| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 56.90 |
| Liaison | Paul Mathisen |
| Submission Date | April 16, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
OP-25: Hazardous Waste Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Liz
Tomaszewski Facilities Systems Manager/Sustainability Coordinator Facilities Department |
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:
The Environmental & Occupational Safety Manager provides guidelines to reduce and better manage hazardous waste including: keeping an up-to-date inventory of hazardous materials, purchasing only the amount of materials needed, substituting less hazardous chemicals for hazardous ones, and including waste minimization in student and employee training sessions.
A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
It is a state law to dispose of hazardous materials properly. All hazardous waste material containers must: be secure, in good condition, compatible with the waste; have a screw cap; and be kept closed at all times unless waste is being added. Labels must contain the chemical name, and the appropriate hazard box must be checked. All hazardous waste disposal is managed by the Environmental & Occupational Safety Manager who complies with state and federal waste guidelines.
A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
1.) A chemical spill of about 2 gallons of flammable liquid on a lab bench and floor area at Gateway was caused from the mixing of two incompatible chemical hazardous waste materials into one container. There was no release to the environment, nor were there any injuries. An environmental services response company conducted the cleanup at a cost of $9,000; the lab area was shut down for about 2 days.
2.) A hazardous waste bottle containing about 1 gallon of flammable solvents broke on the floor of a Gateway lab. There was no release to the environment, nor were there any injuries. An environmental service response company conducted the cleanup at a cost of $6,000.
3.) A glass bottle containing one gallon of a toxic/flammable liquid was accidentally broken by a graduate student in a main campus laboratory. There was no release to the environment, nor were there any injuries. The EOS Manager was able to cleanup this spill; the lab area was shut down for about 3 hours.
4.) Incidental chemical spills (less than one gallon) occur in WPI labs rarely. They are managed by the EOS Manager. During the past year, no spills greater than one gallon occurred.
A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
Chemicals and other lab supplies are shared between labs and between departments to minimize the amount of waste and repurchase of chemicals and supplies.
Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish all 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):
Electronic waste that is in good condition is sent to Worcester Technical High School for students to refurbish computers and distribute through the public school system, and unsalvageable computers and peripherals are taken by Institutional Recycling Network and are recycled properly. Every spring, WPI holds a free electronics waste drive for the entire community to bring old or broken electronics.
A brief description of steps taken to ensure that e-waste is recycled responsibly, workers’ basic safety is protected, and environmental standards are met:
WPI's contractor recycling hauler, Institutional Recycling Network, charges a fee for membership in its network and assures that all recycled waste is properly handled. IRN audits its recycling locations to ensure that recycled components are handled as claimed.
The website URL where information about the institution’s hazardous and electronic-waste recycling programs is available:
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.