Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 52.27
Liaison Stephen Ellis
Submission Date July 2, 2012
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

Boston University
OP-20: Electronic Waste Recycling Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Michael Lyons
Senior Category Manager - Facilities
Sourcing & Procurement
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a program in place to recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish all electronic waste generated by the institution and take measures to ensure that the electronic waste is recycled responsibly?:
Yes

Does the institution have a program in place to recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish electronic waste generated by students and take measures to ensure that the electronic waste is recycled responsibly?:
Yes

A brief description of steps taken to ensure that e-waste is recycled responsibly, workers’ basic safety is protected, and environmental standards are met:

The Institutional Recycling Network (IRN) works with Boston University and many other area universities and a network of local recycling facilities in Massachusetts. The IRN works with ACB Recovery to handle all the University’s electronics recycling needs.

ACB is committed to maintaining a safe workplace, and to providing employees with appropriate training and equipment to maintain a safe and accident-free work environment.

All employees are instructed upon hire in procedures to assure the safe performance of their responsibilities, including lifting, equipment operation, and tool operation.

Employees are provided with and instructed in the use of appropriate safety equipment, including (as relevant) safety goggles, steel-toed footwear, hearing protection, gloves, and protective clothing.
Employees are encouraged to report any conditions that they believe may contribute to an unsafe working condition.

ACB is committed to providing service that not only complies with all state and federal regulations affecting the handling of electronic equipment (particularly cathode ray tubes, or CRTs, which because of their leaded glass content can be classified as a hazardous waste when discarded), but assures a level of safety and proper handling that goes well beyond compliance. For example, ACB is committed to assuring that re-usable equipment is marketed only to reputable domestic and pre-qualified international markets, and is not exported for recycling to second- and third-world countries with lax environmental controls.


A brief description of the electronic waste recycling program for institution-generated materials:

Most E-waste is recycled through IRN and a portion of the University’s discarded cellular phones are sent to Verizon Wireless where they are either reused or recycled after data is removed.


A brief description of the electronic waste recycling program for student-generated materials :

During the school year sustainability@BU hosts a Recycling Café in the George Sherman Union where used electronic devices are collected for recycling. The Café also offers free coffee to passerby carrying reusable mugs. Collected electronics are then picked up by IRN.


The website URL where information about the e-waste recycling program is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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