UPDATED: 04/25/96

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR

VETERINARIANS AND ANIMAL GROOMERS

Best management practices can be thought of as using "good housekeeping" practices. Listed below are several procedures to operate your facility and minimize the risk of contamination to the environment.

For those facilities performing pesticidal shampooing and/or dipping:

1. Spent pesticidal dip solutions and medicated shampoo rinse waters

must not be discharged to septic tanks. Facilities on septic

tanks must disconnect animal dip and bathing equipment drain

lines and seal off these existing connections to the septic tank.

Facilities on septic tank must install a waste treatment system

or collect the rinsewater. If a waste pretreatment system is

used, the treated wastewater may be transported to a sewage

treatment plant via approved hauler if it meets sanitary sewer

discharge standards. Rinsewater may also be reused as makeup

water, if possible.

2. Facilities on sanitary sewer may dispose of pyrethrin and

limonene type shampoos and dip solutions to the sanitary sewer

system if the wastewater meets sanitary sewer discharge

standards. If these facilities are located within wellfield

protection areas, they must adhere to restrictions as stated in

their annual operating permits. Facilities on septic tank using

pyrethrin and limonene based products must have this wastewater

hauled via approved hauler to a sewage treatment plant.

3. Other insecticide compounds used, such as organophosphates and

carbamates, may be discharged to sanitary sewer if the rinsewater

meets the sanitary sewers standard for Total Hazardous Organic

Materials (THOM's) of 2.0 mg/l (ppm). To meet this standard, a

waste treatment system would most likely be necessary. Plans for

waste treatment systems must be submitted to DERM for approval

prior to installation.

4. Wastewater pretreatment standards apply at the point of no

further treatment. Dilution is not an acceptable wastewater

treatment practice.

5. Plans for waste treatment systems must be submitted to DERM Plan

Review Section for approval prior to installation.

6. If the facility or procedures are found to be performing

inadequately, the owner must provide immediate improvements to

the operating techniques and/or additional equipment in order to

operate in compliance with regulations.

For those facilities using X-ray equipment:

7. Facilities must not discharge any waste x-ray solutions to septic

tanks, storm drains or to the ground. If the facility is served

by sanitary sewers, the wastewater may be treated by an approved

treatment system and the effluent may be discharged to the

sanitary sewers if it meets applicable sewer standards (silver

0.4 mg/L). If your facility is served by septic tank these

solutions may also be picked up by a DERM approved transporter.

8. All Biohazardous Waste (BHW) must be "red-bagged" and properly

disposed of per Health Department Standards (10D-104).

Biohazardous Waste may not be mixed with the regular trash. If

BHW is not treated on-site, a DERM permitted transporter must be

used.

9. Storage

a. For facilities storing large amounts of chemicals and/or

fuels:

1. All chemical and fuel storage must have secondary

containment. This containment area should be able to hold 110% of the volume of the largest single tank to be stored in this area.

2. Chemical storage areas must be on an impervious surface with secondary containment or a bermed and covered area away from drainage structures (e.g. floor drains or storm drains).

10. Waste disposal

a. All hazardous waste must be disposed of via a permitted

hazardous waste transporter and taken to a federally

approved hazardous waste disposal facility. Receipts of

all waste disposals and hazardous waste manifests must be

retained for no less than three (3) years, at the

generator's facility and be available for review.

b. In all situations where the waste is deemed to be

hazardous, a DERM permitted hazardous waste transporter

must be used to transport the waste to a federally

approved hazardous waste treatment or disposal facility.

The facility generating the hazardous waste is required to

obtain an Environmental Protection Agency identification

number unless classified as a conditionally exempt

generator, by contacting:

Bureau of Waste Planning and Regulation

Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection

Two Towers Office Building Room 471

2600 Blair Stone Road

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400

(904) 488-4805

11. Special attention should be paid to storm drain locations (also

known as storm sewers). Storm drains are designed to help

alleviate rainwater build up. These drains are not connected to

the sanitary sewer system, but rather assist in allowing the

rainwater to drain into the ground and groundwater. Therefore,

industrial discharges should not be allowed to drain into these

storm drains. Areas near storm drains must be kept free of oil,

grease and other contaminates so that rainwater does not wash

these materials into the storm drains.

Any questions contact the Industrial Facilities Section staff at

(305)372-6600.

All veterinary and animal grooming facilities are required to have

Annual Pollution Control Operating Permits.