| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 48.20 |
| Liaison | Lauren Poole |
| Submission Date | Dec. 10, 2021 |
Colorado School of Mines
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Lauren
Poole Sustainability Coordinator EHS |
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?:
A brief description of steps taken to reduce hazardous, special (e.g. coal ash), universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
Mines operates a chemical storage and distribution facility (CSDF). This facility is an important asset to minimize hazardous and non-hazardous chemical wastes. The CSDF allows for centralized chemical ordering, allows for the maintenance of a chemical inventory system and facilitates recycling of surplus chemicals. The centralized chemical purchasing program enables waste minimization by eliminating the acquisition of excessive volumes of chemicals. Mines also maintains a waste minimization program. In addition to the waste minimization opportunities offered by the Mines CSDF, researchers and campus maintenance personnel are encourageds to implement the following waste minimization strategies:
- Small scale experiments and demonstrations
- Material substitution
- Minimize chemical and material ordering
In addition, our objective is to minimize the generation of hazardous waste where possible through green chemistry principles. The disposal of hazardous waste is strictly governed by federal and state regulations. Mines has a Hazardous Materials Management Facility that allows our EHS team to handle and properly dispose of the diverse hazardous , universal, and chemical waste streams generated from campus research. Colorado School of Mines employs a Green chemistry program. Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry relies on a set of 12 principals that can be used to design or re-design molecules, materials and chemical transformations to be safer for human health and the environment.
A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
School policy requires all campus personnel who require chemical procurement services to receive Waste Generator Training. Annual refresher training is required to remain eligible. This training identifies the requirements for using the chemical procurement program, searching the chemical inventory and the strategies outlined in the Waste Minimization Plan.
Waste Generators submit individual waste containers for pick up from campus labs using the Mines web-based submittal program. Each waste container is evaluated for proper waste disposal and moved to a centralized waste storage facility. Unused/unwanted chemicals that satisfy age and safety requirements are reintroduced to the chemical inventory system. Chemical hazardous waste that needs to be managed for off campus disposal are sent to preselected treatment storage and disposal facilities. This ensures all wastes are managed in a legal and responsible manner. Flammable and organic wastes are shipped to a fuel blending facility.
Universal waste such as old lighting and batteries are stored and picked up for recycling by companies that handle universal waste such as Region 8 Environmental Services.
A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
N/A
A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
The Mines EHS Department maintains a chemical inventory program. The inventory enables chemical recycling and redistribution. For additional information on the program, please see the Mines Hazardous Waste Management Plan available at:
http://inside.mines.edu/UserFiles/File/EHS/Programs/Waste Minimization Plan- 2012 Revision.pdf
Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish electronic waste generated by the institution?:
Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish electronic waste generated by students?:
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:
All electronic waste generated by the institution is recycled through a responsible e-waste recycling service that picks up items monthly from our e-waste storage area. Mines pays for this service. We also provide information about e-waste recycling on our Sustainability website.
Is the institution’s electronic waste recycler certified under the e-Stewards and/or Responsible Recycling (R2) standards?:
Website URL where information about the institution’s hazardous waste program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Sources:
Environmental Health & Safety Office: https://www.mines.edu/ehs/hazardous-waste-management/
Sustainability Office/Surplus Property: https://www.mines.edu/sustainability/surplusproperty/
Reviewed by Tim Sweitzer, Associate Director, EHS.
Sources:
Environmental Health & Safety Office: https://www.mines.edu/ehs/hazardous-waste-management/
Sustainability Office/Surplus Property: https://www.mines.edu/sustainability/surplusproperty/
Reviewed by Tim Sweitzer, Associate Director, EHS.
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.