Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 72.19
Liaison John Pumilio
Submission Date Aug. 11, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Colgate University
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 John Pumilio
Director of Sustainability
Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1 

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:
The Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) provides safety and advisory services to the entire campus community. EHS is responsible for conducting environmental surveys, managing identified risks, advocating safe work practices, presenting quality educational programs, and ensuring compliance with university and regulatory standards. Colgate University had a Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) inspection by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) this past fall, which included a regulatory compliance inspection of the University's hazardous waste management and universal waste management programs, and received no violations. The university substitutes non-hazardous chemicals for hazardous chemicals in experimentation whenever practicable. Colgate also sends its light-bulbs, batteries, and used oils to the county and/or commercial service providers for recycling. In addition, the university donates its wood-fueled boiler ash (as opposed to sending it out for disposal as non-regulated chemical waste) to local farmers to be used as fertizer for their crops. Parts cleaner sink systems have been been placed in the fine arts, performing arts, and facilities paint shops to minimize cleaning hazardous waste streams and recycle cleaning solvents.

A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
Colgate's HAZMAT Contingency Plan provides a written plan of action for Colgate University in the event of a fire, explosion, or unplanned release of hazardous materials or hazardous waste that could pose a threat to human health and/or the environment. The university follows all local, state, and federal waste regulations. These waste streams are collected at satellite accumulation areas (SAAs) and stored in a main accumulation area (MAA). Waste streams are segrated by compatibility, consolidated whenever possible, containerized, properly labeled, profiled, and then disposed of by various service providers (Clean Harbors Environmental, Stericycle, etc).

A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
We haven't had any.

A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
Colgate's Environmental Health and Safety Office conducts routine chemical inventories within the sciences, shops and studios. Our program takes stock (unused) chemicals that are given to us and put them into a "surplus" inventory. Each faculty and staff member within the sciences has access to this list via Google Drive and can request those chemicals at no cost for their labs. We do not keep all unused stock chemicals because it is not safe to do so, for example we do not keep chemicals that are peroxide forming, expired, contaminated, etc.

Part 2 

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

If yes to either of the above, provide:

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:
Colgate has a Salvage and Surplus program where all Colgate-owned electronic waste (such as computers and peripheries, printers, televisions, etc.) are refurbished and re-sold or recycled properly through Regional Computer Recycling & Recovery (RCR&R) in Rochester, NY.

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

Optional Fields 

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:
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://www.colgate.edu/offices-and-services/environmentalhealthandsafetyoffice

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.