Overall Rating Bronze
Overall Score 37.30
Liaison Jennifer Dunseath
Submission Date July 26, 2022

STARS v2.2

Roger Williams University
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.75 / 1.00 John Amitrano
Assistant Vice President Facilities & Capital Projects
Facilities
"---" 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:

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.


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


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

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.


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

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.


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?:
No

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:

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.


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

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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