Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 69.41
Liaison Yolanda Cieters
Submission Date Feb. 22, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Seattle University
OP-25: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Phillip Thompson
Director
CEJS
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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

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A brief description of steps taken to reduce hazardous, special (e.g. coal ash), universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
Seattle University continues to be rated as a Small Quantity Generator under chemical waste regulations. This status is maintained by having an aggressive and comprehensive recycling program. Members of the campus community may ask for a Waste Assessment which includes evaluation for alternative management strategies. The Chemistry department reassessed all their labs in summer 2015 with the target of further reducing the use of hazardous materials. Chemistry student participate in Safety Teams during chemistry classes: they are active participants in planning, hazard analysis, documenting and verifying laboratory procedures and participating in safety awareness training activities. SU is no longer using radioactive isotope materials in research. SU is a member of Practice Greenhealth. This is a membership organization for greening the healthcare sector. SU holds a Community Health Center membership that is designed to support College and University Student Health Centers and academic teaching activities.

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A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
Chemical waste is managed through PSC Environmental Services. Biological waste is managed through Stericycle Inc. Universal waste is managed through a variety of recycling outlets.

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A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
No releases have occurred in the previous three years.

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A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
A general excel spreadsheet is used to maintain chemicals inventories for low volume users on campus. The Chemistry Department uses Vertere Inventory Management software. The Institution is beginning to use BioRAFT as a tool to manage all environmental and health and safety information management needs. Preliminary uses target space usage, bio safety program management needs, and document management.

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Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish all electronic waste generated by the institution?:
Yes

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Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish electronic waste generated by students?:
Yes

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A brief description of the electronic waste recycling program(s):
Seattle University utilizes Ecolights Northwest/Total Reclaim for it electronic waste recycling needs. Total Reclaim is ISO 14001 certified, a Basel Action Network member and has taken the e-stewards pledge.

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A brief description of steps taken to ensure that e-waste is recycled responsibly, workers’ basic safety is protected, and environmental standards are met:
Seattle U’s electronics are taken to Total Reclaim, a Seattle computer recycler that signed the Basil Action Network’s Electronics Recycler’s Pledge of True Stewardship and upholds these standards and aggressively searches for new ways to surpass pledge requirements. http://www.totalreclaim.com/

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The website URL where information about the institution’s hazardous and electronic-waste recycling programs is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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