Texas Tech University
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management

The University strives to achieve its goals to reduce waste generation it has set through its Source Reduction and Waste Minimization (SRWM) plan that it updates every five years and reports its progress annually to the TCEQ. The University currently has a goal in place to reduce hazardous waste generation by 5% over the next five years. This is achieved by education of its customers (mostly laboratories) in the proper use of hazardous materials and proper handling and disposal practices for hazardous waste. It has also streamlined its receipt of chemicals and other hazardous materials though a central receiving facility called the Gateway. The material is cataloged, tracked, and barcoded to prevent excessive amounts of chemicals from being over-ordered and accumulated on campus. The ultimate goal of this process is to reduce the amount of laboratory chemicals that need to be wasted because of non-use or expiration.

The University partners with a permitted Treatment, Storage, and Disposal facility (TSDF) for the safe, legal, and final disposition of all of its hazardous waste streams. Hazardous waste is prohibited from being placed in a landfill per federal law so the waste must be disposed at one of these federally permitted facilities. The waste is safely stored on-campus for less than 90 days before being packaged and transported by a registered hazardous waste transporter to the permitted TSDF for either incineration or fuels blending. The waste is manifested from the University to the TSDF for accountability and compliance with State and Federal regulations.

There have been no releases of hazardous waste to the atmosphere, ground, or waters of the State in the last three years.

Currently, the University’s inventory of chemicals and hazardous materials do not accommodate the reuse of laboratory chemicals. It is currently being evaluated to determine if a process can be incorporated to facilitate the reuse of overstock, off-specification, or older chemicals located on campus.

All computers, printers, miscellaneous technology and computer peripherals that are sent to Surplus (by users on campus) are available for on-campus-use repurpose, or are available to outside state entities for re-use (such as local ISDs). Any pieces that are not re-used for on-campus needs or state entity needs are palletized and documented (with their asset tag numbers and/or serial numbers) and sent to the TDCJ (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) for their Computer Recovery Program. Our Texas Tech loads are trucked to Huntsville, TX at the Wynne Facility. Between September 2020 and January 2021, we have sent 5 loads/100 pallets. We are also preparing to begin shredding hard drives in our Property Surplus warehouse; all hard drive identification numbers will be recorded in a database prior to shred/disposal.