University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

Source reduction steps include: 1. Substitute non-hazardous chemicals for more hazardous chemicals in classroom labs. 2. Re-engineer chemical activities to use less chemicals. One chemistry lab stopped performing a mercury lab, which created a lot of hazardous waste. 3. Order smaller quantities of chemicals to match needs. 4. Give surplus chemicals to campus redistribution program for reuse elsewhere on campus, this includes chemicals, paints, cleaners, gas cylinders, and even lab glassware.

Hazardous waste is disposed of through Veolia Environmental Services. Some waste is sent for incineration or treatment, depending on Veolia’s procedures. Universal Waste: Batteries are recycled through “Call2Recycle”, and the Environmental Protection department tracks the amounts we send to them. Pesticides are disposed of through Veolia Environmental Services. Mercury Containing Devices are recycled through Veolia Environmental Services Lamps are recycled through Veolia Special Services (through PPS). Non-regulated chemical waste: Depending on the chemical, some can go down the sanitary sewer, trashed in the regular garbage, or sent with Veolia Environmental so it can be incinerated. Neutralization of Acid and Caustic Waste Chemicals: UWM follows proper procedures to neutralize uncontaminated acidic or caustic waste- streams. Geosciences labs neutralize waste steams. Environmental Protection tracks the amounts neutralized in our hazardous waste facility.

Examples of Waste Minimization at UWM: • Campus Preventative Maintenance reduces ethylene glycol usage by 80%. • Fleet Garage and Maintenance Mechanics recycle all ethylene glycol, oil, oil filters, oil-dri, oil sorbent pads (Recycled by Future Environmental) • Campus recycles: o Lithium Ion, Nickel Metal-Hydride, Nickel Cadmium, and small Lead Gel Cell batteries (through “Call2Recycle”-Environmental Protection tracks the weights), o mercury (through Veolia Environmental Services), o fluorescent lamps (through Veolia Special Services – managed by PPS) o ballasts (through our Metal Scrap Recycler), o toner cartridges (through Cartridge World), o Large Lead Acid Batteries (through our Metal Scrap Recycler) o E-Waste (through Surplus) o Aerosol cans (through Environmental Protection, either as surplus chemicals for redistribution, or once can is properly punctured and empty-as scrap metal) • Chemistry teaching labs convert from mercury thermometers to red liquid thermometers. • Environmental Protection checks for mercury instruments during lab inspections around Campus, and tries to find alternatives to replace them. • Environmental Protection re-distills mineral spirits for the art department (and tracks the amounts redistributed) • Custodial Services reduces chemical usage through dispensing systems. • Biosciences replaces formaldehyde-based preservatives. • Fine Arts Intaglio classes replace solvents with oil and citrus cleaner for brush and equipment clean-up. • Environmental Protection receives solvent waste from labs across campus. If the constituents of the wastes are compatible, and not contaminated with toxic chemicals, we bulk the solvents in 55-gallon drums. We recycle these drums with Veolia Environmental, and the drums are used as “fuel” for incinerators or cement kilns.