University of Manitoba
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

The University of Manitoba's Environmental Health and Safety Office has developed programs including a Buy as Need program to ensure no excess chemicals are purchased and wasted. HECHMET inventory system is for the sharing of excess chemicals between laboratories and waste removal including substitutes for drain disposal. The office also runs lab inspections, WHMIS training, and maintains regulations on prohibited chemicals. Information and training are provided to users/handlers of hazardous materials to build awareness of waste management challenges.

The Hazardous Waste Program provides guidelines for the disposal of all chemical, radiological, biological, explosive, and potentially unstable waste produced at the University. Most of the chemicals received are sent for disposal to a local hazardous waste contractor. Radioactive waste is stored and where possible is decayed prior to disposal. Biological waste is sterilized in the lab prior to disposal at the Brady landfill.

The University of Manitoba has had no significant releases of hazardous materials in the past three years. The Environmental Health and Safety office is alerted of any hazardous incidents that may occur on campus (including those occurring on sites managed by external contractors). Since 2015, there have been four polyethylene glycol spills - none of which have been classified as hazardous releases. The first leak in 2015 occurred in the Richardson Building crawl space. The volume of the spill could not be determined but the spill was contained and cleaned by the external contractor, Clean Harbors. The second in 2016 was a 20 L leak west of the Agriculture Engineering building. The spill occurred into snow which was then plowed and contained in a waste container and transferred to the Environmental Health and Safety office for proper disposal. The third and fourth incidents occurred in 2017. One involved approximately 1000 L and the other about 80 L. In both incidents the propylene glycol drained into the city's sanitary sewage system. The city was notified through their spill notification procedure so they could take the necessary precautions at their end in water treatment.

The University uses HECHMET electronic inventory system. The system monitors purchases and use of chemicals and enables lab workers to borrow available chemicals from other labs. It allows planning and risk mitigation, information availability, and cost effective solution.

The University of Manitoba has multiple programs for reuse or recycling of electronic waste. 1. Physical Plant runs a battery recycling program. Boxes are placed throughout campus in offices and public use spaces that are accessible by both students and staff. Instructions for what can be placed in the boxes is provided on the outside of the box. The batteries in the boxes are properly recycled by Call-2-Recycle - an official battery stewardship program in Manitoba. 2. Information Services and Technology (IST) at the University of Manitoba is responsible for cycling electronics throughout the campus on an as need basis. If an office purchases a new printer or computer due to change in requirements, the old items - if still in working condition - are reused by another office. 3. Items that are no longer in working order are collected from the office or from IST by Physical Plant. The decommissioned items are collected for recycling by Urban Mine. 4. The University of Manitoba's Office of Sustainability and Physical Plant run Residence Move Out campaigns for students to collect all electronics, clothes, dishes, or reusable items. The items are donated to a second hand store.