| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 86.87 |
| Liaison | Carrie Metzgar |
| Submission Date | Nov. 5, 2024 |
University of California, San Diego
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Reggie
Long Hazardous Materials Manager Environment, Health & Safety |
Part 1. Hazardous waste minimization and disposal
A brief description of steps taken to reduce hazardous, special (e.g. coal ash), universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
California Senate Bill (SB) 14 is the Hazardous Waste Source Reduction and Management Review Act of 1989. SB 14 requires hazardous waste generators to seriously consider source reduction as the preferred method of managing hazardous waste. Source reduction is preferable over recycling and treatment options because source reduction avoids waste generation costs and management liability. Source reduction also provides the best protection for public health and the environment. UC San Diego has developed and implemented a hazardous waste source reduction program in accordance with this act.
UC San Diego works with vendors to provide the campus with Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) approved alternatives to be used in laboratories and medical centers, such as alternatives to ethidium bromide.
EH&S staff provide training and information about ways to reduce and recycle hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste to laboratories using electronic newsletters, hazardous materials handling and environmental protection training, and periodic laboratory inspections.
A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
UC San Diego’s Environment Health & Safety (EH&S) Department annually reviews hazardous waste streams composed of chemical, radiological and biohazardous constituents to reduce toxicity, decrease volumes, and recycle wastes. All chemical waste recycling or disposal is managed through the UC San Diego Environmental Health and Safety office (EH&S). In most cases, EH&S picks up waste from a collection location or generator site and manages the recycling or disposal process for that waste at the Environmental Management Facility (EMF). Hazardous materials collected by EH&S for disposal are packaged and labeled properly, which includes segregating incompatible materials, placing them in appropriate sealed containers, and identifying all components with approximate concentrations. Chemical wastes are further segregated by type, and consolidated or bulked before a licensed hauler transports them from the campus to permitted off-campus facilities for disposal.
Some special projects may require a department to contract directly with a waste disposal vendor. In these cases, any waste removal must first be approved by EH&S. EH&S comprehensively reviews the waste manifest documents, the waste hauler information, and the disposal facility status prior to waste shipment. EH&S also tracks the waste until it reaches the final destination and is disposed. EH&S maintains manifest documents, as required by state and federal regulations, and produces documentation during regulatory agency audits.
UC San Diego also pays annual hazardous waste taxes based on the volumes of waste disposed. It should be noted that UC San Diego is not permitted as a disposal facility and thus does not dispose of chemical hazardous wastes on the site. Within 90 days, the waste is shipped off the campus by licensed transporters for recycling, treatment and/or disposal at licensed treatment storage or disposal facilities in California and other states. Refrigerators are deactivated, hazardous substances removed, and the framework recycled as scrap metal. CRTs are deconstructed, batteries are shredded, and precious metals recovered for reuse.
A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
There have not been any hazardous material releases at UC San Diego during the previous three years.
A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
ChemCycle is UC San Diego's chemical recycling facility operated by Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) (https://blink.ucsd.edu/safety/research-lab/hazardous-waste/disposal-guidance/chemcycle.html). UC San Diego researchers can obtain and donate unopened, free chemicals. Chemicals obtained through ChemCycle are solely for research use on campus. Non-campus, non-research activities cannot access or use ChemCycle.
Part 2. Electronic waste diversion
Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish electronic waste generated by students?:
If yes to either of the above, provide:
Electronic Waste Generated by the Institution:
-
The disposal of monitors, televisions, and other electronic devices owned by UC San Diego is managed through the Campus Asset Management System (CAMS) and coordinated by Surplus Sales. More information about this electronic waste recycling program is included in the following link:
http://blink.ucsd.edu/finance/equipment/inventorial/dispose/surplus.html
Electronic Waste Generated by Students at UC San Diego:
UC San Diego’s Housing*Dining*Hospitality has developed a website that provides resident students specific information on how to recycle batteries within their residence halls or apartment community. The UC San Diego Waste Sorting Guide is available here: https://hdhsustainability.ucsd.edu/_files/waste-sorting-guide.pdf EH&S has also partnered with student-led sustainability organizations to establish e-waste drop-off locations throughout student residential areas during move-out week.
Electronic Waste Generated by the Institution and Students:
A permanent e-waste drop-off location has been established at the campus bookstore and is accessible to the campus community year-round. Information about universal and electronic waste disposal is available here: https://blink.ucsd.edu/safety/research-lab/hazardous-waste/disposal-guidance/electronics.html
Is the institution’s electronic waste recycler certified under the e-Stewards and/or Responsible Recycling (R2) standards?:
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
All campus-owned and generated e-waste is sent to IMS in Poway, CA. IMS is R2 Certified.
Point of contact for credit information:
Reggie Long, Hazardous Materials Manager, Environment, Health & Safety
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.