| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.65 |
| Liaison | Nina Hartwig |
| Submission Date | Nov. 27, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.75 / 1.00 |
Kate
Nelson Chief Sustainability Officer Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Part 1
Yes
A brief description of steps taken to reduce hazardous, special (e.g. coal ash), universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
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.
A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
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.
A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
UW-Milwaukee has not had any significant hazardous materials releases in the past three years.
A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
Surplus chemicals are given to UWM's campus redistribution program for reuse elsewhere on campus. This includes chemicals, paints, cleaners, gas cylinders, and even lab glassware. Departments will also check the surplus chemical redistribution inventory before ordering new chemicals.
Part 2
Yes
Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish electronic waste generated by students?:
No
If yes to either of the above, provide:
Electronic waste on campus is managed through the surplus program. Campus community declares it a surplus and it is picked at their door and sorted at the Facility Services off campus location. UW-Milwaukee generated 7,000-10,000 lbs of electronic waste/month. The primary end life is through recycling, but some machines are also refurbished and sold to the public at a reasonable rate.
Is the institution’s electronic waste recycler certified under the e-Stewards and/or Responsible Recycling (R2) standards?:
Yes
Optional Fields
28
Tons
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.
Other website: http://uwm.edu/sustainability/what-we-do/reuse-recycle/hazardous-waste/
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.