Employees must report hazardous and regulated material spills released into the environment to a manager or supervisor. Doing so, initiates reporting and cleanup activities by properly trained responders. Installation heads are to maintain and reference any facility-specific spill, emergency response, or contingency planning documents. Postal Service™ policy requires installation heads to complete PS Form 8187, Hazardous and Regulated Substance Release Notification, to internally report the release of these materials.
Here are common reportable materials used at Postal Service sites that may prompt additional reporting requirements to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state or local regulatory agencies, depending on the quantity released into the environment.
In general, spills to the environment must be reported if they reach:
n Stormwater drains or ponds.
n Dry wells or Catch basins.
n Septic System.
n Sanitary Sewer.
n Surface water.
n Soil.
n Groundwater.
n Waterways.
As soon as any known release to the environment has occurred, Postal Service employees must immediately contact the site installation head, manager, or supervisor. The site installation head, or their designee, must do the following:
n After taking action to protect human health and safety, refer to facility-specific spill or emergency response documents and follow the prescribed requirements.
n Immediately report spills to your designated USPS Environmental Specialist (blue.usps.gov/sustainability/regional-environmental-compliance-all.htm) and the designated safety specialist for the site.
n Complete and submit PS Form 8187, Hazardous and Regulated Substance Release Notification (blue.usps.gov/formmgmt/forms/LiveCycle/psform8187_042016_lc.pdf).
n Consult with your designated USPS Environmental Specialist to make the appropriate federal, state, and local environmental agency notifications. The applicable reporting requirements vary depending on location, and the type and quantity of the material released.
For more information, review the Environmental Compliance Bulletin for Reporting Releases to the Environment at blue.usps.gov/sustainability/environmental/_pdf/sop-reportingreleases.pdf.
— Environmental Affairs and Corporate Sustainability,
Corporate Affairs, 11-14-24
