| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 63.21 |
| Liaison | Mark Klapatch-Mathias |
| Submission Date | June 30, 2021 |
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Jeanna
Hayes Risk Manager Risk Management |
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?:
A brief description of steps taken to reduce hazardous, special (e.g. coal ash), universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
○ Hazardous waste is a specific category of solid waste that requires special management and disposal practices, as dictated by RCRA and the Wisconsin DNR under Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapters 600-699: Hazardous Waste Management. Hazardous wastes are commonly generated from a variety of activities on campuses, including wastes from research laboratories, art studios, classrooms, grounds and facilities maintenance, and custodial services, among others.
○ Wastes generated at UW System campuses that are not hazardous wastes still may be prohibited from landfills or incineration. Please see the Wisconsin DNR Waste Reduction and Recycling Law webpage for more detail. Other regulated wastes that have specific management and disposal requirements include:
■ Aerosol cans
■ PCB and non-PCB ballasts
■ Medical waste
■ Used oil
○ The hazardous waste regulations also include requirements for waste minimization efforts (40 CFR 262.27). The US EPA provides some guidance on waste minimization frequently asked questions, and the Wisconsin DNR Pollution Prevention webpage provides additional resources at the state level. Efforts at pollution prevention, source reduction, recycling and reclamation can all fall under the umbrella of waste minimization. Some possibilities for minimization efforts at UW System campuses include:
● Substituting less hazardous and/or more recyclable materials in any application
● Improving chemical inventory management and redistribution
● Implementing a mercury thermometer replacement program
● Promoting microscale techniques in laboratories
A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
○ All Wisconsin state agencies, including UW campuses, research stations and other properties must use mandatory waste disposal contracts for certain waste streams. Other waste disposal contracts are available for optional use.
○ The Hazardous Waste Management Policy is established to aid the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in achieving and maintaining compliance with the hazardous waste management, NR 661 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code. The NR 661 requirements include locating the waste sources on campus, evaluating the waste characteristics and controlling the substance from generation to final treatment and disposal.
Mandatory Contract and Materials Included
○ “All UW System campuses and facilities must use the state mandatory contract for hazardous and universal waste disposal. Generally speaking, if a waste meets the RCRA definition of “hazardous waste,” it must be handled under this contract. Disposal of the following universal wastes under the state contract is also mandatory:
■ Lamps
■ Mercury-containing equipment
■ PCB ballast recycling and PCB waste disposal services
○ Use of the state contract for non-PCB ballasts, rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries is optional.
○ UW-Madison Facilities Planning and Management, in partnership with the UWSA Office of Risk Management, has developed a non-mandatory contract with Bionomics, Inc. for the packaging and removal of low-level radioactive waste. For more detail, see the UW-Madison Purchasing Services Contract Number: 14-5191.
● Current Vendor
○ Veolia is the current provider of hazardous and universal waste services.
● Transportation of Hazardous Materials
○ Shipping papers must contain a 24-hour emergency number. To satisfy this requirement, the UWSA Office of Risk Management, in partnership with the UW-Madison, maintains a service agreement with ChemTel, a company that will advise responders in case of an emergency involving your shipment. For more detail, go to the UWSA ChemTel page.
A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
No significant incidents have occurred.
● Hazardous spill reporting requirements are managed by Wisconsin Statutes Section 292.11 and Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter NR 706.
● The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) maintains an Emergency Response Zone Contract, which provides emergency response services for spills and discharges that pose threats to health, safety, welfare and the environment in various regions throughout the state. The contract has been established based on WDNR requirements but is available for use by any state agency, educational institution or other unit of government. For more detail, see the Emergency Response Zone Contract Number: 19-137-08.
A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
UWRF utilizes an online Safety Data Sheet (SDS) web-based system that is used to track chemical inventory by location. Lab Managers in the Chemistry, Biology, and Plant and Earth Science Departments have been given administrator rights to the system so they can view and update information as it pertains to their inventory. The campus has completed a 100% inventory of chemicals in order to comply with labeling requirements related to the new Globally Harmonized System of Classification of Chemicals as required by CFR 1910.1200.
Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish electronic waste generated by the institution?:
Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish electronic waste generated by students?:
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:
Electronic Waste Generated By UW-River Falls:
First, our Division of Technology Services department and Facilities Department work together to refurbish any electronics that can be sold through our surplus property program. The surplus property program offers items for sale through in-person sales and online auctions.
● E-Cycle Wisconsin is a statewide, manufacturer-funded program that recycles certain electronics used in homes and schools. Individuals, K-12 public schools, and Parental Choice Program schools can use E-Cycle Wisconsin to save on electronics recycling. Others may use the program to find responsible recyclers. Other schools, colleges and universities may also use the registered E-Cycle Wisconsin recyclers and may be able to recycle electronics at a low cost, but are not eligible for the manufacturer-subsidized recycling. The E-Cycle Wisconsin program is supported by Wisconsin's electronics recycling law (2009 Wisconsin Act 50), which bans electronics such as TVs, computers and cell phones from Wisconsin landfills and incinerators.
● The University of Wisconsin-River Falls contracts with Laptop Chips for e-waste disposal services. E-waste collection is managed by the Division of Technology Services.
Electronic Waste Generated By Students:
In collaboration with the City of River River Falls River Falls Municipal Utilities, any student can recycle electronics through the once a a year (sometimes offered twice per year) electronics recycling event. A flyer promoting the 2021 event is linked. The flyer notes that people need to bring a form of ID and a utility bill. As students do not have a utility bill in most instances, the agreement with the city is that students can use their student ID as their identification and that they will not need to present a utility bill.
Is the institution’s electronic waste recycler certified under the e-Stewards and/or Responsible Recycling (R2) standards?:
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:
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.