Carleton University
OP-25: Hazardous Waste Management

All individuals working in laboratories or other areas where hazardous materials are used can have a direct effect on the total volume of hazardous waste generated by the department. Considering the following points before beginning new projects could result in a safer area and reduce the amount of waste disposal and the costs associated with it: - The use of a non-hazardous or less hazardous material, - Micro scale experiments, - Buy only what is needed, disposal costs negate the savings of bulk purchasing, - Check with the College of Natural Sciences Central Stores before purchasing to see if the product is already available in the stores, - Advise the College of Natural Sciences Central Stores of products available for others to use, - Label all products; costs to verify unknowns are very high, - Arrange the return of test materials in advance, - Do not accept donations of hazardous materials if there is not an immediate use. -Chemical inventory exists across Campus. People from different faculties are able to share inventory instead of having to buy new. For 3 years the inventory has been running successfully. - approximately 3 years ago a $30 000 investment was made by Environmental Health and Safety to be put towards hazardous waste disposals.

Each department currently has a contact person who helps them bring hazardous waste to disposal. When they have waste that is ready to be disposed of, they call to arrange a pick up time. Hazardous waste is stored in a cinder block bunker, for a time period of no longer than 90 days. Typically, every 2 months a waste hauler comes onsite to remove the hazardous waste from each designated spot on campus. As well, whenever waste is brought to a bunker, a form must be filled out, describing the hazardous waste disposal. This allows that department to later be charged for their disposal. Chemical Waste is stored in a fenced in area by maintenance, for the disposal of chemicals such as paint. Biomedical Waste is picked up monthly. Biomedical waste includes pharmaceutical waste and anatomical (from the animal care facility), and sharps from labs. Finally, any waste that requires being pumped out, such as the hydraulic oil from an elevator is pumped out by a third party company.

On December 15th 2015, a trash compactor on campus malfunctioned, spilling hydraulic oil from the compactor onto the asphalt and into the storm drain. A third party company was called and came in to pump out catch basin of storm drain and thoroughly rinse out the affected water. While the hydraulic oil spill itself was fairly small in size, 5,006 liters of water was pumped out of storm drain, through rinsing and washing to ensure all hydraulic oil was removed. The situation was remedied quickly and efficiently.

http://carleton.ca/ehs/chemical-inventory-management-system/

- Carleton has partnered with Electrobac to provide small electronic waste and ink cartridge recycling on the campus. -We offer an e-waste recycling program for all Carleton community members to recycle their computers, monitors and electronic accessories responsibly. In 2013, we diverted from landfill 19,000 kg of E-Waste. -CCS Hardware Services arranges the other e-waste recycling, for larger e-waste. Through the Ontario Electronics Stewardship (OES) program electronics are collected, recycled and/or disposed of in an environmentally responsible way. - Hardware Services operates the E-Waste Recycling Program and provide environmentally friendly and secure disposal of E-Waste. Campus community members (staff, faculty and students) can drop off their departmental e-waste at the Herzberg Building.

The organisation that collects Carleton University’s E-Waste abides the rules set out by the Ontario Electronic Stewardship (OES) program. On campus, measures are taken to ensure e-waste is being disposed of in a safe manner. For example, all batteries going to e-waste are placed in plastic bags before being picked up, so the worker doing the pick ups is not touching expired batteries directly.