Florida International University
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

The Hazardous Waste Program provides guidelines and resources to protect the university community and the environment from dangers posed by improper handling/disposal of hazardous waste, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. By law, the University is required to strive to reduce the amount of hazardous waste it generates; therefore, University personnel are directed to take the following measures: • Buy only those amounts of hazardous materials which can be used before the expiration date of the material. • Use up the hazardous material completely for the purpose for which it is intended. • When finished with a stable and uncontaminated product, the chemical can be placed into the Interdepartmental Chemical Exchange Program. http://policies.fiu.edu/files/349.pdf The Campus Master Plan Element 13, Conservation, also addressed hazardous waste management: Objective 2.1 Minimize Impacts of Campus Operational and Maintenance Activities: Establish campus-wide policies to minimize the impacts of campus operational and maintenance activities on the water quality, and to identify hazardous material sources and reduce their negative impacts. Policy 1.2.2 Minimize emissions of air pollutants from and within buildings on campus through the installation of appropriate filtering devices on fume hoods and by minimizing the storage and use of volatile and hazardous materials in campus buildings. Policy 2.1.5 Maintain a record of types and amounts of hazardous, toxic and medical wastes that are generated within the University and a record of hazardous, toxic and medical waste that are collected by the Environmental Health and Safety Staff. The University shall also maintain a record of the types and amounts of hazardous, toxic and medical waste that waste disposal companies collect. Records shall be kept of the name of the waste disposal companies and the name of the driver for each pick-up. Policy 2.1.7 At present, all hazardous materials for both campuses are handled under four EPA-Hazardous Waste Generator numbers. The University should investigate the possibility of operating under more than one number to ensure compliance with requirements associated with satellite collection areas. http://facilities.fiu.edu/Documents/Planning/MasterPlans/MasterPlans10_20/CMP_Update_Docs_10_20/CMP_Update_Chapters_10_20/Element_13_Conservation.pdf

The Hazardous Waste Program provides guidelines and resources to protect the university community and the environment from dangers posed by improper handling/disposal of hazardous waste, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. Hazardous wastes can be solids, liquids, gases, or sludges. They can be derived research processes or simply discarded commercial products such as cleaning fluids or pesticides. A variety of materials are available on the FIU Environmental Health & Safety website regarding the use and handling of hazardous materials on campus.

There have been no hazardous materials incidents in the last three years.

The Environmental Health & Safety Office manages an Interdepartmental Chemical Exchange Program. It is aimed at reducing the total amount of chemicals purchased by the university and is required by law. http://ehs.fiu.edu/Programs/Laboratory-Safety/Pages/default.aspx

FIU Purchasing Services – Property Control Office manages a surplus warehouse located on our Modesto Maidique Campus. Faculty and Staff are invited to visit our Surplus Warehouse for department’s furniture and equipment needs. The Warehouse is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:00 A.M. until 3:30 P.M. (close during lunch hours from 12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M.). Auctions are held as necessary, and items are sold in lots, as apposed to individual items. For the past five years, no materials have been remaining after the auction, so there has been no need for disposal on the part of the university. The Office of University Sustainability held an electronics recycling drive for the university community. A tent and tables was set up outside of the student union for 3 day for students, faculty, and staff to drop off unwanted electronic materials. The materials was then sent to a local electronics recycling facility. The university has also placed a few "Recycle Houses" around campus that has slots to collect common materials that are not accepted into our single-stream recycling. One of the slots on there is for small electronics. Anyone can drop items off in the Recycle House and the Office of University Sustainability will take them to a local electronics recycling facility.