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Release Date: 08/31/2015
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing two new hazardous waste rules to strengthen environmental protection while reducing regulatory burden on businesses. One of the proposed rules will protect waterways, including drinking and surface water, by preventing the flushing of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals and simplify the requirements for healthcare workers. The other rule will provide greater flexibility to industry while requiring new safeguards to protect the public from mismanagement of hazardous waste.
“These rules provide businesses with certainty and the flexibility they need to successfully operate in today’s marketplace,” said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. “The proposals will improve the safety and health of our communities by providing clear, flexible, and protective hazardous waste management standards.”
The proposed hazardous waste pharmaceuticals rule will make our drinking and surface water safer and healthier by reducing the amount of pharmaceuticals entering our waterways. EPA’s proposal is projected to prevent the flushing of more than 6,400 tons of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals annually by banning healthcare facilities from flushing hazardous waste pharmaceuticals down the sink and toilet.
The proposed rule will reduce the burden on healthcare workers and pharmacists working in healthcare facilities by creating a specific set of regulations for these facilities, including hospitals, clinics, and retail stores with pharmacies and reverse distributors that generate hazardous waste.
EPA’s proposed generator rule will enhance the safety of facilities, employees, and the general public by improving labeling of hazardous waste and emergency planning and preparedness. The proposal will also reduce burden by providing greater flexibility in how facilities and employees manage their hazardous waste and make the regulations easier to understand.
EPA solicited public comment on improving hazardous waste management from states, healthcare facilities, retailers, facilities generating hazardous waste, and other key stakeholders. Both proposals directly address the challenges raised by these stakeholders in implementing and complying with hazardous waste regulations.
The Agency will accept public comments on the proposal for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register.
Read Assistant Administrator Mathy Stanislaus’ blog “Making Hazardous Waste Regulations Work for Today’s Marketplace” here: https://blog.epa.gov/blog/2015/08/making-hazardous-waste-regulations/
For additional information on these proposed rules, including how to submit comments, visit: http://www2.epa.gov/hwgenerators
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BROWNSVILLE, Wisc. – Michels Corporation recently took possession of a new Prime Drilling HDD rig at a key ceremony held in Brownsville, Wisc. The new Prime Drill 80/45 was acquired through trenchless equipment manufacturer TT Technologies, Aurora, Ill. Manufactured by Prime Drilling GmbH, Wenden, Germany the drills have been available in Europe for over 15 years. However, the availability of Prime Drilling HDD rigs in the US market is something that has just occurred over the last few years, facilitated by TT Technologies.
The Prime Drill 80/45 provides 180,000 lbs. of pull force and lightweight profile, weighing only 44,000 lbs. The unit is capable of drilling lengths up to 3200 feet with diameters up to 40 inches. The Prime Drill 80/45 joins Michel’s impressive fleet of over 84 drilling rigs of all sizes, including the largest fleet of 1.2 million pound thrust/pull force capacity rigs in the world.
Pictured in the key ceremony are Benjamin Ploederl, Michels Corporation; Ralf Kiesow, Prime Drilling; and Scott Kneip and Bill Brennan TT Technologies.
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NASTT turns 25 in 2015! What was happening 25 years ago?
On August 23, 1990, East and West Germany announced that they would unite on October 3.
On August 24, 1990, Armenia declared its independence from the Soviet Union.
On August 24, 1990, Darkman was released in theaters starring Liam Neeson.
Check in every Friday in 2015 when NASTT posts more facts about 25 years ago…
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GREENVILLE, S.C.— Fifteen years ago, Tommy Toombs responded to an online job posting 
for an underground locating position. The hiring manager was hesitant to hire a novice but Toombs wouldn’t take no for an answer — and his persistence paid off.
Now a locator at USIC Inc., Toombs’ determination helped him shine again at the International Utility Locate Rodeo, held at the University of West Georgia, in Carrollton, Georgia, last month. Using a McLaughlin GX locator, Toombs outperformed 16 of his peers to sweep all three water division challenges and win the overall water division competition.
“This was the second year that McLaughlin sponsored me in the Locate Rodeo. I got second place in the water division last year, and I took it all this year,” Toombs said. “I like the challenge of competing in an event where we’re judged on timing and accuracy. It showcases our industry well because every day we’re faced with getting the job done efficiently and accurately so we can move onto the next one.”
Toombs discovered the McLaughlin GX locator about two years ago, when a sales representative conducted a jobsite demonstration.
“My boss told me to ‘just try it,’ and I kinda fell in love,” said Toombs. “The McLaughlin GX does everything that I need it to do.”
The Runner-up
Don Conner, a locating crew leader for Clayton County Water in Georgia, finished second in the Locate Rodeo overall water division competition. An 11-year industry veteran, Conner said he performs water and sewer locates on a daily basis.
“McLaughlin sponsored me last year, and I was really nervous and overthinking every aspect of the locate, and I finished middle of the road,” said Conner. “This year, I was able to keep calm and just focus on the competition. I relied on the GLX locator’s center point to show me that the wand was straight up and down, so I knew I wasn’t throwing off my locates.”
Conner said he hopes to compete in the Locate Rodeo again next year because it’s a “big adrenaline rush.”
For over 90 years, McLaughlin has been actively involved in the drilling tool industry. During that time McLaughlin has developed a reputation for designing and building dependable, low maintenance trenchless construction equipment. McLaughlin takes pride in providing solutions for OEMs and the underground industry.
Please send all reader inquiries to:
McLaughlin Group, Inc.
2006 Perimeter Road
Greenville, SC 29605
Please send all sales inquiries to:
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Perry, Okla. – Subsite Electronics, a Charles Machine Works Company, has introduced 
to download horizontal directional drilling (HDD) bore information from Subsite TK Series HDD Guidance System directly to smartphones and tablets.
TSR mobile software enables drillers to generate an as-built report as soon as the pilot bore is completed. Information can be sent to and viewed on Android mobile phones and tablets, as well as Windows-based computers and Mac OSX.
TSR mobile software is shipped with each TK HDD guidance system sold and can be downloaded at no cost from the Subsite Electronics website at http://www.subsite.com/support/software-updatesfor use with TK equipment already in service.
TSR mobile software profiles include a pitch-based graph of bore data. To log a data point, the operator simply pushes a button on the guidance system. The profile is calculated by rod distance as the downhole tool progresses, documenting tool location and pitch, as well as field terrain.
Reports can be immediately e-mailed to the office or the customer via smartphone or tablet.
“The TSR mobile software speeds production by replacing the manual bore log, which is time-consuming and creates the opportunity for error,” said John Bieberdorf, product manager, HDD guidance systems, Subsite Electronics. “From the business aspect, sending reports directly from the field can improve cash flow because many customers will not pay for a project until as-builts are provided.”
TSR mobile software and the Subsite TK Series products make the ultimate walk-over HDD guidance system.
TK HDD guidance systems are available in three models to fit specific drilling needs. TK systems filter out signal interference present on many work sites to provide accurate tracking of the bore head. The TK Series is the only HDD guidance system with dual locating modes (“walkover” and “drill-to”). Easy-to-understand, high-contrast graphics are legible even in bright light, and the TSR remote display can be mounted on the drilling unit to suit the driller’s preferences.
For more information on this software and Subsite® Electronics, visit www.subsite.com or any of our social media channels – Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube. You can contact us at info@subsite.com or 800-846-2713.
About Subsite® Electronics
Subsite® Electronics, a Charles Machine Works Company, is committed to providing underground construction professionals the most comprehensive suite of electronic products in the industry, including utility locators, Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) guidance equipment and equipment machine controls. By utilizing innovative technologies, extensive market feedback and outstanding customer support, Subsite Electronics has established itself as the premier source of electronic technology to support the installation or maintenance of underground pipe and cable.
About Charles Machine Works
Established in 1902, Charles Machine Works, an employee-owned company, founded in Perry, Oklahoma, is the only manufacturer and global distributor that solely exists to make underground utility construction profitable. Our family of companies includes Ditch Witch®, Subsite® Electronics, DW/TXS®, HammerHead®, Radius® HDD, American Augers®, Trencor® and MTI® Equipment. For more information, visit charlesmachine.works.
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DALLAS – (Aug. 13, 2015) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a poster contest to highlight green infrastructure and low-impact development projects in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. Did your business build a parking garage with a green roof? Do your city government buildings harvest rainwater? EPA wants to hear about projects like these in preparation for the EPA Region 6 Stormwater Conference.
Green infrastructure uses natural hydrologic features to manage water and provide environmental and community benefits, including pollution reduction, flood control, and water-use efficiency. As climate change affects our communities in different ways, implementing green infrastructure techniques becomes more important than ever in improving resiliency.
Anyone who has developed or is working on a project using green infrastructure or low-impact development is encouraged to submit a poster. Entries are due by Friday, September 25. First- and second-place prizes will be awarded for municipal or private professionals (for example, stormwater program operators, developers, or landscape architects), as will a first-place prize for student entries. Poster authors can present their submissions at the upcoming 17th annual EPA Region 6 stormwater conference in Hot Springs, Ark., October 18 through 23. After the conference, all posters will be highlighted on the Region 6 green infrastructure web page.
For complete contest rules and criteria: http://www.epa.gov/region6/water/npdes/greeninfrastructure/pdf/2015_EPA_gi_lid_poster_competition.pdf
For more on green infrastructure in Region 6, including information on this year’s conference: http://www.epa.gov/region6/water/npdes/greeninfrastructure/index.html
Connect with EPA Region 6:
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparegion6
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6
Activities in EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.htm
