| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 58.76 |
| Liaison | Krista Bailey |
| Submission Date | July 29, 2011 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Pennsylvania State University
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Shelley
McKeague Environmental Compliance Specialist Engineering Services |
Does the institution have strategies in place to safely dispose of all hazardous, 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, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
Penn State has had a policy requiring the reduction in volume or toxicity of hazardous waste since 1988.
http://guru.psu.edu/policies/SY20.html
"Departments that generate hazardous chemical wastes shall ensure that a waste reduction program is in effect and that it is being adhered to." The policy lists examples of ways to reduce by "making substitutions, purchasing smaller quantities, implementing a chemical inventory to prevent duplication, and integrating microscale techniques in inorganic and organic chemistry labs". The Senior Vice President for Finance and Business establishes and approves the policy and procedure for hazardous waste disposal within the environment of The Pennsylvania State University.
PSU also has several other policies that reduce universal and other non regulated waste. Other steps taken to reduce waste include:
- Chemical redistribution program
- Mercury Thermometer and Barometer exchange with non-hazardous equivalents
- Battery recycling
- Fluorescent bulb recycling
- Implemented university-wide chemical inventory software
- Microscale chemical use in all undergraduate chemical lab classes
- Laboratory chemical cleanouts
- Pesticide Program
- Solvent distillation units
- Beneficial use of coal ash
A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
Penn State has contracts in place with fully licensed vendors for hazardous waste disposal, fluorescent lamp recycling, and waste oil recycling for the wastes generated at the University. The University works with our hazardous waste vendor to dispose of our waste, both hazardous and non-hazardous, using the following hierarchy in determining the disposal method; recycle, treat, stabilize, incinerate, landfill. The fluorescent lamp recycler recycles all parts (glass, metal, and mercury) of the fluorescent lamps. The waste oil recycler recycles our waste oil and also recycles or treats our glycol containing liquids, depending on the concentration of the glycol in the waste. The University has also started to use a compressed gas cylinder recycling company to recycle our “waste” compressed gases.
The website URL where information about hazardous materials management 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.