Texas A&M University
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

As a part of the Texas A&M Pollution Prevention Program, a campaign using posters and articles in the Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Newsletter is aimed at encouraging labs and shops to use inventory control to reduce amount and hazard of aging chemicals and to make better informed chemical purchases. The University has created a Hazardous Waste Work Group that reports to our Sustainability and Environmental Management Committee (SEMC). This group is tasked with developing methods to further minimize chemical waste on campus. The group is currently reviewing the use of a newly implemented purchasing software to reduce excesses in chemical procurement. Through several relamping and control modification projects, Texas A&M has improved lighting efficiency. This is done in a few ways. In some areas fluorescent lamps have been replaced with LED. New fluorescent lamps and fixtures are low mercury. And in the current project, motion sensors are being used in certain areas to make sure lighting is not being used when it is not necessary.

All chemical waste is brought to a Central Accumulation Area. From this point it is processed according to hazards and regulatory requirements. Lighting waste is sent to a facility where the lamps are broken and the individual components are then sent to recycling and resort facilities. Batteries are sent to recycling facilities. Hazardous waste is managed with the assistance of a contractor with a TSDF. All TSDF facilities are audited by both Texas A&M and their waste contractor for proper handling and regulatory compliance. Non-regulated chemical waste can be handled in a number of ways depending on the waste. It can go to a WWTP, TSDF, or other facilities designed to appropriately treat the material.