See Press Release:  http://www.prweb.com/releases/2002/11/prweb49884.php

The ARK Enterprises, Inc. is proud to announce that it has made the following nominations to the City of Warsaw Area Chamber of Commerce for the 2002 Civic Recognition Awards Committee to the following individuals.

HALL OF FAME AWARD:  Randy Pogue, City Planner

REASON FOR NOMINATION: 

As a newcomer to Warsaw, we worked with several other local governments before deciding to locate our business in Warsaw.  Mr. Pogue was thoroughly refreshing and unexpected after we had had little progress or success with larger cities and their program.  Mr. Pogue has demonstrated an amazing ability to reflect a city with a broad view toward excellent community growth to include an excellent business plan, yet he retains the warmth and feeling that a “small community” is a good place to live in, visit and do business in.  His participation in the improvements to the city is amazing and shows his dedication to the city.  However, it is evident in his dealings with many companies and individuals, that this is not just a job for him.  He really believes in what he is doing.  As far as being responsible for City Planner for the City of Warsaw, he is far above average when we compare his approach and abilities to his counterparts in the Cities of Peculiar, Belton, Raymore, Lincoln and Harrisonville.  He is a valuable asset to this community.

OUTSTANDING PERSON:  Marge Whipple, Truman Dam Corps of Engineers

REASON FOR NOMINATION:

Marge Whipple has worked at the local Truman Dam for many years and she has always been dedicated to her job and the responsibilities involved in operating Truman Dam.  In her job, she and others have strived to maintain their duties above and beyond the call of duty.   This has included preserving the natural resources that make Truman Lake such an appealing place for people to visit.  They have not only provided electricity, they have also kept the lake clean and work very diligently at keeping it a beautiful place for generations to come.  However, the reason I have nominated Mrs. Whipple is that she and another employee at the dam took time off of their busy schedule and went to New York City to help with the clean up of the debris from the destruction of the World Trade Center.  It was very giving of them to make the trip, yet amazingly enough, no one else noticed.  Somehow, their trip was overlooked when the local media noted that local Red Cross workers went and helped in New York.  Mrs. Whipple did not complain that the workers at Truman Dam were not publicly thanked, but I think they should be.

Our theme this year is Meeting Environmental Challenges

First, you need a good product. P.O.L. Sorb has proven itself in a wide variety of situations and against numerous competitors, to be the best environmental and economical solution in managing hydrocarbon waste and contamination. It is safe, environmentally friendly, economical, easy to use and easy to obtain through the Federal Supply System and through GSA contract.

Second, we try to help our customers with specific needs, including dealing with P2 compliance initiatives and the problems of budget cuts. We get numerous requests for help in training materials. Our website now offers a great deal of information, providing our customers with links to government web sites that provide free or on a lending basis, training materials and videos. Also, we have included informative articles dealing with day to day problems involving various environmental issues, including POL problems.

Next, we are working more shows to meet our customers and find out what else we can do to help them solve their P2 and spill response problems. We are visiting customers at their locations when we are doing a show in their area. Please let us know what we can do for you!

Oil recycling - Simple Ways to Save our Water

Each year millions of gallons of used oil are generated by people who change their vehicles' oil themselves. In fact it is estimated that close to 50 percent of all car owners change their own oil. Unfortunately, a substantial amount of this oil is discarded in landfills, dumped into sewers, or otherwise disposed of improperly. Such disposal not only wastes a dwindling energy resource, but it pollutes the environment, including our waterways.

Besides the fact that it is illegal to dispose of used oil improperly, there are several other good reasons to dispose of it correctly. Recycling used oil conserves future oil supplies and reduces our dependence on imported oil. Approximately 42 gallons of crude oil are needed to refine 2 quarts of lubricating oil. Yet it takes only one gallon of recycled oil--and about half as much energy--to produce the same 2 quarts. Furthermore, improperly disposed used oil is a hazardous waste. Oil poured into the ground or into a storm drain will eventually find its way to the nearest stream or river and ultimately contaminate groundwater.

Oil pollution can be extremely detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. Fish can be smothered by oil coating their gills or can be killed indirectly by reduced resistance to infection. Bottom-dwelling organisms such as oysters and clams can be smothered directly by settling of oil suspensions or indirectly by the reduced oxygen levels caused by coating of the water surface. Oil can stunt or kill marsh vegetation or submerged grasses. In addition to initial effects, once the oil begins to dissolve, toxics can be released, exposing marine organisms to potentially carcinogenic matter.

It does not take a large quantity of oil to cause serious damage. The four quarts of oil it takes to fill your car's engine can form an oil slick nearly eight acres in size. It takes little imagination to picture the damage caused when one person dumps oil down a storm drain.

Remember, you lose when you don't recycle used oil. You lose an invaluable energy resource and you lose the assurance of abundant clean water.

Have You Ordered Yours??
You Spill, You Dig!
AN ENVIRONMENTAL HANDBOOK FOR DEPLOYMENT 

http://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/News/Army/Dig/cover.html

This handbook is a field expedient environmental guide for use when you are deployed.
It will help you implement basic techniques in the areas of:
PREVENTION and RESPONSE.
The handbook contains clear examples of how to apply these techniques in order to protect the environment and contribute to the success of your mission.

Spring 1999 Issue:

• Ace Winner
• Pollution Prevention Properly
• Dispose of Oil Properly!
• Oil Spilled Since Exxon Valdez 

Congratulations to our second ACE Award Winner: 

Pennsylvania National Guard

Our Accelerating Care for the Environment Award goes to the Adjutant General's Office for the Pennsylvania National Guard, for going beyond the call of duty. They did a side by side comparison of several smaller spill kits to find the one that best suits the readiness requirements for the National Guard units. Concern for the environment along with maximizing the buying power, they selected our kits as the environmentally preferred spill kits for their units. 
These kits will be at each location so that these spill response materials are readily available to every unit and activity of the PAARNG. It is setting the standard to protect the environment while saving taxpayer dollars that earns the PAARNG the Accelerating Care for the Environment Award!

Previous ACE Award Winners:
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

http://navair.alc.daps.mil/communication/magazine/
spring99/spring99p8a.htm

New Absorbents available in supply system Environmental issues continue to be a chief concern for DoD installations. Compliance with spill prevention, control and countermeasures(SPCC) plans, oil/water separator (OWS) systems, and initiatives to clean up Navy shore activities due to past waste disposal practices can now be addressed using new absorbent products and technologies now available in the federal supply system.

Absorbents need to meet many requirements to be effective answers for field personnel as well as public work centers. Cost, ease of application, flexibility, land and water application, transportation stability, easy disposal and safety are just a few of the criteria that must be considered in spill response.  One absorbent that has proven useful in spill response and can also be integrated in oil or water separator systems is P.O.L. Sorb. This product “wicks” up hydrocarbons and encapsulates them. With an absorption ration of 8:1, one pound of P.O.L. Sorb can absorb an average of one gallon of oil-based liquids. When used on JP fuels, this product reduces flammable vapors up to 90 percent. It also reduces it’s own volume by 80 percent as it absorbs liquids, making clean up and disposal more economical.  In bioremediation applications, this absorbent has proven to be effective in remediating hydrocarbon-contaminated soils within three to six months. By using peat to encapsulate hydrocarbons and speed up their natural biodegradation, the soil remediation can be accomplished without serious ecological and fiscal impact.  P.O.L. Sorb If you would like more information on P.O.L. Sorb products, including National Stock Numbers or product information video, please contact (800) 872-5741 or e-mail info@arkent.com. USCG Integrated Support Command Ketchikan  From: Leading the Way Toward Pollution Prevention and Improved Environmental Management. The Interagency Pollution Prevention Initiative steering committee.  Spill prevention is always the primary goal for shop operations. However, when spills happen, the clean up can generate a significant amount of oily waste. The U.S. Coast Guard Integrated Support Command Kodiak (ISC Kodiak) was looking for an alternative to using kitty litter or absorbent pads to clean up spills which are expensive to dispose. They found their solution in a natural moss that soaks up hydrocarbons—and its reusable.  Objective: Eliminate the waste stream of oil/hydrocarbon soaked pads and absorbents used to clean up accidental shop spills.  Process: Sphag (or Sphagnum) Moss is used to clean up spills. The moss will soak up hydrocarbons from virtually any surface and can be reused until completely saturated.  Results: The Sphag Moss has been found effective in soaking up oil, fuel, paints and solvents and can be reused numerous times, decreasing costs for spill pads and other absorbents. A drum of oily pads weighs around 400 pounds and costs over $250 to dispose of from ISC Kodiak. The Sphag Moss has eliminated the disposal of several drums per year, for a significant cost savings. The Sphag Moss cost $24.68 per 2 cubic-foot long bag, and has yet to be replaced since it was purchased 4 months ago.  Contact: Mr. Chris Rose  USCG Integrated Support Command Ketchikan  (907) 228-0308  http://aec-www.apgea.army.mil:8080/prod/usaec/et/p2/p2sccs08.htm What is Pollution Prevention? Pollution is the contamination of air, soil, or water by the discharge of harmful substances. Pollution prevention is the reduction or elimination of pollution at the source (source reduction) instead of at the end-of-the-pipe or stack. Pollution prevention occurs when raw materials, water, energy and other resources are utilized more efficiently, when less harmful substances are substituted for hazardous ones, and when toxic substances are eliminated from the production process. By reducing the use and production of hazardous substances, and by operating more efficiently we protect human health, strengthen our economic well-being, and preserve the environment. Source reduction allows for the greatest and quickest improvements in environmental protection by avoiding the generation of waste and harmful emissions. Source reduction makes the regulatory system more efficient by reducing the need for end-of-pipe environmental control by government.  The Roundtable supports multi-media P2 approaches which work to solve environmental problems holistically and do not only focus on pollution in a single medium (air, land, or water). Well-intentioned rules, regulations and solutions that are not multi-media sometimes exacerbate existing conditions by creating larger problems to other media that are not accounted for by a single media-specific solution. Many times this can result in the transfer of pollution from one medium to another. For example, in some cases, by requiring hazardous air emission controls for industrial facilities, other problems might result, such as pollutants being transferred to underground drinking water through the residual sludge.  What are the Economic Incentives for Pollution Prevention? Adopting pollution prevention practices and techniques often benefits industry by lowering a company's operational and environmental compliance costs. By preventing the generation of waste, P2 can also reduce or eliminate long-term liabilities and clean-up costs. Furthermore, disposal costs are reduced when the volume of waste is decreased. This can also lead to a reduction in workplace exposures to hazardous materials which can affect workers' health and hence, their productivity. If less waste is produced, there will also be a diminshed need for on-site storage space. Furthermore, by preventing pollution there will be a greater likelihood that a company will be in compliance with local, state, and federal compliance statutes. Finally, as community pillars, businesses shoulder an important responsibility for protecting the environment and natural resources for their own good as well as that of society. excerpt from: The National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) http://www.p2.org/nppr_p2.html Pollution Prevention Conference XIV What a great time we had in Seattle, Washington. Not only is it a beautiful place, but what a great conference! P.O.L. Sorb and Spill Kleen were received with great interest from many attendees.  Attendees have taken our products to the test – Spill Kleen has shown amazing results when tested on nuclear waste.  Couple that with new products we are adding to our Spill Kleen family of products, our absorbents can help you handle any type of spill – be it hydrocarbon based or aqueous based. P.S. If you are ever in Seattle, make sure you eat at Salty's Restaurant. Their blackened salmon was outstanding. For dessert, try their port sampler with their white chocolate dessert. You'll never regret it!  Dispose of Oil Properly! Never pour oil on the ground or down storm drains or throw it in the garbage. One quart of oil will cause an oil slick covering one acre One gallon of oil will contaminate 250,000 gallons of drinking water. Improper disposal of waste oil exceeds the Valdez oil spill by 190 million gallons every year. Don't be a part of this pollution problem.

SOURCE: Cutter Information Corp.  Oil Spilled Since Exxon Valdez: 940 Million Gallons Reports Oil Spill Intelligence Report ARLINGTON, Mass., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 940 million gallons of oil has spilled worldwide since the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Oil Spill Intelligence Report reported today. ``Nearly ten years after the Exxon Valdez, oil spills continue to occur on a regular basis,'' says Jim Polson editor of the Oil Spill Intelligence Report.

There's a new product available that helps units handle any size POL spill. It's much lighter than clay and more environmentally sound.

For instance, instead of placing drip pans under vehicles to catch leaks, units can place a pad right on the ground. The surface doesn't have to be even, so they're great to use in the field.

there a also booms, socks and spill kits available. These items soak up any POL leak, but not a drop of water. Here are the NSN's:

For More Information Contact:

The ARK Enterprises, Inc. 
PO Box 725 Peculiar, MO 64078 
Tel: 816-779-5741 
FAX: 816-758-4127 
Internet: sales@arkent.com