Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 36.91
Liaison Bradley Flamm
Submission Date March 30, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

West Chester University of Pennsylvania
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.50 / 1.00 Bradley Flamm
Director of Sustainability
Office of the President
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1 

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:
Certified vendors are contracted to properly dispose of hazardous, radioactive, medical, universal, specialty wastes. Waste pickups are on a set schedule to ensure waste stocks do not become too large. Waste Vendors can be onsite for extra waste removal as needed. Reduction of chemical purchasing for laboratories, transitioning to LED lighting, Chemical substitution in Facilities Division and teaching and research laboratories to less hazardous chemicals when feasible.

A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
WCU installed a stand alone explosive proof building to store hazardous, biological, radioactive waste. The building is maintained through inspections, wastes are segregated, Radiation Safety Officer provides support for proper waste disposal of radioactive material.

A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
No significant releases occurred.

A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
Access database is utilized to inventory chemicals. Student lab inventory is updated annually. When a professor retires, their chemicals get evaluated for safety, usefulness and age to see if they can be put back into stock room.  Chemicals acceptable for redistribution are offered to the other chemistry faculty.  Chemicals that are not appropriate to put back into stock are designated as waste and are disposed of though the University's Hazardous Waste Program.

Part 2 

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?:
No

If yes to either of the above, provide:

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:
Certified vendors are contracted to properly dispose of university owned e-wastes (computers, printers, TVs, and similar items). However, Commonwealth Procurement Regulations do not allow state funds to be used to dispose of student personal e-waste items (local municipality holds household hazardous waste and e-waste collection day for these items). University owned e-Waste is collected by Facilities and IT employees and transported to a central storage facility. Facilities and EHS Dept contracts separately with vendors for e-waste recycling of the items under their responsibility.

Is the institution’s electronic waste recycler certified under the e-Stewards and/or Responsible Recycling (R2) standards?:
No

Optional Fields 

Electronic waste recycled or otherwise diverted from the landfill or incinerator during the most recent year for which data is available during the previous three years:
17.15 Tons

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://www.wcupa.edu/_facstaff/facdev/sponsoredresearch/wasteDisposal.asp

Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Electronic waste recycled includes 27,693 pounds recycled through IS&T's Technology Recycling Program, 6,097 lbs of TVs and lab electronics, and 500 lbs of fire alarm system components. Data sources: Teresa Hudson, Asst. Director EdTech & User Services Information Services & Technology Division (thudson@wcupa.edu, x2238) and Gail Fellows, Environmental Health & Safety Director (gfellows@wcupa.edu, x3333).

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.