Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 58.96
Liaison Stephanie Corbett
Submission Date March 2, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Case Western Reserve University
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have strategies in place to safely dispose of all hazardous, special (e.g. coal ash), universal, and non-regulated chemical waste and seek to minimize the presence of these materials on campus?:
Yes

A brief description of steps taken to reduce hazardous, special (e.g. coal ash), universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:

For hazardous medical waste, a Sani-Pak machine was purchased with the intent of minimizing hazardous waste exiting campus. This machine treats hazardous medical waste into MSW, thereby reducing the risk this waste poses to the environment and the community, while it is still sent to landfill, it is traveling fewer miles and is not being incinerated, in our opinion this is lessening the overall environmental footprint of this waste material. Additionally, there is a published document encouraging the reuse of metal solvent cans and glass bottles for labs to collect solvent, effectively diverting them from a landfill.
https://case.edu/ehs/sites/case.edu.ehs/files/2018-02/Reuse-of-containers.pdf
Universal and non-regulated chemical waste are handled first with training of all relevant employees on how to safely handle and store these materials until proper transport, recycling or disposal can occur. Safe handling containers are provided to all relevant locations such as facilities zone shops around campus. The materials are then transported to our centralized service center.


A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:

Universal and non-regulated chemical waste are handled first with training of all relevant employees on how to safely handle and store these materials until proper transport, recycling or disposal can occur. Safe handling containers are provided to all relevant locations such as facilities zone shops around campus. The materials are then transported to our centralized service center.


A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:

There have been no significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years that have caused impacts to human health or the environment.


A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:

The departments of chemistry and engineering within CWRU's School of Arts & Sciences, along with 180 other labs/teaching facilities/and departments are using an online inventory system called Quartzy to share chemicals for reuse and redistribution. The Department of Environmental Health Services is working towards expansion of this system to all departments across campus.


Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish electronic waste generated by the institution?:
Yes

Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish electronic waste generated by students?:
Yes

A brief description of the electronic waste recycling program(s), including information about how electronic waste generated by the institution and/or students is recycled:

CWRU works with a local nonprofit, RET3, to remove, refurbish and recycle e-waste (computers, monitors, keyboards, other peripheral devices, small printers, cell phones, TVs, microwaves, vacuums) from campus. Users request pick-up using an online google form. RET3 picks up e-waste directly from departments, holds two annual drop-off collections, and takes all electronic materials collected through the end-of-year ResCycle program.


Is the institution’s electronic waste recycler certified under the e-Stewards and/or Responsible Recycling (R2) standards?:
Yes

Electronic waste recycled or otherwise diverted from the landfill or incinerator during the most recent year for which data is available during the previous three years:
39.50 Tons

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.