If a college or university teaches vehicle maintenance classes to students or conducts research on vehicles, can this automotive maintenance area be included under Subpart K at my campus?
An auto maintenance area that only services a university’s vehicle fleet would not meet the definition of laboratory because it is not an area used for teaching and research. If, however, an automotive maintenance area is used for teaching or research, it would have to meet all the aspects of the definition of laboratory under Subpart K in order to be eligible to operate under Subpart K. By definition, laboratories are limited to areas where chemicals and other substances are stored in containers that are “easily manipulated by one person.” Wastes from vehicle maintenance areas tend to be collected in large containers, such as drums, that are not easily manipulated by one person and thus it would be unlikely that vehicle maintenance classrooms or vehicle research areas would meet the definition of laboratory.
