University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
OP-25: Hazardous Waste Management

The University provides hazardous waste training in the classroom and through Desire2Learn (D2L). D2L is an online course management system used by UW-La Crosse to enhance face-to-face instruction or teach courses totally online. Through this training, the participants are taught how to label, safely collect and dispose of hazardous waste on campus. The training also focuses on waste minimization efforts through all operations. Within laboratories, the Chemistry Department and other allied departments have implemented micro-scale techniques to greatly minimize the amount of chemical consumed and waste generation. Throughout all operations, the University has adopted a practice to use less hazardous material (substitution) to reduce hazardous material exposures and hazardous or special waste volumes. The University has also implemented inventory control/ordering chemicals in smaller containers, modified/changed experiments, and reduced its consumption of coal for heating; thereby reducing the amount of coal ash disposed in the local sanitary landfill.

The University complies with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources rules for universal and small quantity generators. Management practices are outlined in the UW-La Crosse Laboratory Safety and Chemical Disposal Guide. The University has and continues to make efforts to minimize the production of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. All hazardous waste is stored in a limited access storage room. Hazardous waste disposal is managed under a mandatory hazardous waste contract established by the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA). All hazardous and toxic wastes are managed by Veolia Environmental Services. Rechargeable batteries, electronic/fluid-filled ballasts, and fluorescent/incandescent or other light bulbs are managed through a mandatory DOA contract. The University ships waste vegetable oils to Sanimax and lubricating oils/antifreeze to Safety-Kleen for recycling/reuse.

The University had no significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years.

The Chemistry Department has deployed the VERTERE Inventory Control System to monitor the location and amount of chemicals present in its Department. The system allows for the shared use of specialty and other laboratory chemicals. The UW-L Environmental Health and Safety Office facilitates/encourages department and interdepartmental communications to reuse and redistribute laboratory chemicals. All major sciences using laboratory chemicals are in the same building and all department based laboratory managers know each other and regularly share lists of reusable chemicals via email.

Students can turn in electronic scrap to the University Centers. All electronic scrap is managed through a partnership with Dynamic Recycling, a local full service R2/ISO-14001 certified recycler. During campus move-out, resident hall students are allowed to place electronic scrap in designated collection bins/locations within their building or near other exterior collection spots. University employees can submit a request for pickup of electronic scrap to the Information Technology Services (ITS) Department via the process described at: http://www.uwlax.edu/ITS/eWaste/. ITS reuses some equipment on-site and all other electronic scrap is picked up for proper management by Dynamic Recycling, a local full service R2/ISO-14001 certified recycler. All students can submit their electronic scrap to the Cartwright Center Service Counter and resident hall students can submit to the Office of Residence Life during move-out. All student generated electronic scrap is managed by Dynamic Recycling, a local full service R2/ISO-14001 certified recycler.

Wisconsin Law and Administrative Code require electronic scrap generators to properly recycle e-waste through an accredited and state-certified recycling partner. Through a contract, all University generated electronic scrap is managed by Dynamic Recycling, a local full service R2/ISO-14001 certified recycler.

See also: http://www.uwlax.edu/ehs/Waste_Disposal.htm http://www.uwlax.edu/ehs/Lamp_Disposal.htm A print copy of the University Laboratory Safety and Chemical Disposal Guide is provided or available for every facility laboratory. This document is purposefully not provided for general online public access. Portions of the document are available on the internally accessible D2L online course management system.