Best Management Practices for Businesses

Potential Pollutant Sources

Animal Housing

• Soaps and Detergents
• Animal Wastes
• Nutrients from Animal Wastes

Animal Cleaning

• Soaps / Detergents
• Animal Wastes
• Bacteria
• Nutrients

Animal Care

• Pesticides

Solutions

Best Management Practices include the proper handling, storage and disposal of materials to prevent pollutants from entering the storm drain system.

Facility Design

• Place barns, corrals and other high use areas on the portion of the property that drains away from the nearest creek, river or stream.
• Design diversion terraces that drain into areas with sufficient vegetation to filter the flow.
• Protect manure storage facilities from rainfall and surface runoff.
• If horses are to be groomed and washed, design a designated area that allows wash water and animal wastes to be captured and then disposed of properly, not near any storm drain system. Preferably wash animals over a vegetated area that will filter the discharge.

Pasture Management

• Confine animals in properly fenced areas, except for exercise and grazing time.
• Corrals, stables and barns should be located on higher ground when possible and surrounded by pasture to act as a natural filtration system.
• Utilize fencing to keep horses away from environmentally sensitive areas and protect river banks from contamination.
• Use manure and soiled bedding sparingly to fertilize pastures and croplands.

Grazing Management

• Establish healthy and vigorous pastures with at least 3 inches of leafy material present.
• Rotate animals to clean pasture when grass is grazed down to 3-4 inches.
• Let pasture regrow to 8-10 inches before allowing regrazing.
• During heavy rainfall, consider indoor feeding, a practice which keeps more manure under roof and away from runoff.

Use and Disposal

• Clean all animal handling areas frequently.
• Compost soiled bedding and manure for your own use.
• Give away composted material to local green houses, nurseries and botanical parks.
• Transport manure to topsoil companies or composting centers.
• Fertilize pastures, cropland and lawns with manure and soiled bedding. DO NOT apply fertilizer just before or during a rain event.

Pesticides

• Avoid using chemicals to control insects, rodents and other pests. It is a short term solution.
• Employ Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to better control pests long term.
• Encourage the use of swallows, bats, and other insect eating animals.
• If you must use chemicals, use the least toxic products:
  • Pyrethrin-based insecticides
  • Dehydrating dusts (e.g. silica gel)
  • Insecticidal soaps
  • Horticultural oils
• Chemical containers that have unused product in them must be treated as hazardous waste and cannot go into the trash.
• Rinse all empty containers and use the rinse water as you would the product.
• Dispose of rinsed empty containers in the trash.

Spill Control

• Place an adequate supply of spill cleanup materials where it will be readily available.
• Dispose of any used spill cleanup materials properly as soon as possible after use.
• Do not use bleach or disinfectants if there is a possibility that rinse water could flow to a street, gutter or storm drain.

Employee Training

• Provide on-going employee training with annual routine refresher training for experienced employees.
• Provide new employee training.
• Use a training log or similar method to document training.

Potential Pollutant Sources

Animal Housing

• Soaps and Detergents
• Animal Wastes
• Nutrients from Animal Wastes

Animal Cleaning

• Soaps / Detergents
• Animal Wastes
• Bacteria
• Nutrients

Animal Care

• Pesticides

Solutions

Best Management Practices that include the proper handling, storage and disposal of materials can prevent pollutants from entering the storm drain system.

Best Management Practices

• Use alternative, safer, non-toxic and /or recycled products.
• Identify and label (paint or stencil) all drains on the facility property to indicate flow to: a) an oil/water/sand interceptor or separator b) sewer system c) storm drain
• Collect all trash, litter and debris from the area and place in a proper trash bin or waste receptacle for disposal.
• If water is being used to clean outdoor kennel areas, contain the wash water and dispose of in the sanitary sewer system. Do not dispose of the water in the gutter or street or allow it to flow into any storm drain.
• When washing animals, wash in a designated area that drains to the sanitary sewer system and/or wash animals over a vegetated area so that wash water can infiltrate into the vegetated area.
• Capture solids (hair and debris) by using a drain cover designed to capture solids.
• If feasible, house animals in paved and covered areas.
• If housing the animals in covered areas is not feasible, cover the ground with vegetation or some other type of ground cover so that animal waste is not susceptible to direct ground infiltration.
• Clean all animal handling areas frequently.
• Use dry cleaning methods to clean animal handling areas.
• Sweeping animal handling areas is encouraged.
• Properly dispose of droppings, uneaten food and other potential contaminants. Do not wash out to storm drains, gutters or streets when cleaning the area.
• If water is being used to clean the housing areas, do not discharge wash water to storm drain or other receiving waters.
• Block storm drains and contain runoff.
• Dispose of wash water to the sanitary sewer system.

Spill Control

• Place an adequate supply of spill cleanup materials where it will be readily available.
• Dispose of any used spill cleanup materials properly as soon as possible after use.
• Do not use bleach or disinfectants if there is a possibility that rinse water could flow to a street, gutter or storm drain.

Employee Training

• Provide on-going employee training with annual routine refresher training for experienced employees.
• Provide new employee training.
• Use a training log or similar method to document training.

You can help prevent stormwater pollution during mobile washing and cleaning activities.

General Business Practices

• Walk the area to be cleaned prior to the start of the job and identify all area drains, yard drains, emergency drains, drainage channels, and sumps where waste wash water could be released to the storm drain system.
• Block or seal off all identified release points using sand bags, plugs, rubber mats, vacuum-booms, containment pads, or temporary berms. Always protect the City storm drain.
• Sweep all surfaces prior to washing so as to minimize the amount of dirt and debris contained in the resulting wash water.
  • Collect all trash from the area and place in a proper trash bin for disposal.
  • Use absorbents such as mats or pads, cat litter, or sand to soak up spilled oil and liquids.
  • Sweep, vacuum, shovel, and /or wipe up these saturated absorbents and dispose of properly.

Cleaning Up

• Collect the waste wash water for discharge to the sewer system. Never dispose of waste wash water into the City storm drain system. A simple and acceptable collection method only requires that you block off access to the storm drain system and collect the water via a sump pump or vacuum that is fitted with a filter sock to prevent the discharge of suspended solids. Remove all solids prior to disposal.
• Sewer access includes:
  • Use of an approved sand/oil interceptor, clarifier, sink, or clean out stub at the facility where the cleaning operation occurs.
  • Off-site transport of the wastewater to the mobile washers’ facility for sewer discharge via a permitted connection.
  • Off-site transport of the wastewater to a third party facility for sewer discharge via a permitted connection.

During Washing

• Screen all chemicals and compounds used for cleaning and eliminate the use of those that contain toxic organic compounds, heavy metals, high levels of phosphates, or very high/very low pH.
• Monitor the pH of the waste wash water prior to discharge to the sewer system. This can be easily done through the use of pH test strips. Do not discharge waste wash water into the sewer system that is lower than 5.0 pH or greater than 12.0 pH. If the pH is not within the acceptable range, it must be treated as hazardous waste.
• Filter the waste wash water to remove any solids that could cause sewer blockages.

(Spanish PDF)

Potential Pollutant Sources

Plant Management

• Dirt, soil, rocks, bark, and other landscaping materials
• Vegetation removal
• Herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers
• Over watering

Pest Control

• Toxic chemicals
• Hazardous wastes

Water, Compost and Fertilizer Management

• Do not over water. Conserve water by using irrigation practices such as drip irrigation, soaker hoses, micro-spray systems and pulse irrigation systems.
• Regularly inspect irrigation systems for leaks and to ensure that excessive runoff is not occurring.
• Group plants with similar water needs together to improve irrigation efficiency.
• Establish plant buffer zones between production areas and ditches, creeks, ponds, lakes, rivers and wetlands. Protect all waterways from runoff.
• Surround each plot with a low, small berm of earth to reduce storm and watering runoff.
• Collect runoff from rain and watering activities and reuse it. It can be combined with fresh water. It already contains nutrients that washed out of the soil.
• Recycle and compost plant waste material.
• Protect storm drains when doing excavating to prevent soil and sediment from entering the storm drain system.
• Protect stockpiles of materials with tarps or temporary roofs to protect them from rain and wind erosion.
• Fertilize using organic or non-toxic products. Do not over fertilize, follow directions for use.
• Store fertilizer in a protected area to prevent run off.
• Use herbicides that are non-toxic. Follow all directions on the label for use.
• Plant vegetation in dirt / exposed areas that have a potential for erosion.

Pesticides and Alternatives 

• Implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
• Physical Controls
  • Caulk holes that pests can get into
  • Create barriers to pests
  • Remove pests by hand picking
  • Use traps
• Biological Controls
  • Predatory insects (e.g. Green lacewings eat aphids)
  • Bacterial insecticides (e.g. Bacillus thuringiensis kills Caterpillars)
• Chemical Controls
  • The least toxic products
  • Dehydrating dusts (e.g. silica gel)
  • Insecticidal soaps
  • Boric acid powder
  • Horticultural oils
  • Pyrethrin-based insecticide

Chemical Usage

• Use the least toxic chemicals available.
• Do not use pesticides if rain is expected.
• Never use pesticides near waterways, creeks, rivers or the ocean.
• Train employees on proper chemical loading and unloading techniques and emergency situations.
• Inspect all chemical containers prior to loading and unloading.
• Use dry clean-up methods instead of washing the area down. Recycle spilled chemicals, if possible.
• Divert storm water around chemical loading and unloading areas using berms, swales, or dikes.
• Avoid loading and unloading chemicals during rain events.
• Perform all chemical handling in a covered, bermed or enclosed area on an impervious surface for easy clean-up. 
• If you have storage tanks, inspect them regularly for potential leaks and perform preventative maintenance.
• Keep records to identify quantity, receipt date, expiration dates and disposal routes of chemicals.
• Don’t pour chemicals into a sink, floor drain, storm drain or street.

Vehicle maintenance and repair

• Perform vehicle maintenance on an impervious surface, under a covered roof if possible.
• Place drip pans under vehicles to contain drips and leaks.
• Recycle used oil at a City or County recycling center that accepts used oil or dispose of as hazardous waste.
• See Automotive Maintenance and Car Care for more information. 

Spill Control

• Be prepared for spills.
• Clean up spills using absorbent materials and then dispose of all waste properly.

Disposal of Chemical Containers 

• Chemical containers that still have product in them cannot go into your regular trash. They are hazardous waste and must be disposed of properly.
• Empty chemical containers must be rinsed prior to disposal. The rinse water should be used in your just the same as the original chemical. It cannot go down the drain.