Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 69.51
Liaison Kelsey Beal
Submission Date Oct. 31, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
OP-21: 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:

The IUPUI Office of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) oversees a number of Environmental Management Programs https://ehs.iupui.edu/environmental/programs/index.html, including a Waste Minimization and Pollution Prevention Program: IUEHS has developed this program to establish standard procedures to reduce the volume and toxicity of the waste generated to the fullest extent economically practicable in accordance with The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 as codified in 40 CFR 262.27 (a). https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/environmental-management/waste-management/waste%20minimization.html

IU EHS also provides an IU Waste management guide to help minimize any risk of exposure or pollution.
https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/environmental-management/waste-management/waste-guide/iupui.html

Indiana University Environmental Health and Safety (IUEHS) has developed a Waste Minimization and Pollution Prevention Program to establish standard procedures to reduce the volume and toxicity of the waste generated to the fullest extent economically practicable in accordance with The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 as codified in 40 CFR 262.27 (a). This program applies to all Indiana University faculty and staff who generate waste including hazardous/chemical wastes. Waste is to be managed in the following manner (in descending order of preference) in an effort to prevent pollution to the environment:
• Prevention through source elimination or reduction,
• Product reuse,
• Environmentally-sound recycling,
• Environmentally-sound treatment, or
• Environmentally-sound disposal.
All University personnel are to evaluate waste minimization and pollution prevention opportunities in their work area on a regular basis and implement those opportunities as appropriate. The waste minimization techniques specified below are to be considered, at a minimum, when evaluating opportunities:
• Purchasing Controls
• Inventory Controls
• Operational Controls
• Laboratory Operations
• Maintenance Operations
• Recycling
Chemical Inventory Review - IUB offers an online resource to request an IUEHS review of your hazardous material inventory to identify minimization opportunities: https://www.indiana.edu/~forms/iucomm/machform/view.php?id=110330

Product Substitution Review - IUB offers an online resource to request an IUEHS evaluation of green products or services that you may be considering using or substituting in your operations: https://www.indiana.edu/~forms/iucomm/machform/view.php?id=105095

In addition to IUEHS, additional resources may be obtained through the respective Office of Sustainability:

IUB: http://sustain.indiana.edu/index.php
IUPUI: http://sustainability.iupui.edu/
More information about the IUEHS Waste Minimization and Pollution Prevention Program can be found at: https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/environmental-management/waste-management/waste%20minimization.html


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

The Indiana University Waste Management Program establishes standard procedures for safe, environmentally sound and compliant management of wastes generated on any IU campus. The Waste Management Program is organized to identify the authority and responsibilty, general requirements, and training and recordkeeping requirements that are applicable for all IU campuses.
https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/environmental-management/waste-management/waste-guide/index.html

IUPUI EHS collects a wide range of chemical waste from laboratories, shops, offices, etc. for off-site treatment or disposal. IUPUI Waste Management outlines the general procedures for managing waste from laboratory and non-laboratory operations on the IUPUI campus. Waste handling and disposal protocols for specific waste types commonly generated by both of these operations, is also included. The procedures and methods provided must be followed to ensure everyone’s health and safety, as well as regulatory compliance. https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/environmental-management/waste-management/waste-guide/iupui.html Chemicals are sent to a contractual hazardous waste disposal vendor for final disposition. While some are used as supplemental fuels in cement kilns, the largest percentage are incinerated in a fully permitted hazardous waste incinerator.

Guidelines are provided for the safe handling and disposal for both Laboratory and Non-Laboratory Waste Management. Each area provides proper guidance on the following criteria:
• Identify, Label & Date - Containers are to be labeled at the time the first waste is added, and subsequently add constituent names as needed.
• Store Containers Properly - Ensure waste containers are appropriate and in sound condition – guidance is provided for acceptable waste containers for common chemicals. Check product Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for information on ingredients and other hazard information to ensure proper storage.
• Package - Separate incompatible materials before packing them into boxes. Acids must be kept separate from bases and cyanides, organic material separate from oxidizers, etc. Box your waste - All containers must be in sound, non-leaking condition with tight fitting lids. Place containers in a single layer within each box according to how they should be segregated. Keep compatible chemicals in separate boxes to avoid adverse reactions.
• Disposal - Online Waste Pick-up Request - Hazardous Materials Manifest for Intracampus Transportation
Additional guidance is provided for the proper management of specific Waste Types – more information can be found at: https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/environmental-management/waste-management/waste-guide/iupui.html

IUEHS has also developed a Mercury Reduction and Elimination Program to reduce the volume of mercury within the University system to the lowest possible level while providing Indiana University employees with a mechanism for allowing for the continued use of mercury deemed to be essential. As such, the use of mercury has been reduced to only a limited number of “essential” uses as reviewed and approved by the EHS and the IUPUI Chemical Hygiene Committee (formerly the Laboratory Safety Committee). You will find additional at: https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/environmental-management/mercury.html.

Campus Facility Services (CFS) does have a regulatory obligation to monitor the use of ozone-depleting refrigerants (including Freon 22) in refrigeration equipment on campus. The current air pollution standards establishes limits on replenishing ozone-depleting refrigerants in leaking equipment before the unit must be removed from service and either repaired or replaced. IUPUI EHS recenty audited the CFS refrigeration program and determined that they had the components of a compliant program


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

To date, the campus has never incurred a significant regulatory citation.
Our spill report records indicate that no such incidents occurred within the last three years.


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

We do not currently have a chemical exchange program on campus other than what happens sporadically as researchers spontaneously make inventories available – primarily when the lab is being closed down or relocated. Generally speaking, this has poor success as most of the chemicals are aged and researchers are reluctant to base substantial research on chemical products that they do not have full confidence in.


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

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:

The state of Indiana mandates all unneeded, obsolete, or broken electronics must be recycled.
IU Green IT provides information and guidance on E-Waste: http://greenit.iu.edu/e-waste/index.shtml
For University E-Waste:
• Only university-owned electronics can be recycled on campus. Please send those items to IUPUI Surplus for processing Surplus will determine whether the equipment is viable for resale, or should be recycled. IUPUI Surplus now has a hard drive shredder onsite.
For Personal E-Waste:
• Indy Tox Drop
• RecycleForce

Protect IU provides guidance on secure data removal: Before a department may redistribute, sell, or dispose of computing equipment to another entity, all data must be removed from the storage device(s) to comply with IU Purchasing policy (FIN-PURCH-11). Departments must choose and correctly use a tool that performs at least a 1-pass wipe of the storage device. UISO has verified that the tools that can satisfy this requirement, if used correctly, are DBAN and Mac OS X's Disk Utility.
https://protect.iu.edu/online-safety/protect-data/data-removal.html

IUEHS also provides guidance to Lab Electronic equipment (E-waste) includes electrical or battery operated devices, or appliances such as computers or lab equipment, that often contain toxic heavy metals. E-waste should never be thrown in the general trash, compactors or dumpster, but are to be referred to IUPUI Surplus Property for recycling. The Surplus Property policy for computers can be found at https://surplus.iupui.edu/services/computers.html

Before sending E-waste to surplus, remove any accessory items such as light bulbs, batteries, thermometers, etc. from equipment. Also ensure that all chemical containers, specimens, etc. have been removed from laboratory equipment. Dispose items according to this waste Guide: https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/environmental-management/waste-management/waste-guide/iupui.html#iupuispecific

Ensure E-waste previously used for biological, chemical or radioactive purposes is fully decontaminated, and deface or remove any hazard markings. Refrigerators and freezers must be drained of refrigerant before prior to surplus pick-up. You must call (317) 278-1900 to request this service, which is provided by Campus Facilities Services (CFS). Note that CFS does charge a fee to recover their recycling and disposal charges.

IT Community Partnerships (ITCP), in coordination with other units across Indiana University has finalized a new, e-waste contract. Green Wave Computer Recycling is now the contracted vendor for e-waste removal services at Indiana University, eff. 091719 - 063022 Green Wave is R2 certified and follows ISO 14001, ISO 18001 and all IDEM requirements.


Is the institution’s electronic waste recycler certified under the e-Stewards and/or Responsible Recycling (R2) standards?:
Yes

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:
1.80 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:

Additional Resources:
Protect IU https://protect.iu.edu/index.html

IU Environmental Health and Safety https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/index.html
IUPUI Environmental Health and Safety https://ehs.iupui.edu/index.html

Departmental disposal of old computer equipment at IU https://kb.iu.edu/d/amdw

IUPUI Surplus https://surplus.iupui.edu/services/computers.html

Disposal and Redistribution of University Property FIN-PURCH-11 https://policies.iu.edu/policies/fin-purch-11-disposal-and-redistribution-university-property/index.html

As of 091719: IT Community Partnerships (ITCP), in coordination with other units across Indiana University has finalized a new, e-waste contract. Green Wave Computer Recycling is now the contracted vendor for e-waste removal services at Indiana University, eff. 091719 - 063022 Green Wave is R2 certified and follows ISO 14001, ISO 18001 and all IDEM requirements.


Additional Resources:
Protect IU https://protect.iu.edu/index.html

IU Environmental Health and Safety https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/index.html
IUPUI Environmental Health and Safety https://ehs.iupui.edu/index.html

Departmental disposal of old computer equipment at IU https://kb.iu.edu/d/amdw

IUPUI Surplus https://surplus.iupui.edu/services/computers.html

Disposal and Redistribution of University Property FIN-PURCH-11 https://policies.iu.edu/policies/fin-purch-11-disposal-and-redistribution-university-property/index.html

As of 091719: IT Community Partnerships (ITCP), in coordination with other units across Indiana University has finalized a new, e-waste contract. Green Wave Computer Recycling is now the contracted vendor for e-waste removal services at Indiana University, eff. 091719 - 063022 Green Wave is R2 certified and follows ISO 14001, ISO 18001 and all IDEM requirements.

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.