TJ’s Auto Repair and Clatsop County Public Works shop earns ecological business certification

Published 4:00 pm Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Two Clatsop County organizations recently earned state recognition for their environmental friendly practices from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

TJ’s Auto Repair in Warrenton and Clatsop County Public Works Department’s equipment service shop were both certified under Oregon DEQ’s “Ecological Business Program.” The program recognizes businesses in Oregon that reach the highest standards in minimizing their environmental impact. It’s the first multi-media (air, water, solid waste) certification program in the nation.

The state Environmental Quality Commission, while meeting in Astoria last month, recognized the two organizations as the first “Ecobiz” certified businesses in Clatsop County.

Rich Grant, who oversees the “Ecobiz” program statewide, said these two Clatsop County businesses “were very interested in the program from the beginning and worked hard. Hopefully they will be models to other businesses in the community to follow.”

TJ’s Auto repair owner Tim Dowell said that while always striving to maintain environmental safeguards in his business, a voluntary inspection brought to light a few more ways his business could reduce pollutants.

“It cost us money upfront to implement these non-mandatory changes, but in the long run I believe it will save us both money and time, and we’ve done something positive for the environment,” Dowell said.

Dowell said the addition of a parts scrubber and a couple of other practices have eliminated 99.99 per cent of the oil, solvents and anti-freeze requiring disposal.

Shop Foreman Sasha Raichl, who accepted the certification on the county’s behalf, said Public Works had to meet an extensive checklist covering multiple issues, including hazardous waste management, spill prevention, recycling, purchasing, employee training and involvement.

“It wasn’t one thing, it was probably a couple hundred things, from the products we buy, to how we do things, how we clean or discard products and how we store things.” Raichl said. “It was a group effort, including management and the workers.”