What is E.P.A. Certification?
To EPA certify a vessel you first need to know what is going to be done with the vessel. Is it going to be placed offshore as part of an artificial reef system or is the vessel going to be destroyed and disposed of in a landfill or dumpsters?
If it is going to be disposed of in a landfill or in dumpsters, we need to remove the fuel tanks, batteries, motors, fuel and fuel lines, hydraulic lines, aerosol cans, paint cans, lp gas tanks, and the bilge has to be cleaned of all oil. Once arriving at the landfill, an environmental officer will inspect the vessel to ensure that all of the above has been done to satisfy county, state and federal laws.
If it is going to be placed offshore as part of an artificial reef system, we need to remove the fuel tanks, batteries, motors, fuel and fuel lines, hydraulic lines, aerosol cans, paint cans, LP gas tanks, trash or any item that may float to the surface and cause a hazard to other vessels or the environment, the bilge has to be cleaned of all oil by pressure washing, and depending on the local laws most vessels have to be diver safe. Before the vessel can be placed offshore it has to be inspected by the county or state environmental officer and the placement has to be coordinated with the artificial reef program for that county or state.
All of BWD's employees have oil spill certificates. Patrick SR has a 40 hour certification. All items removed from the vessels during EPA certification are disposed of at the designated disposal sites.