Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 81.45
Liaison Lindsey Lyons
Submission Date March 1, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Dickinson College
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Lindsey Lyons
Assistant Director
Center for Sustainability Education
"---" 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 strategy used to develop our comprehensive waste management program was to identify the level or levels at which the highest values of individual and collective materials can be reduced, reused, recycled, recovered and then, disposed. Making every effort to avoid disposal. Instead we: A. Identifying the source of all waste streams and assigning a responsible person to manage each waste stream. B. Evaluating all waste streams to determine their proper characterization. C. Establishing waste management procedures for each waste stream, and D. Developing waste minimization strategies, thereby saving matter and energy.

A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
This program is administered jointly under the authority of the Associate VP for Facilities Management and the Director of Compliance & Enterprise Risk Management and is summarized in the attached plan. http://www.dickinson.edu/download/downloads/id/751/comprehensive_waste_management_plan

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 releases incidents in the previous three years.

A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
In the summer of 2016, Dickinson College embarked on its journey to develop a comprehensive, campus-wide hazardous chemical inventory system. This system, Quartzy, has been populated with the complete hazardous chemical inventories from departments across campus including, but not limited to: art, theatre and dance, aquatic center, housekeeping, grounds, trades (including the mechanic’s shop), the organic farm, allarm, environmental sciences, earth sciences, neuroscience, biology, and chemistry. This system allows all departmental faculty and staff to view the chemicals that are present in every room of their department, thus making them aware of existing resources which allows for reuse and redistribution of chemicals. Additionally, our Department of Public Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, and the local fire department and hazardous materials teams also have access to the information which aids in emergency preparedness and response. All departments complete an annual update of their inventory.

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:
We have programs for recycling electronic waste, batteries, and ink cartridges for college-generated waste. These smaller e-waste items are collected across the campus and then recycled by certified companies that meet the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Responsible Recycling Practices (R2) and e-Stewards standards. Facilities Management works with campus offices and departments to collect these items and consolidate them in a warehouse, where they are picked up as needed.

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:
5 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:
Dickinson makes every effort to reduce and reuse before reaching the point of disposal. We have a Comprehensive Waste Management Plan that outlines all goals and objectives including reduction strategies. The purpose of this program is to assure that all waste generated on campus is properly managed with the least impact on environmental resources. This includes: 1. Identifying the source of all waste streams and assigning a responsible person to manage each waste stream. 2. Evaluating all waste streams to determine their proper characterization 3. Establishing waste management procedures for each waste stream, and 4. Developing waste minimization strategies, thereby saving matter and energy.

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.