§ 650.125 - Responsibilities.

(a) Department of the Army Staff.

(1) The Inspector General and Auditor General will—(i) Exercise primary Army Staff responsibility for overall supervision of Army safety program activities as established by AR 385-10.

(ii) Provide assistance and guidance on the safety aspects of the storage, use, handling, and disposal of hazardous and toxic substances.

(2) The Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans will—(i) Ensure that Required Operational Capability (ROC) documentation for new material involving potentially hazardous materials requires that safe and environmentally acceptable methods for storage and disposal of these materials be developed or included as part of procurement specifications.

(ii) Provide single DA contact point for all chemical warfare activities including demilitarization and disposal.

(3) The Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development and Acquisition will ensure that all materiel developed by the Army is designed to minimize health and environmental hazards during research and development, production, testing, storage, use and disposal.

(4) The Chief of Engineers will—(i) Exercise primary Army Staff responsibility for coordinating guidance and promulgating environmental protection regulations concerning hazardous and toxic material management within the Army.

(ii) Provide technical instructions and guidance on the implementation of pest management programs.

(iii) Coordinate with The Surgeon General to establish Army criteria, instructions, and corrective measures involving pollution from hazardous and toxic materials.

(iv) Promote the reclamation, recycling, or safe disposal of excess and outdated chemicals, particularly the stocks of cancelled or excess pesticides and superseded chemicals.

(5) The Surgeon General will—(i) Establish health criteria and standards and monitor health and welfare aspects of the hazardous and toxic material management program.

(ii) Develop environmental toxicology data and recommend standards for safe storage, use, discharge and disposal of hazardous and toxic materials.

(iii) Provide technical instructions and guidance for the DA pest management programs in disease vector control, pesticide monitoring, health, safety, and the training of pesticide applicators.

(iv) Coordinate with the Chief of Engineers in establishing criteria, instructions, and corrective measures involving pollution from hazardous and toxic materials.

(6) The Judge Advocate General will provide guidance, as required, on interpretation of FIFRA, FEPCA, FWPCA, MPRSA, SWMA and other Federal, State, and local laws and regulations.

(b) Commanding General, US Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command (DARCOM) will—

(1) Establish training programs for logistical personnel involved in the production, testing, and storage of explosives and chemical munitions and for those handling radioactive materials, hazardous and toxic chemicals, and products.

(2) Conduct research and technological investigations in support of the hazardous and toxic materials pollution abatement efforts related to industrial facilities operated by DARCOM. This includes development of alternative less polluting industrial processes, development of industrial waste recycling systems, evolvement of treatment processes and design criteria, and development of safe and profitable disposal methods.

(3) Ensure compliance with DA and other Federal regulations on the disposal of chemical agents and munitions (§§ 650.130—650.134 and §§ 650.139—650.141).

(4) Procure materials for Army use which will minimize health and environmental hazards during production, use, storage, and disposal.

(c) Commanding General, US Army Health Services Command will—

(1) Conduct training activities to ensure proficiency in the application, handling, storage, use, and disposal of pesticides to qualify pest control personnel for certification in accordance with the FIFRA 1972, as amended, and EPA guidelines.

(2) Provide personnel for conducting field investigations and special studies concerning hazardous and toxic materials and for recommending measures required to protect health and welfare and to comply with standards.

(3) Conduct the DA pesticide monitoring program in accordance with AR 40-5 to complement the National Pesticide Monitoring Program.

(d) Major Army commanders will—

(1) Establish a program for the control of hazardous and toxic materials management for the protection of the health and welfare of personnel and the natural environments.

(2) Program and budget for necessary resources required for hazardous and toxic materials management and pest management programs.

(3) Certify and recertify as necessary, personnel employed in pest control activities after determination that personnel have received adequate training from an authorized and qualified source and have demonstrated proficiency in the application, handling, storage, use and disposal of pesticides in accordance with FIFRA, as amended. Such certification should identify the specific areas in which personnel are fully qualified.

(e) Installation and activity commanders will—

(1) Supervise the procurement, use, storage, and disposal of hazardous and toxic materials and chemicals and initiate appropriate procedures to protect the health and welfare of personnel who are exposed to their use.

(2) Comply with the procedures on the handling, use, and storage of hazardous and toxic materials which are under development and will be published by the Department of the Army. In the absence of DA regulations, Army activities will cooperate with Federal, State, or local agencies in meeting their standards.

(3) Use nonhazardous and nontoxic materials in installation and activity operations and procedures, when practicable.

(4) Ensure that at least two personnel at each installation involved in the pest management programs and on application of pesticides are certified in accordance with EPA and DOD Directives, and AR 420-74 and AR 420-76 procedures.

(5) Maintain liaison and cooperate with representatives of Federal, State, and local authorities engaged in regional pest control operations and pollution control and abatement.

(6) Dispose of hazardous and toxic materials in accordance with EPA-approved and DA-approved procedures (§§ 650.126 through 650.138). Chemical warfare agents will be disposed of in accordance with detailed plans approved by DOD (§§ 650.138 through 650.141).

(7) Ensure that waste effluent discharges from radioactive isotope activities are in accordance with applicable rules, regulations, and requirements of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (10 CFR part 20) and the policies and guidance of the Environmental Protection Agency as published in title 10 CFR.

(8) Program and budget for resources necessary to conduct an effective hazardous and toxic materials management program at each Army installation.

(9) Conduct an annual review and inspection of pest control shop to insure that a sound pest management program is established and followed, and that prescribed procedures in the handling, use and disposal of pesticides and pesticide containers are being followed.

(10) Promote a positive integrated pest management program to minimize the excessive use of unneeded chemical pesticides.