Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.48
Liaison Amy Brunvand
Submission Date Oct. 21, 2020

STARS v2.2

University of Utah
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Amy Brunvand
Librarian
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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:

Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS)
A comprehensive and fully staffed Environmental Health and Safety team with a responsibility to interpret national, state and local regulations related to occupational and environmental health and safety. OEHS provides guidance and support to University of Utah operations and advises Senior Administration on business aspects of occupational and environmental health and safety.

Utah Department of Administrative Services(DAS). Design Requirements: University of Utah Supplement. November 1, 2017.
This document describes design requirements for building and construction, including reduction and control of hazardous wastes during construction projects and design of laboratory facilities that handle hazardous materials.


A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:

Hazardous Waste Management Program
This program area of OEHS involves providing direction, oversight and coordination aimed at ensuring the proper storage, handling, and disposal of hazardous (non-radioactive) wastes, including operation of the Packaging Facility. This also includes developing a contingency plan, providing a removal service for hazardous materials no longer in use, and procuring contractor services for the ultimate disposal of these materials. This includes the procurement of infectious waste disposal contract services. As a research institution with an onsite hospital, EH&S monitors, trains, and enforces proper disposal and recovery of materials with reputable subcontractors.


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

A Performance Audit of the University of Utah’s Laboratory Safety Practices, Report to the Utah Legislature 2019-06.
URL: https://le.utah.gov/audit/19_06rpt.pdf
A 2019 legislative audit found unresolved safety issues. A response letter from University of Utah President Ruth V. Watkins is included in the document. The University is addressing the issues identified.

Reported in local news media:

June 2019
The University of Utah’s chemistry building was evacuated Tuesday after a lab tech dropped a glass container of boron trichloride diethelyne. The Salt Lake City Fire Department’s hazardous materials response team and the lab tech was taken to a hospital.

March 2018
Two people were burned by fuming nitric acid at the Emma Eccles Jones Medical Research Building. The building was evacuated and hazmat crews cleaned the laboratory.


A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:

Lab Management System
URL: https://oehs.utah.edu/topics/lab-management-system
The Lab Management System allows research investigators to request hazardous material pickups and maintain chemical inventories. All disposal requests, including requests for empty containers, can be made in the Lab Management System. New users must complete online training in order to earn a certificate and gain full access to the system.


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

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-owned Electronic Waste
To qualify for campus services, electronics in need of disposal or recycling must be the property of a campus department, affiliated facility, or business unit. All university owned equipment and electronics must be sent to University Surplus for re-purposing. E-waste is considered a “universal waste” by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its campus disposal is managed by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS). University Surplus and Salvage Department (US&S) collects and recycles e-waste through University and EHS approved recyclers and processes. A partial list of equipment considered to be e-waste are televisions, computers, computer monitors, computer keyboards, stereos, VCRs, fax machines, printers, copiers, telephones, cellular telephones, office electronics and many types of scientific and medical equipment. E-waste may not be thrown in the garbage. It should be sent to US&S. If e-waste is disposed of in a manner inconsistent with university procedures, fines and/or penalties may be assessed to the University. Responsible individuals, departments or both may be subject to fines, penalties and possible criminal action.

For Students:
At the end of Spring semester the University provides a week long donation event for students called "What Goes Around Comes Around". Functioning electronics are repurposed during this event.
For personal electronic waste,U Recycle Day
e-waste at the University of Utah

Electronic waste is collected at the University of Utah Rice-Eccles Stadium parking lot. The Sustainability Office hosts the annual collection.
Student also can bring e-waste
Onto U Recylce day. On U Recycle Day, bring your unwanted electronics and personal documents to U Recycle Day. Participants are also invited to donate non-perishable food items, which will be given to the on-campus Feed U food pantry. This event is open to the University of Utah community and Salt Lake residents and is hosted by the U’s Sustainability Office and Salt Lake County Health Department.


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

Website URL where information about the institution’s hazardous waste program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

ATTACHMENT

Core Responsibilities of the University's Hazardous Waste Management Program, Rev. 2016.

SOURCES

Occupational & Environmental Health & Safety
https://oehs.utah.edu/

University Surplus & Salvage
URL: https://fbs.admin.utah.edu/surplus/

Policy 3-040: Property Accounting
URL: https://regulations.utah.edu/administration/3-040.php
Hazardous material disposal is coordinated by the Environmental Health and Safety and the Radiological Health Departments and specific Procedures on the disposal may be obtained from Environmental Health and Safety. If hazardous material is disposed of in a manner inconsistent with these Procedures, fines and/or penalties may be assessed to the university. Responsible individuals or departments may be subject to fines, penalties and possible criminal action.

Policy 3-300: University Health and Safety Policy
URL: https://regulations.utah.edu/administration/3-300.php

Utah Department of Administrative Services(DAS). Design Requirements: University of Utah Supplement. November 1, 2017.
URL: https://dfcm.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/University-Design-Requirements-November-1-2017-final.docx.pdf
Relevant Sections:
3.0 UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS
3.2 Civil
--H. Site Grading (3) Demolition b. Materials, objects, excavation export, garbage, residue, etc., which contain hazardous or regulated waste shall be properly transported and disposed in accordance with the laws of the State of Utah. c. On-site burning is not permitted.
3.8 HVAC Systems
--N. Laboratory Ventilation (1) Basis of Design a. The American National Standard for Laboratory Ventilation ANSI/AIHA Z9.5 – latest version (www.aiha.org) shall be the basis of design for Laboratory Ventilation Systems. The following exceptions and or amendments shall apply: b. Requirements which are noted as ADDED or CHANGED or CLARIFICATION are special University of Utah requirements supplemental to The American National Standard for Laboratory Ventilation ANSI/AIHA Z9.5-2012.
A COMPARISON TABLE shows specific University design requirements for labs handing hazardous materials.

A Performance Audit of the University of Utah’s Laboratory Safety Practices, Report to the Utah Legislature 2019-06.
URL: https://le.utah.gov/audit/19_06rpt.pdf


ATTACHMENT

Core Responsibilities of the University's Hazardous Waste Management Program, Rev. 2016.

SOURCES

Occupational & Environmental Health & Safety
https://oehs.utah.edu/

University Surplus & Salvage
URL: https://fbs.admin.utah.edu/surplus/

Policy 3-040: Property Accounting
URL: https://regulations.utah.edu/administration/3-040.php
Hazardous material disposal is coordinated by the Environmental Health and Safety and the Radiological Health Departments and specific Procedures on the disposal may be obtained from Environmental Health and Safety. If hazardous material is disposed of in a manner inconsistent with these Procedures, fines and/or penalties may be assessed to the university. Responsible individuals or departments may be subject to fines, penalties and possible criminal action.

Policy 3-300: University Health and Safety Policy
URL: https://regulations.utah.edu/administration/3-300.php

Utah Department of Administrative Services(DAS). Design Requirements: University of Utah Supplement. November 1, 2017.
URL: https://dfcm.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/University-Design-Requirements-November-1-2017-final.docx.pdf
Relevant Sections:
3.0 UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS
3.2 Civil
--H. Site Grading (3) Demolition b. Materials, objects, excavation export, garbage, residue, etc., which contain hazardous or regulated waste shall be properly transported and disposed in accordance with the laws of the State of Utah. c. On-site burning is not permitted.
3.8 HVAC Systems
--N. Laboratory Ventilation (1) Basis of Design a. The American National Standard for Laboratory Ventilation ANSI/AIHA Z9.5 – latest version (www.aiha.org) shall be the basis of design for Laboratory Ventilation Systems. The following exceptions and or amendments shall apply: b. Requirements which are noted as ADDED or CHANGED or CLARIFICATION are special University of Utah requirements supplemental to The American National Standard for Laboratory Ventilation ANSI/AIHA Z9.5-2012.
A COMPARISON TABLE shows specific University design requirements for labs handing hazardous materials.

A Performance Audit of the University of Utah’s Laboratory Safety Practices, Report to the Utah Legislature 2019-06.
URL: https://le.utah.gov/audit/19_06rpt.pdf

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.