President
William Duff
Toyota Motor Sales

First Vice President
Robert Heinrich
Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Second Vice President/Treasurer
Christopher Palabrica, CPM, CHMM
Mays Chemical Co.

Secretary
Jeanne Zmich
Labelmaster

Executive Committee Member
Richard Lattimer
Eli Lilly and Company

Board of Directors
Donald Bossow
JohnsonDiversey, Inc.

Larry Cross
UPS Freight

John D'Aloia
Mary Kay Inc.

Steven Dishion
Procter & Gamble

David Evans
Purolator Courier Ltd.

Amy Fischesser
Sun Chemical Corporation

Janet Kolodziey-Nykolyn
Roche

Claudia Meeks
Ford Motor Company

COSTHA representatives meet with DOT officials to discuss the formation of Partnership Agreements

L to R: John Currie, COSTHA Administrator and Technical Consultant; Robert McGuire,Ph.D., Associate Administrator, US DOT PHMSA; Sean Broderick, Regulatory Compliance Manager, Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC and COSTHA Regulatory Affairs Chair; Robert Richard, PhD, Deputy Associate Administrator, US DOT PHMSA and Dave Sargent, Dir. Office HM Initiatives & Trng, US DOT PHMSA 

The Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA) Administrator Lara Currie reports that discussions with DOT regarding the establishment of two partnership agreements have been well received and we are looking forward to formalizing them. “From the initial discussions with Bob Richard at the COSTHA Annual Meeting in March through our first meeting in July of this year, the DOT has been very receptive to the idea.” The first agreement concerns vendor returns/reverse logistics and is being facilitated by COSTHA Regulatory Chair, Sean Broderick, Regulatory Compliance Manager, Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC.  Mr. Broderick states, “Vendor returns are a challenge across many industry segments and affect a large portion of the COSTHA membership. The supply chain and distribution channels for the consumer product industry have become so streamlined that huge volumes of products can be placed in over 100,000 retail stores throughout North America within a matter of days. On occasion, small quantities of these products are returned to the vendor through retail sales agencies or instrumentality or directly from a wholesale distribution center. Reasons for return may include but are not limited to product obsolescence, malfunction, or damage rendering the product unfit for use. Mr. Broderick went on to say, “In some circumstances the products being returned may be subject to the waste requirements contained in Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 262. The scope of our project with DOT can not be accurately quantified without input from the regulated industry. The purpose of the partnership is to obtain vital industry input through open and candid disclosure at organized workshops, discussion groups, meetings, or other for a. The partnerships include PHMSA participation in an environment providing opportunity for developing acceptable and reasonable standards. To further enhance the project we have also reached out to EPA and have scheduled a preliminary meeting with them.

The second COSTHA/DOT partnership is focused on Enhancing the Image of the HazMat Professional and is chaired by Jeanne Zmich, Vice President, Labelmaster and Co-Chair COSTHA Education and Training Committee and  Executive Committee member. COSTHA has recognized a significant problem with regard to career development of hazardous materials management professionals over the past several years. Recent trends throughout the business community have seen senior level management professionals experiencing accelerated retirement packages designed to meet budgetary restraints in a highly competitive economic environment. The hazardous materials regulatory compliance management function is often targeted as a function which is not perceived as contributing directly to revenue generation and profitability of a company. COSTHA has witnessed numerous examples of this trend where senior level hazmat managers have been retired and replaced by either entry level employees or employees already employed in a discipline with some similarity to the hazardous materials management function. Often these environmental, health or safety managers have a full workload without inclusion of the hazmat manager’s function and therefore have limited resources to devote to expanded responsibilities. Since it is often difficult, if not impossible to document the productivity of the function and to exhibit tangible value to the position, promotional opportunities may be limited within some corporations. Coupled with increased complexity of the transportation regulations, criminal and civil liability incurred as a result of errors or omissions, and lack of “top down” recognition of the position to provide a career ladder, qualified management candidates are not attracted to a career path which a focuses on hazardous materials transportation.

COSTHA Administrator and Technical Consultant John Currie noted, “This problem is becoming international in scope. At the 29^th Session of the UN Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, the Netherlands submitted (ST/SG/AC.10/C.3/2006/38) their concern regarding a ‘decline in the experts on the transport of dangerous goods regulations, not only on the side of government but also on the side of industry. Furthermore, it is getting more and more difficult to find new persons who are interested in spending many years becoming an expert."

The mission of the partnership is to enhance recognition within companies, the industry, and the general public, for those involved in hazardous materials and to ensure the safe and secure transportation of hazardous materials. COSTHA and DOT/PHMSA will develop a strategic approach for enhancing the “value added and key-role” image of the hazardous material employee, with a goal to elevate the role within the industry.

A task force for each of the partnerships has been formed. Members who are interested in participating or obtaining more information should contact the COSTHA office, 703.451.4031 or by email mail@costha.com.

COSTHA is a not-for-profit industry association devoted to promoting regulatory compliance and safety in the international and domestic transportation of hazardous materials.  COSTHA represents shippers, carriers, container manufacturers, training companies, and related businesses and associations responsible fthan $1.6 trillion in international commerce.  These entities are involved in all aspects of hazmat commerce, including transportation of hazardous materials, hazardous substances, marine pollutants, and hazardous wastes on  a global basis.

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