required that results in a facility free of chemical, biological, radiological, or other hazardous materials and is ready for reasonable, unrestricted demolition.

Decommissioning shall include an in-depth facility assessment by a qualified environmental engineer. Qualifications shall be reviewed and approved by the DEP and ORS Division of Safety.

The purpose of the facility assessment will be to identify any environmental or other site hazards that could result in the release of hazardous substances during demolition or pose a hazard to workers.

Potential hazards that must be addressed during the facility assessment include, but are not limited to, asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM), lead and lead paint, mercury, underground storage tanks, hazardous substance storage areas, and spills of hazardous materials. Potential hazards are outlined in the “Checklists for Hazardous Substances” dated February 22, 2002, available from the DEP. Because new and changed regulations have an impact on the decommissioning process, Project Officers and A/Es must obtain the latest edition of this document from DEP for each project.

N.2.11.1 Condition Assessments: The condition assessment shall include the following areas to provide quantitative data to back up the qualitative assessment:

• Review of records regarding the design, construction, and use of the building to be demolished and the site
• Review of records regarding responses to hazardous substances spill incidents or other emergencies
• Visual inspection of the building and site
• Sampling and analysis of subject materials

Condition assessments are required for every NIH renovation project, regardless of facility type.

The end result of the condition assessment shall be a Decommissioning Plan for the facility. That plan shall include all recommended procedures for decontamination.

N.2.11.2 Decommissioning Guidelines: Decommissioning guidelines are under development by the DEP. Draft guidelines are outlined in the “Assessment and Decontamination of NIH Facilities for Alterations and Decommissioning” available from DEP. Until final guidelines are published by DEP, ORF guidelines requiring a site/facility assessment prior to demolition shall be required.

N.2.11.3 Decommissioning Plan Review: The DEP shall review and approve all decommissioning plans.

N.2.12 Recycling Demolition Debris: Requirements for recycling demolition debris is outlined in NIH Division 1 Specification Section: “Use, Handling, Storage, Transporting, Accumulation, and Disposal of NIH Controlled Material.” This specification section must be included in every construction contract prepared for the NIH.

Prior to mobilization on the site, the demolition contractor shall be required to submit to the ORF, DEP, a waste disposal and recycling plan for the demolition activity. This plan shall identify each type of waste material that will be generated by the demolition. The wastes shall be classified as hazardous waste, general waste, or recyclable waste. The alternatives for disposing or recycling of each type of waste material shall be discussed in the plan, with the objective of recycling as much of the demolition materials as possible. For any material that will not be recycled, the contractor shall be required to document in the plan, to the satisfaction of the DEP, why recycling is not feasible.