The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) announced today that the Tobin Memorial Bridge has become the first bridge in the nation to receive an ISO-14001 designation.

The designation continues a string of environmental firsts for Massport as the Tobin joins L.G. Hanscom Field and the Conley Container Terminal as the first transportation facilities of their kind in the country to be ISO certified.

"ISO certification is part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure that all Massport facilities are operated in an environmentally sound and responsible manner," said Massport CEO Craig Coy. "The EMS initiatives support Massport's overall corporate goal of ensuring that environmental considerations are included in business, financial, operational, and programmatic decisions."

In the short-run, the Tobin plans to establish a pilot program for using re-refined oil in Massport vehicles used on the bridge, as well as adjustments in managing trash swept from the bridge. The Tobin will also determine whether alternative materials can be used in re-decking, or if alternative procedures might be adopted for minimizing noise during deck renovations. Long-term, the Tobin will begin a six-month tracking program to identify common causes of truck or automobile spills that might occur, and possible changes to prevent such accidents in the future.

Jenna Newcombe, environmental project manager for Massport, said that the Tobin certification means "it's three down and one to go as Massport moves another step closer towards its ultimate goal of having all facilities, including Logan Airport, ISO certified."

ISO 14001 is an internationally recognized environmental management system standard. It is developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). To be certified to the standard, a business must implement an environmental management system (EMS), which is the tool used by organizations to control the impacts of its activities and services on the environment. A company has the option to be certified to the international standard or to self-certify. If an organization becomes certified, as Massport has, an outside auditor conducts annual audits which then culminate in a recertification audit every three years.

As with other ISO-certified environmental management plans, the first step is to "create a boundary in which every activity that occurs at a facility is listed along with any impacts that activity might have on the environment," said Newcombe. At the Tobin, the list includes bridge re-painting, pothole repair, roadway sweeping, vehicle maintenance, snow removal, tollbooth washing, drainage and bridge re-decking.

Activities from the list are then rated for significance by using criteria such as regulated and unregulated; or those internal to the Tobin Bridge and those undertaken by customers or contractors. This exercise produced a list of long and short-range programs for addressing environmental impacts at the bridge.

"The whole premise of ISO certification is continuous improvement," said Newcombe. "Once we've taken care of what we can do internally at Massport, we will reach out to our tenants and invite them to participate."

The Tobin Bridge opened to traffic in 1950 and at 2.25 miles long, is the largest bridge in New England. Each day, 75,000 vehicles cross the 56-year-old span.

About ISO: A network of national standards institutes from 146 countries, ISO works in partnership with international organizations, governments, industries, and business and consumer representatives. ISO produces the ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 families of quality and environmental management standards. It also provides some 15,000 International Standards for business, government and society.

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