University of North Carolina, Greensboro
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

The Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHS) is required to submit an annual Waste Minimization Effort report to the NC Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources. UNCG has multiple programs to reduce the amount of hazardous waste generated on campus. The Orphan Chemical Program serves as a method to redistribute new or like-new chemicals on campus while being a completely free service to faculty. If the EHS office receives chemicals for disposal that are usable, they are offered to researchers on campus. EHS saves money by not having to dispose of the chemical, and the researcher saves money by avoiding the purchase of that chemical. This program was created in 1998. EHS has also worked with the Art Department to install parts washers in their teaching studios to reduce the amount of waste generated through their activities. These are similar to machine parts washers where the students use the solvent to clean brushes and other equipment. The parts washers pump "clean" solvent off the top of the solvent drum while the art residues sink to the bottom. The service is provided by SafetyKleen, which provides a closed-loop solvent recycling service for their parts washer service. The solvent is picked up from our site, then recycled and reused in their washers. This service has reduced art waste volume by 60%. EHS encourages micro-scale experimentation and computer modeling for research on campus when feasible. EHS also promotes chemical substitution (using less hazardous or even non-hazardous chemicals) and purchasing chemicals in smallest amounts necessary. Finally, EHS has now implemented recycling of CFLs from on-campus student residences. EHS purchased several CFL recycling displays and placed them around UNCG to collect CFLs from student use. This service is a further effort to collect 100% of mercury items discarded on campus.

The UNCG Hazardous Waste Management Policy requires all personnel to dispose of chemical waste safely and in accordance with all Federal, state, local regulations. The Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHS) ensures that all chemical/ hazardous waste is disposed of or treated at a Federal Part B Permitted disposal facility (TSDF). Our laboratories operate as satellite accumulation areas. Using this EPA approved tactic, laboratories may only accumulate up to 55 gallons of hazardous waste at any one time. If that limit is exceeded, EHS is required to remove the waste within three days. Some of the larger generators on campus are on weekly pickup schedules to ensure waste does not approach the threshold quantity. All waste on campus is required to be stored in secondary containment. EHS operates a state-of-the-art waste storage facility which offers numerous benefits for the safe storage of waste such as complete tertiary containment, separate room segregation, and emergency equipment including a foam suppression system. All hazardous waste is managed by EHS from the point of generation to shipment off-site in accordance with all Federal, state, and local regulations, as well as any TSDF specifications. UNCG uses Federal Part B Permitted chemical disposal facilities for EPA hazardous waste, as well as permitted recycling centers for universal waste. EHS offers hazardous waste training to all generators on campus, and periodically audits the facilities we use for disposal and recycling to ensure compliance on their part. Hazardous waste slated for disposal is stored and managed properly while on campus. EHS performs general environmental inspections of hazardous waste storage areas on campus, as well as weekly inspections of our main storage facility. Chemical waste containers are packed and labeled for shipment and disposal in accordance with DOT/EPA regulations. UNCG has also changed its mercury recycling policy to follow the guidelines of the new state mandate to recycle any item containing mercury.

Information received from Daniel Todd, UNCG Environmental Affairs Manager. http://www.uncg.edu/sft/EnvironmentalAffairs/Env-home.html