SECTION III. STORAGE QUALITY CONTROL

4.21 General. The general purpose of the storage quality control program is to assure

compliance with established DoD storage management principles, and regulatory requirements of

Titles 29, 40, and 49 CFR. In addition to the quality control procedures contained in local SOPs,

installation quality control programs should provide for rigid compliance with the principles

described in the following paragraph to assure achievement of hazardous waste minimization

goals.

4.22 First-In First-Out (FIFO) Method

A. The basic principle affecting the storage quality control plan is the FIFO method. Care must

be taken to ensure that hazardous materials items with the least remaining shelf-life are arranged

in the storage location in a manner that will allow access while minimizing the need to move or

handle such material.

B. Action will be taken to ensure that all hazardous materials shelf-life items are assigned a

shelf-life code. If a shelf-life code has not been assigned to an item that is in fact a shelf-life

item, it may deteriorate in storage and, in turn, introduce unnecessary safety or health risks and

disposition/disposal costs.

4.23 Surveillance Programs

A. Necessary surveillance will be provided to ensure that hazardous materials items are always

in a ready-for-issue condition in accordance with applicable DoD standards or other appropriate

technical documentation. Storage personnel performing routine surveillance should be alert for

expired shelf-life dates (Type I items) or for inspection/test dates which have past (Type II items)

and ensure that the appropriate office is notified when these stocks are discovered.

B. To assist in operating shelf life programs, the Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP),

Mechanicsburg, PA administers the Shelf-Life Extension System (SLES) which consists of two

major databases. They are the Material Quality Control Storage Standards (MQCSS) and the

Quality Status List (QSL). In addition, a course entitled DoD Shelf-Life Management is

available from NAVICP. This course explains how to use the databases and provides knowledge

and skills to determine the condition of shelf-life material upon receipt, in storage, during

surveillance, upon shipment, and when test or restorative actions are required to maintain or

return stocks to a ready-for-issue status. For further information contact DSN 430-1506, (717)

605-1506.

4.24 Disposal of Excess Stocks. Services operating HAZMIN centers and shelf life extension

programs shall follow guidelines and policy set forth by their respective headquarters. Once it is

determined that hazardous materials shelf-life items are excess and disposal action is required,

they should be processed through the DRMO or recoupment facility, as appropriate, without

delay. Prompt disposal action will reduce disposal cost and lessen other environmental

problems. Some States, under their environmental laws, interpret the expiration of shelf-life for

hazardous materials as the point at which the item becomes classifiable as hazardous waste. See

chapter 11 for procedures to process hazardous materials to DRMO.

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