Overall Rating Reporter - expired
Overall Score
Liaison V.S. (Raghu) Raghavan
Submission Date Feb. 26, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Mount Holyoke College
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
-- Reporter Nancy Apple
Director
Environmental Health & Safety
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1 

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 College employs several strategies for reducing chemical waste. An on-line chemical inventory in the sciences allows all faculty and staff to check availability prior to ordering new chemicals. Chemicals are purchased in limited quantities, so that it can all be used. Science courses have actively worked to reduce the amount and toxicity of chemicals used.

A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
Mount Holyoke College disposes all hazardous special universal chemicals in accordance with RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act). Non-regulated chemicals are evaluated and often also sent to licensed facilities. Waste is shipped to several licensed waste management facilities . The preferred disposal methods are recycling, treatment, and incineration.

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:
A chemical inventory system allows faculty and staff to to determine if the chemical they need is in storage elsewhere on campus. This allows for ready sharing of chemicals and reduces purchases.

Part 2 

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

If yes to either of the above, provide:

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:
LITS controls all computer equipment they provide and either redeploy it or collect it for recycling. Campus offices and departments with electronic equipment that does not need to be removed from the LITS inventory contact Facilities Management for pick up.

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

Optional Fields 

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:
5.39 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:
---

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.