California State University, San Marcos
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management

At CSUSM, the common method of research and teaching is to practice micro chemistry. This is the process of using minimal amounts of chemicals that become hazardous waste once the scientific process is completed. CSUSM examines for ways to divert waste from the common practice of landfilling and direct incineration for waste disposal.

The Emerald Energy Program is one way CSUSM has diverted waste from the landfill. Using this program CSUSM identified waste that was being autoclaved (this uses a large amount of energy) and then sending the waste to the landfill for burial and disposal. This previously landfilled waste is not being diverted to provide energy using an EPA approved method. This waste produces energy for the common power grid and keeps the waste out of the landfill. This program is being expanded to be included in additional research and instructional laboratories. CSUSM is also looking into the viability of using this same method to manage BSL-2 UN 3291 regulated medical waste. Diverting BSL2 waste is an effort from CSUSM to build upon the success of the Emerald Energy program. CSUSM fulfills the ‘good faith effort to minimize waste generation’ according to §262.27 of CFR Title 40.

CSUSM utilizes Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Toxic Substance Control licensed waste haulers to transport our hazardous waste. CSUSM approves the destination facilities for our waste to ensure the TSDF is an approved site for accepting and treating hazardous waste. CSUSM is constantly looking to find the most environmentally friendly method for treating and disposing of hazardous waste. Depending on the waste, it is either recycled, autoclaved and landfilled, incinerated, co-mingled for fuel blending (waste-to-energy), or encapsulation. These receiving facilities will send back our waste manifest signed with the appropriate management method code. (i.e., codes for hazardous waste treatment, disposal, and recycling systems.) CSUSM is required to retain records of hazardous waste shipments for a minimum of three years. This fulfills CSUSM’s requirements for the RCRA and non-RCRA ‘cradle to grave’ tracking of the hazardous waste.

CSUSM has not had any reportable hazardous materials release incidents in the previous three years.

CSUSM utilizes a chemical inventory tracking system that was initially developed by UNLV. The chemical inventory program is called Chimera. This program allows for every chemical on campus be inventoried and assigned a bar code. Chimera allows users (Principal Investigators, Instructional Support Technicians, and safety staff) to communicate with each other if they have surplus or unwanted chemicals. The ability to share virgin product reduces the amount of waste CSUSM generates. CSUSM is also partnered with a local waste vendor to send and receive unwanted chemicals from other facilities. This is called The Orphan Program and it allows our PI’s and IST’s to search a vast data base of chemicals from local facilities and redistributes the unwanted chemicals where they are needed. In the past, unwanted and unused chemicals would go out as hazardous waste before they were ever used for their intended purpose.

CSUSM does manage all the electronic waste it generates responsibly. All electronics used by the campus that are deemed obsolete are either sold or managed as electronic waste. The waste is removed by an approved company through CalRecycle that either refurbishes or recycles the raw materials. A small number of still usable computers are donated to local schools for continued use.

The campus currently holds an annual electronic waste recycling event for the local community, which includes students. This event is geared specifically for electronic waste that is generated outside the institution.