University of Texas at Austin
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management

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 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 Main Campus in Austin and all off-site locations owned by UT 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 2021 UT-Austin’s volume of hazardous (RCRA) waste generated was a 50.8% increase from the previous year 2020. In 2020, COVID-19 temporarily halted most university operations (including research) and continued to disrupt normal operations the remainder of the year resulting in significantly less hazardous waste generated. However, there was a 0.2% decrease in the volume of hazardous waste generated in 2021 compared to the last “normal” year of operation 2019.

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:
https://ehs.utexas.edu/environment-waste/waste-management/chemical-waste

Training program:
https://ehs.utexas.edu/training/lab-training-requirements.php/

Training program:
https://ehs.utexas.edu/training-education

The website URL where information about hazardous materials management is available:
https://ehs.utexas.edu/environment-waste/waste-management

EHS recycles rechargeable batteries through its hazardous waste vendor.

On May 13th, 2020, the tank of a fuel station fell off a forklift while it was being transported by a contractor working on the Moody Center arena project site. 42 gallons of red-dyed diesel were spilled onto the pavement of a parking lot and entered an adjacent storm drain. The contractor notified EHS, who responded immediately and helped locate the storm sewer outfall where the diesel would daylight into Waller Creek. EHS and the contractor were able to contain the majority of the spill prior to it reaching Waller Creek with absorbent booms. EHS on behalf of the contractor reported the spill to both the City of Austin Watershed Prevention and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Due to the scope of cleanup required, a third party contractor was contacted to clean up the impacted creek bank, storm sewer, and parking lot. EHS continued to respond and coordinate with the project superintendent and third party until the spill was completely remediated. All appropriate spill documentation was submitted to TCEQ.

The EHS Assistant database allows researchers to share their lab chemical inventories to encourage reuse and redistribution.

University Surplus gathers all institution-generated e-waste and disburses it through allowed disposal channels (no landfill): Texas educational institutions, Surplus auctions, and Texas Correctional Industries.

Prior to Surplus, we offer a hard drive destruction service for staff and faculty that includes the extraction of recyclable materials. This service is available through Information Technology Services (ITS).