Motor Pool honored with 4-star environmental rating

Car-maintenance shops and environmentalism do not often find themselves connected, but The UW's Motor Pool Operations is doing its part to make the two more compatible.

Last month, King County's EnviroStars program certified the department, giving it a four-star rating. Holly Campbell, Motor Pool's program operations manager, said the department had already been operating at the standard, and receiving the award was basically a matter of applying.

"We really didn't have to change anything," she said. "It's something we've never looked into before."

The department operates and maintains a fleet of about 600 University-owned vehicles, from small cars to the UW Health Sciences Express buses. All official UW vehicles can be traced back to this industrial facility. The department is responsible for nearly every aspect of the vehicles, with the exception of warranties and body repairs. Much of the fleet is generally available to rent for official University purposes.

King County's EnviroStars program, along with its counterparts in Kitsap, Snohomish and Whatcom counties, recognizes businesses for their work to protect the environment. Certifications, carrying ratings from two to five stars, are given to businesses committed to reducing pollution and hazardous waste in their operations.

As confident as Campbell is in the department's environmental standards, she was surprised by the praise from an EnviroStars representative evaluating the facility.

"She was really impressed with our facility," she said. "I don't know that we expected to get four [stars]."

The facilities are impressive, at least in an environmental sense. The department is meticulous with controlling any hazardous waste it produces, and reducing waste and pollution in general. Mechanisms are in place to direct any hazardous materials away from storm drains, keeping pollutants from flowing into local bodies of water.

Additionally, Campbell said nearly everything the department works with could be reused or recycled in some way. The department's Web site lists a vast array of items the department recycles, from paper products to less common materials like radiators or antifreeze.

Although public facilities are common recipients of the award, any business is eligible for consideration. Dozens of Seattle businesses have been given four- or five-star ratings, but the Motor Pool is the only UW department certified under the program.

Campbell stressed that the department, though pleased with the recognition, is working toward a five-star rating for 2004.

"It's just a matter of making sure we would satisfy the solid-waste [recycling] requirement," she said.

She said the department already recycles these materials, but through the University's recycling system. Five-star ratings are given to operations deemed leaders in cutting waste and pollution.