Repair shop takes pollution prevention program seriously.Byline: Sherri Buri McDonald The Register-Guard Radiator radiator, device used to heat an area surrounding it or to cool a fluid circulating within it. The familiar radiators of steam and hot water heating systems in buildings are misnamed, as they operate principally by convection, in which heat is transferred by air repair work - with antifreeze antifreeze, substance added to a solvent to lower its freezing point. The solution formed is called an antifreeze mixture. Antifreeze is typically added to water in the cooling system of an internal-combustion engine so that it may be cooled below the freezing point , lead-based solder solder (sŏd`ər), metal alloy used in the molten state as a metallic binder. The type of solder to be used is determined by the metals to be united. Soft solders are commonly composed of lead and tin and have low melting points. Hard solders (i. and other hazardous materials - seems anything but environmentally friendly Environmentally friendly, also referred to as nature friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.[1] . But Mac's Radiator, a Portland-based chain of repair shops with a Eugene outlet, is part of an industry effort to change that perception. The Mac's shop in west Eugene is the first business in the city to be certified See certification. under the Eco-Logical Business Program, a government-run pollution prevention project for small business. A group of public agencies, including the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, launched the program in Portland four years ago. The Northwest Automotive Trades Association has promoted certification among its members. Now, the program is being expanded statewide. Mac's is at the forefront because the family-owned business first sought certification for its Portland shops, then wanted to take the new policies companywide. All nine of Mac's Radiator shops in Oregon are certified, said president and co-owner Stephen MacDonald. To gain certification, companies must surpass state and federal legal requirements. Companies must show that they've adopted the best practices in their industry for handling solvents, oils and other toxic substances. At Mac's, that meant analyzing all of its processes, scrapping a solvent-based method for cleaning parts, reducing use of other chemicals and recycling recycling, the process of recovering and reusing waste products—from household use, manufacturing, agriculture, and business—and thereby reducing their burden on the environment. as many materials as possible, MacDonald said. Once certified, companies may display the Eco-Logical Business Program seal. Thirty-three auto service and repair shops in Oregon are certified, said DEQ DEQ Abbreviation for the Incoterm "Delivered Ex Quay." spokeswoman Marcia Danab. More companies are expected to join as the program goes statewide. "It's been slow in the number of shops that have gotten on board," said Deb Elkins, executive director of the Northwest Automotive Trades Association. "But I'm confident the numbers will increase now that it's gone statewide." She said Wayne's Garage and Small World Auto Center in Eugene have inquired about certification. Certification "really makes you look at your processes ... and see - whether it's good for the environment or not - is it a good business practice," MacDonald said. Here are some examples of Mac's environmentally friendly practices: It filters and reuses all the water used to flush To empty the contents of a memory buffer. See buffer. Flush Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s spaniel, subject of a biography. [Br. Lit.: Woolf Flush in Barnhart, 446] See : Dogs (data) flush and test radiators. Water flowing through radiators picks up lead from solder, and it can't be discharged into the sewer system Noun 1. sewer system - facility consisting of a system of sewers for carrying off liquid and solid sewage sewage system, sewage works facility, installation - a building or place that provides a particular service or is used for a particular industry; "the , McDonald said. Mac's cleared out a jumble of partially used cans of chemicals in its shops and established a list of company-approved chemicals. Now, if employees want to order something not on the list, they have to get authorization The right or permission to use a system resource; the process of granting access. See access control. from the corporate office, McDonald said. Some of the Mac's stores used to have a solvent solvent, constituent of a solution that acts as a dissolving agent. In solutions of solids or gases in a liquid, the liquid is the solvent. In all other solutions (i.e. tank for cleaning parts. It's replaced those with nonhazardous cleaning methods, such as steam cleaning, he said. All this was expensive, McDonald said. "But over the long-run there's a cost savings," he said. Plus, as the program becomes better known, consumers may be drawn to shops that are certified, he said. "We're involved in an industry that has been known as a dirty industry that's been slow to respond to environmental issues," MacDonald said. "This program can help change the public's view of what a radiator repair shop is." The Eco-Logical Business Program, considering possible expansion, recently introduced certification for landscaping firms in the Portland area. GREEN BUSINESS Oregon's Eco-Logical Business Program Web site: www.ecobiz.org Phone: (503) 823-5320 CAPTION(S): Sam Larson rebuilds a radiator at Mac's Radiator shop in west Eugene. Mac's is the first local participant in the Eco-Logical Business Program, which encourages small businesses to adopt eco-friendly practices. |
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