What is Stormwater Pollution? – Toolbox Talk

Let’s define the term stormwater. Stormwater is runoff from rain, snow, or other forms of precipitation, which results in surface runoff and drainage. Several problems may arise when stormwater runoff occurs. All industrial and municipal activities interface with the surrounding environment at some point, which means that those activities could possibly create pollution. When stormwater comes into contact with these industrial or municipal operations, it can cause stormwater pollution. If this polluted stormwater flows or has the potential to flow off the industrial or municipal properties, it becomes subject to permitting under the NPDES. The NPDES has set specific limits and a system of onsite stormwater Best Management Practices, or BMPs, to eliminate or at least minimize this point source discharge.

When stormwater comes into contact with an industrial building, outdoor process activities, dust-generating activities, such as stack emissions and mining, outdoor material storage, parking lots, vehicles, and waste we have to consider where that water is ultimately going. When inspecting your site, it is a good idea to keep in mind these general categories as initial sources of possible pollutants: sediment and debris, nutrients, organic enrichment, pathogens, and hazardous materials.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

Get more information about the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Course.

eSafety Toolbox Talks highlight important information from our courses to keep knowledge fresh in 5 minutes or less. Use these in your morning safety meetings, ongoing training, and more! Schedule, view, and track toolbox talks alongside your other training content to foster employee retention and promote a positive safety culture.

Our goal is to develop general awareness courses that create an interesting and interactive learning experience. Each course uses images, video, text and audio for full comprehension. All of our courses are designed by professionals with the ultimate goal of helping employees develop the knowledge they need to work safely.