Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 64.43
Liaison Kelsey Beal
Submission Date Nov. 4, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
OP-25: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Kevin Mouser
Environmental Manager
Environmental Health and Safety
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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:

- WASTE MINIMIZATION COORDINATOR
Each department shall assign a representative to serve as waste minimization coordinator(s) for specific areas, sections, laboratories, etc. within the department. Coordinators shall serve as resources for other departmental staff, facilitate implementation of waste minimization techniques within the area and may monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the waste minimization program.

- WASTE MINIMIZATION TECHNIQUES
All University employees should objectively evaluate waste minimization opportunities in their work area. The following waste minimization techniques are to be considered when evaluating opportunities for minimizing the volumes of waste produced:

- PURCHASING CONTROL
- Order only the volumes of materials necessary to complete the desired activity or project.
- Purchase smaller lots of materials on a more frequent basis. Purchase only volumes that can be utilized during a defined period of time (e.g. every 3 or 6 months) Utilize suppliers that can offer quick delivery of needed materials.
- Purchase chemicals in smaller containers for easier management of unused chemicals unless it is known for certain that bulk volumes can be used expeditiously.
- Be aware of any physical property of the material or chemical that may preclude long- term storage of the material. (e.g. peroxide formation).
- Establish a centralized purchasing system within the department or area to monitor chemical purchase in an effort to avoid duplicate orders.

- INVENTORY CONTROL
- Attempt to redistribute unused materials and chemicals to other campus users. Objectively evaluate the potential use of chemicals offered for redistribution by other campus users.
- Attempt to return unused, unopened materials to vendor for credit.
- Ensure all containers containing chemicals, whether virgin or waste, whether in the original or secondary container, are labeled at all times.

- OPERATIONAL CONTROLS
- Periodically review each experimental or research protocol to assure that chemical usage is minimized.
- Reduce chemical usage in experimentation through the use of microscale techniques whenever practical.
- Evaluate less hazardous substitutes whenever feasible.
Examples include but are not limited to:
- Making double-sided photo copies when practical.
- Promoting the use of recycled and recyclable materials such as non-glossy, non-colored paper stock.
- Utilizing water-soluble, biodegradable scintillation fluids in place of solvent-based fluids.
- Utilizing specialty, biodegradable glass cleaning detergents in place of sulfuric acid/chromic acid cleaners.
- Utilizing a heat gun in place of chemical-based paint strippers.
- Utilizing specimens preserved in less toxic preservatives in place of those preserved in formaldehyde-based preservatives where feasible.
- Utilizing aqueous-based degreasers in place of chlorinated solvent or petroleum-based degreasers where feasible.
- Avoiding wet chemistry techniques when practical.
- Reclaim and reuse materials when feasible (e.g., utilizing spent solvent for initial gross cleaning step and utilizing fresh solvent only for the final rinse).(e.g. Having a naphtha- based parts washer serviced by a reputable service company that reclaims the spent degreaser).
- Neutralizing corrosive wastes as a final step of an experiment or procedure.
- Avoid mixing hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.

- RECYCLING
- Participating, to the fullest extent possible, in University-sponsored recycling programs. These programs include:
- Paper recycling
- Beverage can recycling
- Cardboard box recycling
- Nickel/Cadmium and larger lead/acid battery recycling
- Fluorescent light tube recycling

- NONCOMPLIANCE/PENALTIES
The Department of Environmental Health and Safety may, at its discretion, refer costs incurred from the disposal of wastes generated by actions contrary to the principles of pollution prevention and waste minimization back to the producing or generating department.

In the event the University is cited and fined by federal, state or local regulatory agencies for actions or activities contrary to waste minimization or pollution prevention regulations, the department(s) involved in the citation may be accountable for payment of the issued fine.

Staff, faculty, students and guests of the University whose willful actions violate pollution prevention and waste minimization regulation may be held criminally and civilly liable for their actions.

Any person affected by any such cost or fine assessment may appeal the assessment provided that a written request for such a review is submitted to the current Chairperson of the IUPUI Environmental Safety Committee within thirty (30) days of issuance of the assessment.

Department of Environmental Health and Safety will provide a written, itemized assessment of the incurred penalties to the responsible department or party(ies) and a copy of the IUPUI Environmental Safety Committee Appeals Procedures.

All appeals will be acted upon and reviewed in accordance with the established IUPUI Environmental Safety Committee appeals review procedures.

In addition, the University may initiate disciplinary actions, up to and including dismissal, against any staff or faculty found to be in violation of this policy.

http://ehs.iupui.edu/enviromental.asp?content=waste-minimization-and-pollution-policy


A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:

By means of an on-line request system (the Environmental Management Waste Disposal Form http://ehs.iupui.edu/waste-manifest.asp), generators of campus chemical wastes can readily request the collection of their waste material. Upon receipt of the on-line request, EHS staff visits the location and collects the waste material from the point of generation.

The material is transported to a central processing area where the waste is further segregated and prepared for the off-site shipment to permitted hazardous waste treatment and disposal facilities for final disposal.

For locations which have processes that produce consistent volumes of chemical wastes, EHS offers routine chemical wastes pick-ups without the submission of the Manifest form. EHS also offers a container exchange program these locations.

The campus maintains a contract with a nationally-recognized hazardous waste contractor to provide for the disposal of collected chemical wastes. Waste which are amenable for recycling are directed towards recycling efforts. All other wastes are incinerated in a permitted hazardous waste incinerator in an effort to reduce the long-term liability of the wastes for the University and to provide for the highest degree of protection to the environment.
The IUPUI hazardous waste operations are inspected on a regular basis by state and federal regulatory representatives. The University waste management practices are consistently found to be compliant with local, state and federal regulations. To date, the campus has never incurred a significant regulatory citation.


A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:

None


A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:

Chemical inventory list
Departments shall compile and maintain a workplace chemical list of the hazardous chemicals or products in their areas. The chemical inventory list must contain the following information for each hazardous chemical or product normally present in the workplace or temporary workplace:

The identity of the chemical as specified on the container label or SDS for that chemical
the location (room number or work area) that the chemical is used and/or stored
the quantity of the chemical generally kept at the location

At Indiana University, inventories must be maintained using MSDS Online, the online inventory system provided by University Environmental Health and Safety. More information can be found by visiting the IUEHS website for your campus or by contacting your campus IUEHS department.

Departments are responsible for updating the workplace chemical list upon the introduction of a new chemical or product into the workplace annually and at least by Dec. 31.

MSDS Online: https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/safety-data-sheets/index.html


Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish all 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

A brief description of the electronic waste recycling program(s):

When IUPUI Surplus obtains any asset deemed as a ‘eWaste’ item, it is palletized and prepared for transport to CRS or RecycleForce*. (*RecycleForce may be used as a recycling service provider for eWaste items abandoned after a public auction event at Surplus). Both service providers send letters of recycling when assets are safely recycled.


A brief description of steps taken to ensure that e-waste is recycled responsibly, workers’ basic safety is protected, and environmental standards are met:

IUPUI Surplus eWaste is handled with care; employees stack items securely on pallets, using cardboard to stabilize each level waste, and industrial plastic wrap to prepare for transport. Employees report to manager all damaged contents, including but not limited to leaks, sharp objects, and potentially combustible materials.

To obtain consistency in electronic waste collection Midwestern states have designed 14 guiding principles to guide e-waste programs.

The 14 guiding principles include:
* Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the collection, transportation, and recycling of waste electronics.
* Manufacturers register with the state.
* Retailers are required to only sell products from registered manufacturers.
* The obligation of manufacturers is determined by the weight of covered equipment sold in a particular state the previous year, although a broader array of electronic devices apply towards meeting the obligation. The Initiative’s list of covered equipment: televisions, monitors, laptops and desktop computers.
* Manufacturers may choose to operate their own program or pay a per pound fee to the state.
* At the end of each year, the manufacturers submit a report on the amount of material collected for recycling and, if short of their obligation, remit a per-pound fee for the remaining amount.
* Retailers report to manufacturers on their sales in a particular state.
* Manufacturers collecting more than their annual obligation may bank the credit towards the following year’s obligation or sell it to another manufacturer.
* Manufacturers will have an incentive to provide collection and recycling opportunities in both urban and rural areas.
* Collection agents and recyclers must register with the state to participate in the system.
* All e-waste collected must be handled according to environmentally sound management standards.
* A disposal ban is to be implemented within two years of enactment
* The state is authorized to participate in a multi-state entity to facilitate multi-state implementation.
* States may choose to establish a third-party organization to implement provisions of the statute.


The website URL where information about the institution’s hazardous and electronic-waste recycling programs is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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.