Hazardous Waste: Attention to DOD Inventories of Hazardous Materials Needed
NSIAD-90-11
Published: Nov 06, 1989. Publicly Released: Dec 22, 1989.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed: (1) Department of Defense (DOD) efforts to minimize hazardous waste generation through hazardous materials inventory controls; and (2) Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and General Services Administration (GSA) efforts as DOD purchasing agencies.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should issue instructions to each service to provide special attention to inventory management procedures for hazardous materials that will minimize the generation of hazardous waste from hazardous material inventories. These instructions should include directing DLA and GSA, through the memorandum of agreement between DOD and GSA, to make greater use of direct delivery contracts for hazardous materials with short shelf life. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD published revised the Shelf-life Policy Manual, DOD 4140.27M, in August 1990. The Chairman of the DOD Shelf-life Committee issued a letter in October 1990 encouraging maximum use of direct vendor delivery for short-life products, review of current items and justification of stockage.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should issue instructions to each service to provide special attention to inventory management procedures for hazardous materials that will minimize the generation of hazardous waste from hazardous material inventories. These instructions should include directing supply organizations to make greater use of first-in first-out issue procedures for hazardous waste materials with shelf life and to discourage exceptions to this policy. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD developed internal management controls to ensure that its policies are being followed and exceptions to the policy have been evaluated.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should issue instructions to each service to provide special attention to inventory management procedures for hazardous materials that will minimize the generation of hazardous waste from hazardous material inventories. These instructions should include directing supply depots and installations to consistently evaluate the condition of hazardous materials through periodic testing or inspecting of hazardous materials before sending them to the disposal process. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD developed internal management controls to ensure that its policy is being followed.
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Topics
Delivery termsEnvironmental lawHazardous substancesInventory control systemsMilitary inventoriesMilitary procurementNoncompliancePollution controlWaste disposalWaste management