| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 51.51 |
| Liaison | Kirk Hemphill |
| Submission Date | Feb. 12, 2024 |
Florida Institute of Technology
OP-20: Hazardous Waste Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Kirk
Hemphill Director of Maintenance Facilities Operations |
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 Florida Tech Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Office plays a crucial role in managing hazardous waste disposal. They provide compliant containers for solid and liquid waste as per Department of Transportation regulations, replacing full containers and disposing of empty chemical containers.
To classify as hazardous waste, materials must exhibit specific qualities outlined by the EPA, including ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity, or belong to F-listed, K-listed, P-listed, or U-listed categories based on their source or characteristics.
All university personnel dealing with hazardous waste must undergo annual training, ensuring compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulations. This training is mandatory within six months of employment or reassignment to a related position.
While EH&S oversees the hazardous waste program, the collective effort of faculty, staff, and students is essential. Access resources provided for proper waste management guidance and reach out to hazwaste@fit.edu for any disposal inquiries.
Florida Tech Reduces hazardous waste by making accurate waste determinations based on generator process knowledge and testing. Universal waste is reduced by switching from materials that would become universal waste to non-toxic options. Chemicals, regulated and non-regulated, are often shared or donated between research groups to minimize waste.
https://www.fit.edu/office-of-environmental-health-and-safety/regulated-wastes/
A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) has a Regulated Waste Program that is managed by the Department of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) that is set-up to handle daily management of waste disposal from waste determination; labeling; safety training; to written request for disposal from a given location. Generators are provided with waste containers in satellite accumulation areas, when full these containers are relocated by EHS to a main accumulation area where they are stored until they are properly disposed through a permitted treatment, storage, and disposal facility as required by our generator status.
A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
No reportable releases during the past three years.
A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
Florida Tech manages the chemical inventories of the institute. The main purpose of the inventories is for emergency responses in cases of fires, explosion, etc. The same inventories can be shared within lab/shop groups for repurposing chemical compounds if needed.
Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish 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), including information about how electronic waste generated by the institution and/or students is recycled:
Students/ faculty/ and staff can drop off old electronics (phones, computers cords, batteries, etc.), at the Evans Library and the Shipping and Receiving center throughout the year, as well as various residence halls during the end of the academic year during move-outs. Florida Tech Property Administration, in partnership with Tech Support, has a program that allows for sustainable disposal of almost any electronic item.
Is the institution’s electronic waste recycler certified under the e-Stewards and/or Responsible Recycling (R2) standards?:
Website URL where information about the institution’s hazardous waste program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Data sourced from the Environmental Health and Safety office, Property Administration office.
Data sourced from the Environmental Health and Safety office, Property Administration office.
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.