Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 56.23
Liaison Jim Walker
Submission Date June 14, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Texas at Austin
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 John Salsman
Director
Environmental Health & Safety
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1 

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

A brief description of steps taken to reduce hazardous, special (e.g. coal ash), universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
UT Austin has a robust and well established Hazardous Waste Management program with an emphasis on waste minimization. The office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) has five technicians and specialists working in the Hazardous Materials Program. This staff is dedicated to the proper management and disposal of all the hazardous waste (chemical and biological) and universal waste generated by the University including all off site locations not just the Main Campus in Austin. There is an online training program in place for the proper handling and disposal of hazardous waste which includes promoting waste minimization. EHS has a written Waste Minimization Plan and the university is pursuing a variety of initiatives including: • Green labs • Small-scale recycling in labs • Chemical exchange programs • Chemical container recycling • Mercury thermometer exchange • Glove recycling Last calendar year (2013) UT-Austin’s volume of hazardous (RCRA) waste was reduced by 17% from the previous year 2012.

A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
Sharps and biological waste are picked up throughout campus, following receipt of a Biological Waste and Sharps Form. Supplies, such as sharp containers and cardboard bio boxes, are delivered as they are needed. An extended description of chemical waste handling procedures is online at: http://www.utexas.edu/safety/ehs/disposal/procedures/ Training program: http://www.utexas.edu/safety/ehs/train/ The website URL where information about hazardous materials management is available: http://www.utexas.edu/safety/ehs/disposal/ EHS recycles rechargeable batteries through it hazardous waste vendor.

A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
N/A

A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
The EHS Assistant database allows researchers to share their lab chemical inventories to encourage reuse and redistribution.

Part 2 

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

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

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the electronic waste recycling program(s), including information about how electronic waste generated by the institution and/or students is recycled:
University Surplus gathers all institution-generated e-waste and disburses it through allowed disposal channels (no landfill): Texas educational insitutions, Surplus auctions, and Texas Correctional Industries. Prior to Surplus, we offer a hard drive destruction service for staff and faculty that includes extraction of recyclable materials. This service is available through Information Technology Services (ITS).

Is the institution’s electronic waste recycler certified under the e-Stewards and/or Responsible Recycling (R2) standards?:
Yes

Optional Fields 

Electronic waste recycled or otherwise diverted from the landfill or incinerator during the most recent year for which data is available during the previous three years:
71.65 Tons

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://www.utexas.edu/safety/ehs/disposal/

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.