Houghton College
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management

We work with Advanced Waste Solutions to deal with the chemical waste generated on campus. Chemistry, Art, Biology and Psychology generate hazardous waste that is removed from the campus on a yearly basis. The EPA has rated the college as conditionally exempt. We have no more than 220 lbs of hazardous waste generated in a month. In chemistry, biology, art and psychology there has been a move to use less toxic reagents and materials. Specimens for dissection are now preserved in Karosafe, which is safe to go down the drain. Specimens in formalin have to be sent out as hazardous waste. In general chemistry we have removed the use off mercury ions in the labs since this needs to be reclaimed if present at greater than 100 ppm.

Any organic solvents are bottled and sent out as waste at the end of the year. Our policy on the chemistry floor is that chemical waste must be bottled and stored for waste disposal pickup. Advanced Waste determines where the different waste materials go. So go for incineration, some for reclamation and some to a land fill. We do collect mercury from devices in a Universal Waste container that will be sent out for reclamation once the pail is full.

None

We have a single electronic inventory. If professors purchase new chemical/reagents then they need to add them to the inventory list. We keep the inventory list on a secure shared drive. We have printed SDS sheets in the labs where the chemicals are stored. Since most of the chemicals are ordered to replace old ones, we don’t do a tight inventory management, just keep track of the presence of hazardous chemicals and add new reagents as purchased.

In terms of waste, we have log sheets associated with each waste container. The professor or students may put in the names of the major components. The log sheets are associated with the bottle of waste to indicate the major components so that the waste company can classify the waste and dispose of it properly. Once the waste jar is full it is taken down to the Boom room and is logged into an overall waste sheet. Once the waste is logged into the Boom room it is classified as waste.

All electronic waste is stored by Technology Services on pallets and in boxes in the Technology Services office until it is collected by eWaste (out of Rochester) for disposal. Most recycling is from Tech Services computer or audio video equipment and is brought to the office by Tech Services staff. There are times when departments will do ‘spring’ cleaning and request Facilities to bring electronics here as well. Facilities also will bring electronics when cleaning out housing after student leave for the school year. For pickup, we call eWaste, who then schedules a pick up.