Sheridan College (Ontario)
OP-25: Hazardous Waste Management

Departments have different methods on reducing the amount of hazardous waste produced. These methods are standardized best practices within the department. For example, the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology prefers substituting or using minimum amounts of any hazardous chemicals. Section 3.6 of the Chemical/Environmental Student Manual states, “Substitute less hazardous materials or techniques whenever possible. There are many instances where highly toxic chemicals can be replaced by less toxic materials.” The Textile department has introduced the use of natural dyes which are less toxic than their synthetic counterparts and are biodegradable. Traditional dyes in the textile industry are major pollutants as they are petrochemical derived. The department works with local restaurants, grocery stores, campus cafeteria, and greenhouses to procure natural sources. The department has held workshops on the use of natural dyes and eco-printing which uses reduced amounts of energy and water. In order to further promote the use of natural dyes, the Textiles department will be establishing their natural dye garden outside the studio. The dyes will be made onsite as opposed to relying on the ordering, purchasing, and shipping of dyes.

Departments that produce hazardous waste work with Occupational Health and Safety to arrange safe and appropriate disposal of waste. Chemical waste that cannot be treated within the chemistry and textiles departments are stored in appropriate containers on-site until disposed. An inventory of the collected waste is taken. Disposal of the waste occurs every 3 months when the departments contact the institution’s Occupational Health & Safety Specialist who makes arrangements with the waste disposal company (Hotz Environmental). The disposal company will carry out a lab pack on site and properly treat the chemicals at their facility.

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Though there is no formal inventory system in place, departments that produce hazardous waste support the reuse of chemicals as a method of best practice. Laboratory technicians are familiar with the lab experiments carried out by students in their respective labs. Many experiments in earlier programs require chemicals that are often synthesized by students in later programs. Arrangements are made prior to the semester to reuse chemicals created by students for other lab experiments. The Textile department practices a variety of reuse and redistribution methods for chemicals. Leftover dyes produced by students can be stored in a small chemical-resistant container for later use or the use by other students.

Sheridan has an electronic waste recycling program supported by Shift Recycling Inc. The company provides electronic waste collection bins at the Shipping/Receiving department on all campuses. They offer regular pick-up service. The technologists and all staff have been informed of the process on the disposal of obsolete or broken electronics that cannot be repaired. Additionally, Sheridan held an “E-Waste Collection Day” across all four campuses on April 9, 2014. The event encouraged students, staff, and members of the community to bring in their electronics waste for recycling.

Shift Recycling reports the following information on their website, which indicates that they are recycling e-waste responsibly, that workers’ basic safety is protected, and that environmental standards are met (http://shiftrecycling.com/about.php): “Shift recycles electronics with the following qualifications: Certified - ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007 Ministry of the Environment - ECA Number 2093-8UQKRU (https://www.accessenvironment.ene.gov.on.ca/instruments/1042-8RZQ7W-14.pdf) Ontario Electronic Stewardship – Approved Primary Processor MS0142” (http://www.ontarioelectronicstewardship.ca/service-providers/recycler-processor/approved-primary-processors/)