Michigan State University
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

MSU utilizes various economically feasible minimization methods for different waste streams.  Activities include: consolidation of smaller wastes into drums to reduce the bulk of materials produced; elementary neutralization of corrosive materials; segregation of non-RCRA materials into separate waste streams; return of discarded commercial chemical products to serviceable use on main campus where use is as originally intended by the manufacturer. These processes are detailed in the Waste Disposal Guide [https://ehs.msu.edu/policy-guide.html].   For universal waste, the materials are collected and sorted then sent to a recycler.  Implementation of the The Energy Transition Plan has provided strategic guidance to reducing wastes requiring disposal.  MSU has strategies, processes, policies and training in place to minimize the presence of these materials on campus.  In addition, less consumption is promoted and alternative solutions suggested to reduce the overall use of materials.  MSU has eliminated the burning of coal as of 2016; eliminating a number of key wastes such as coal ash.

All hazardous and non-regulated chemical waste produced on campus or on off-site research stations is transported to MSU's regulated Waste Storage Facility in vehicles that are licensed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.  All containers of waste are properly labeled by the generator with the identity of the waste- this information is compared with the color and consistency of the waste to ensure label accuracy.  trained hazardous waste professionals consolidate compatible wastes into 55-gal drums and the drums are then picked up by qualified vendor at regular intervals.  https://whs.msu.edu/policy_guide.html

None

Each laboratory on campus is required to keep an up-to-date accurate chemical inventory as a part of managing their laboratory chemicals.  It includes the amt.; location; date and responsible person for all acquisitions, syntheses and disposal for the chemicals.  Once a lab manager files a form for disposal of chemicals, it is collected by hazardous waste professionals and determined whether it is in a reusable condition.  They may then offer the chemicals to other researchers in the same building or store them at the Waste Storage Facility for future reuse before removing them as waste.  Researchers are also encouraged through training to purchase smaller quanitities of chemicals when possible to avoid excess waste quantities.he

MSU's sustainable management of electronics waste has several components as illustrated in the infographic uploaded as supplemental materials.  the Computer Division of MSU Surplus manages all of the university e-waste.  the main goals are diverting waste from landfills & ensuring the security of personal information and data.  All electronic waste is processed through the MSU Surplus Store operations.  Items that cannot be resold or reused are recycled through a vendor. MSU recycled approximately 260,000 pounds of e-waste in 2016. and over 4,080,138 gigabytes of data cleaned and destroyed. As a new innovation, MSU recognized the need for a Technology Leading Program to reduce the amount of technology purchased for shorter, finite periods of time.  University departments can lead items such as desktops, laptops, and iPads for either short term or long term use. It offers university departments these electronics for less than half the price of third party technology leasing programs.  

Hazardous Waste: Brian Smith [smithb97@ehs.msu.edu] Electronic Waste: Tim Heckaman heckama5@msu.edu