Columbia University
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

Columbia has implemented several processes to reduce waste volumes. The University has a robust solvent recycling program for alcohol, xylene, acetone and ethanol at both the Morningside and Medical Center campuses. Used electronics, batteries, scrap film are recycled. Mercury-containing thermometers are exchanged for non-mercury thermometers in laboratories. Mercury-containing dental amalgam is filtered from the wastewater at Columbia-maintained faculty practices and clinics through the use of dental amalgam separators with a rate of over 99% efficiency. Silver halide is filtered from wastewater at all Columbia-maintained dark rooms through silver recovery traps. Re-usable sharps collection containers are employed at most locations generating sharp waste. The containers are recycled up to 500 times, thus reducing plastic in landfills. Chemically contaminated glassware is crushed prior to disposal as nonhazardous waste, thus reducing the total volume. Additionally, EH&S organizes several working groups to review safety and waste practices including Institutional Health & Safety Council and Chemical Tracking System Committee.

Columbia has a strict no drain disposal policy, which prohibits the discharge of hazardous, radioactive, mixed and nonhazardous waste down any drain on any campus. Additionally, the University only utilizes vendors that have gone through a rigorous preferred vendor process. This process includes a thorough regulatory compliance paperwork review, documentation archiving and in many cases an onsite audit. The University emphasizes disposal options that reduce our overall impact on the environment such as preferring: recycling, fuel blending or incineration to landfill disposal methods. Numerous training sessions are preformed throughout the year to advise researchers on how to properly manage their resulting waste streams. Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) also offers monthly safety classroom training sessions as required for laboratory personnel that includes proper disposal procedures. https://research.columbia.edu/content/policy-drain-disposal-chemicals

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The University has collection points at each campus for electronic waste generated by the institution. Materials generated institutionally are brought to the Facilities-maintained storage areas for consolidation and disposal through a vetted recycler on a regular schedule. This disposal occurs at least monthly at the NYC campuses and as needed at the satellite campuses. Additionally, the University hosts a semi-annual recycling event at multiple campuses where used electronic waste collection centers are set at the campus level, which generates a large amount of e-waste. University supplied electronic mobile devices are collected for recycling by CUIT. Through Columbia’s Surplus Reuse program, departments can find a matching recipient to receive old working computers to keep them out of the landfill. Computers are matched to other units within Columbia and to local, community organizations partnered with Columbia Community Service. Additionally, several departments have donated computers to various non-profit organizations. Students can drop-off for reuse old working computers less than 5 years old with their power supply 10am-6pm Monday through Friday at 202 Philosophy. Students must first run DBAN to wipe their hard drives before donation.

Additional information about hazardous materials reduction and recycling is available at: Battery Recycling: http://ehs.columbia.edu/RecycleBattery.html Electronic Recycling: http://ehs.columbia.edu/RecycleElectronics.html Lab Glassware Recycling: http://ehs.columbia.edu/RecycleGlassware.html Lamp/Light Bulb Recycling: http://ehs.columbia.edu/RecycleLamp.html Mercury Recycling: http://ehs.columbia.edu/RecycleMercury.html Sharps Recycling: http://ehs.columbia.edu/bsSharpsContainers.html Silver Recovery: http://ehs.columbia.edu /RecycleSilverRecovery.html Solvent Recycling: http://ehs.columbia.edu/RecycleSolvent.html Radioactive Waste Management: http://www.ehs.columbia.edu/RadioactiveWasteMgt.html Hazardous Waste management by Campus: http://www.ehs.columbia.edu/5LAll.html Drain Disposal Policy: http://www.ehs.columbia.edu/draindisposal.html EH&S Safety Committee: http://www.ehs.columbia.edu/SafetyCommittee.html EH&S Safety Training Options: http://www.ehs.columbia.edu/TrainingSchedule.html Criteria