Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 52.07
Liaison Jonathan Miller
Submission Date Oct. 27, 2022

STARS v2.2

Nova Southeastern University
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.50 / 1.00 Daryl Garsik
Environmental Health and Safety Specialist II
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:

NSU provides detailed instructions for minimizing, recycling, and disposing of various waste streams on the Environmental Health and Safety(EHS) website at: https://www.nova.edu/ehs/occupational-health-and-safety.html

In addition to the main flowchart, there are 15 more specific flowcharts for use in determining how to minimize, recycle, or dispose of hazardous wastes generated on campus.

The training of staff and students is tracked and documented through safety modules administered through CANVAS. EHS performs periodic and annual inspections of locations (labs, clinics, etc.) that generate hazardous waste, and provides advice on how to minimize waste. EHS publishes a quarterly Hazardous Waste Update (newsletter) to provide updates and announce collection events.


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

NSU has permits (Site IDs) to generate and store hazardous waste, and several contracts with licensed hazardous waste transporters. Hazardous waste disposal is tracked through the EPA’s RCRAInfo database. Laboratories and Facilities Management maintain satellite accumulations areas, and EHS performs quarterly collections from collection event centralized areas, and through waste pick-up request form submissions (through the EHS webpage). Areas that generate larger quantities of waste, such as specific labs and facilities management request more frequent pick-ups as needed. Depending on the quantity of waste, the waste is stored in a centralized hazardous waste room on campus for pick-up, or at the generation location. Unused chemicals in their original containers are lab packed for disposal by a licensed/permitted hazardous waste transporter and disposed of according to the nature of the hazard.


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:

NSU has implemented CHIMERA to inventory the chemicals used in NSU laboratories. CHIMERA is a Chemical Inventory Management and Electronic Reporting Application, which allows laboratories to share their chemical inventories with other labs, and/or contact EHS for assistance with sharing or obtaining chemicals from other labs. EHS does attempt to use or redistribute the unused chemicals collected, prior to having their lab packed for disposal. Another tool, used to help redistribute unused chemicals, is a Laboratory Group on Yammer (social networking service).


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:

NSU’s electronic recycling program is offered through the Office of Procurement. This waste is generated by students, faculty, and staff whose electronics break and are no longer needed.

Facilities Management has a bulb crusher and a vendor that recycles mercury and other heavy metals from lamps, batteries, and other electronic devices. EHS collects and recycles batteries, generated by Facilities Management and the Office of Innovation and Information Technology, through contracted hazardous waste vendors. Generators submit requests for collection through the EHS website.


Is the institution’s electronic waste recycler certified under the e-Stewards and/or Responsible Recycling (R2) standards?:
No

Website URL where information about the institution’s hazardous waste program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.