Hard work pays off for HAZWASTE manager

  • Published
  • By Jake Shaw
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD ARB, Fla. --  If you're like Tony Cedeno, you don't appreciate having someone look over your shoulder while you're working.

But unfortunately for Mr. Cedeno, the Hazardous Waste Program Manager for the 482nd Civil Engineering Squadron's Environmental Flight, someone is always looking over his shoulder.

"I'm used to it," he said, "[because non-compliance with] the program can be dangerous and can really bite you if you don't devote enough attention to it."

The majority of HAZWASTE at Homestead results from the painting of aircraft and military equipment. Extremely flammable materials are used during these processes, said Mr. Cedeno. And with several types of aircraft refueling on a daily basis, there is a lot of potential for hazardous material contamination if workers aren't careful, he said.

To make sure everyone stays safe, Mr. Cedeno constantly inspects others to make sure they're doing things the right way.

The rest of the time he's the one being inspected by the Miami Dade Country Department of Environmental Resource Management, a group of Air Force environmental consultants, or the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).

The inspections are necessary because improper storage or disposal of hazardous waste can result in anything from simple injury to death, said Mr. Cedeno. "So we have to track all of our wastes and materials from cradle to grave and document everything thoroughly," he said.

Normally no news is good news in terms of inspection results, he said. But recently he got some surprising feedback.

That surprise came in the form of a letter of recognition the 482nd Fighter Wing received from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for having a proactive program that goes above and beyond compliance in every aspect of hazardous waste management, he said.

The letter also stated the FDEP performs more than 200 inspections a year and Homestead ARB has one of the most impressive environmental compliance programs they have ever experienced.

According to Mr. Cedeno, the wing has dedicated the necessary time and money to hazardous waste management, and he says the base Unit Environmental Coordinators deserve much of the credit for this recent success. UECs are the eyes and ears of the environmental flight and they are responsible for educating unit members about the HAZMAT and HAZWASTE program.

Mr. Cedeno says dealing with hazardous materials and waste and all of the required inspections is often a thankless job. It's also dangerous and tedious, requiring hours of research and mounds of paperwork to solve a simple problem or answer a seemingly simple question. "But you're better safe than sorry," he said.

"You should always play it safe. If you find something on base that could be hazardous waste or materials, don't take any chances. Call the environmental office at (305) 224-7345 and don't try to dispose of anything alone. Your actions could have a ripple effect on the entire base population and those outside the base," said Mr. Cedeno.