State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management

All waste materials at the College are characterized to see if they meet the definition of a hazardous waste. Some hazardous wastes such as aqueous acids and bases are neutralized onsite, while others, such as laboratory solvents are bulked and used as supplemental fuels for BTU recovery. Laboratory chemicals submitted to EH&S that are unopened and in good condition are offered to other departments or researchers. If materials are accepted, they are transferred to the new owner avoiding costly and unnecessary disposal. The same process is utilized for large chemical cleanouts such as when faculty members retire.

In addition, certain universal wastes such as mercury containing devices are no longer permitted on campus. Effective mercury free alternatives are now widely used and accepted, which has essentially eliminated disposal of mercury containing items. EH&S works closely with Facilities and Research staff to explore alternatives that minimize waste generation. Examples include implementation of non-hazardous parts washer solution and reduced frequency of fluid changes; phase out of oil based paints; and working with laboratory coordinators to complete classroom activities and experiments on a microscale to reduce the amount of chemicals purchased, used, and ultimately disposed.

If it is found that a waste material is hazardous waste, then these wastes are collected and stored in temporary locations known as satellite accumulation areas. The wastes are labeled to identify the contents and the containers are kept closed at all times. In addition, hazardous wastes are segregated to ensure chemical compatibility.

Once a satellite accumulation area becomes full, EH&S is contacted to complete a waste pickup for the space. All wastes are collected and transported to a "90-day storage" area at the College. Periodically, the College contacts an outside vendor to pickup all of the waste that has accumulated in the 90-day area. The vendor segregates all of the chemical waste, packs the waste material into drums, labels the drums for transportation, completes shipping paperwork (hazardous waste manifest), and finally, loads all of the drums onto a truck for transport. The waste material is then delivered to a 10-day storage facility where it is placed on another truck which will take it to the final disposal facility. These disposal facilities are located all over the country and different facilities can accept and process different types of waste.

Different treatment options are utilized for different waste streams. Whenever feasible, ESF prefers to recycle or reclaim waste materials. Examples of this are mercury bearing items such as thermometers and manometers. Another example is bulked solvent waste which is used as a supplemental fuel in cement kilns and is providing BTU recovery. Materials that cannot be recycled are typically sent for incineration or aqueous treatment. ESF refrains from sending material to landfills for disposal unless there are no other economically viable options.

There have been no significant incidents within the last three years.

At ESF, all chemicals that are disposed have to go through the EH&S Office. That Office minimizes the disposal of the chemicals by donating them to other departments upon request.

Individuals or groups on campus wishing to dispose of damaged or out-of-date electronics submit a work order to request their removal. The campus grounds crew picks up the electronic devices and stores them in a temporary storage area on the main campus. Once this temporary storage becomes full, the electronics are transported via a college vehicle to a storage barn at the College's Lafayette Road Experiment Station (a few miles from the Syracuse campus). Here, the grounds crew palletizes and shrink wraps pallets of electronics in preparation for transportation to the recycling facility. Once they collect approximately 10 pallets of electronics, the grounds crew contacts the Environmental Health and Safety Office to schedule an electronics pickup.