Roger Williams University
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management

Universal Waste

RWU is in the process of converting from fluorescent to LED lighting in campus buildings. RWU has replaced mercury thermostats with programmable thermostats and mercury thermometers with alcohol thermometers.

Hazardous Waste

RWU student programs, theater, and facilities groups coordinate leftover paint sharing. RWU provides hazardous waste training to all waste generators which discusses waste reduction and minimization, including not commingling hazardous waste with non-hazardous waste.

RWU employees and students in waste-generating departments receive hazardous waste management training. Written procedures, appropriate labels, and signage are available to waste-generating departments.

Hazardous and non-regulated chemical waste is collected from waste-generating departments’ Satellite Accumulation Areas on a bi-weekly schedule by our environmental services vendor, Clean Harbors. Clean Harbors inspects the Satellite Accumulation Areas for compliance. The waste is stored in a locked Central Accumulation Area and inspected weekly for compliance. The waste is lab packed (segregated by compatibility and packaged into UN-rated transportation containers in accordance with EPA/DOT requirements) quarterly by Clean Harbors. The packed waste is transported via approved Clean Harbors transporters to approved Clean Harbors disposal facilities for final disposal. All disposal manifests are maintained by Roger Williams University and Clean Harbors.

Universal waste is collected by Facilities Management and placed in the Universal Waste Accumulation Area in labeled and dated containers. The UWAA is inspected weekly for compliance. The waste is packed and transported semi-annually by Northeast Environmental Recycling (NLR). The waste is recycled in an approved NLR recycling facility. All disposal manifests are maintained by Roger Williams University and NLR>

No releases that actively took place during the previous three years. RWU purchased property that was previously a farm and orchard and ongoing remediation efforts are in place on that property (off-campus; not in use at this time). During the purchase process, soil testing revealed lead arsenate contamination in the soil where the former orchard was located on the property. RWU has been working with RIDEM to test and map the area, remove the contaminated layer of soil, and dispose of it in an appropriate landfill. A geotextile fabric has been placed at the level of remediation and fresh, uncontaminated top soil has been placed over the top of the fabric. The property has an ELUR (Existing Land Use Restriction) in place and RWU complies with the inspection and use requirements of the ELUR.

All incoming chemicals are barcoded with professor name, storage location, and course or research purpose. Chemicals are reviewed annually. When a professor retires or a course/research program is phased out, the associated chemicals are reviewed. Chemicals that are safe and appropriate for reuse can be redistributed if there is a use for them with other professors/courses. Chemicals that have storage concerns (e.g., peroxidizable compounds) or are not needed for other courses or professors are disposed of as hazardous waste.

Electronic waste generated by the University is collected by the University’s IT department. Electronic waste collected includes: computers, televisions, and computer monitors. Departments submit a work order request to the IT Department for item collection. The items are picked up and stored in compliance with Rhode Island Universal Waste regulatory requirements.

The electronic waste is picked up for disposal 3-4 times per year by CRS, Inc. out of their Fall River, MA facility. RWU’s IT Department and EHS Department keeps copies of the Certificates of Compliance for each shipment.