| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.58 |
| Liaison | Steve Mital |
| Submission Date | May 18, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Oregon
OP-25: Hazardous Waste Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Kim
Carson Administrative Program Assist Office of Sustainability |
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:
UO Eugene (http://ba.uoregon.edu/content/disposal)
The basic guidelines for Ewaste disposal:
1) If the property is in good condition, other departments on UO campus may need it. Departments are required to post all working surplus property, e-waste and furniture, in good condition on the UO Department Surplus Listing web site for one week.
2) Computers and servers that no longer effectively run a supported operating system version should be transferred to the surplus property warehouse directly without posting to the surplus website. Materials are segregated and go to Business Affairs, Zero Waste or Campus Waste. Zero Waste works collaboratively with Business Affairs and sorts Ewaste from recycling. If you still have e-waste property after posting to the surplus listing web site, complete an UO Property Disposition Request Form (PDR) online. Also do this If an item is not usable. Typical recycling items include paper, cardboard, handbook, materials and go to Zero Waste. Campus operations are paid monthly to pick up office furniture and electronics waste for the Business Affairs office to deliver to their warehouse. Vehicles go to Brasher's auctions NW auto auction and miscellaneous to the warehouse. Ewaste goes through Business Affairs and is defined as property that can be plugged in or has batteries. A big portion of Ewaste are refrigerators. http://ba.uoregon.edu/content/disposal. As mentioned in the guidelines, it is required to post the item to the self-serve surplus (surplus.uoregon.edu) website by completing a UO Property Disposition Request Form (PDR) online. This does not need to be approved as long as it is a UO item. A document number is generated Instructions on completing the PDR form. Instructions include: contact information and item description; disposal reason; date reported the working/usable property; if it has a Banner Number (green barcode to indicate a fixed asset; if property was purchased with Federal (Fed) funds, Gift funds or is a leased piece of property; if 4 working monitors, group them together on the same line; Keep the working and non-working items on separate lines; do not combine e-waste and furniture on the same PDR; Keep a copy of the PDR for your own files; forward the PDR to BAO Surplus Property/Oregon Hall. The items stay in the department until requested and on the website for 7 days. The information will be sent out through BAO news if for a business purpose. For several years, the state required all Ewaste be sent to them, but then the administrative rules changed. It would cost $50,000 a year. The benefits of keeping things local include supporting local economy, establishing relationships. The state would then sell the surplus property and the departments had to pay for the service. Because this new program is free, departments actually use it. For several years ago used to have to send things up to the state. Used to cost 50k a year. Contractor Next Step recycling picks up and refurbishes about 90% of the computers. Zero Waste works collaboratively with Business Affairs and sorts Ewaste from recycling. If an item is not usable, a property disposition request is completed. There are public sales offered by Athletics and the Outdoor Program for where to purchase surplus. GTF’s can utilize the recycle program listed above.
A brief description of how the institution safely disposes of hazardous, universal, and non-regulated chemical waste:
Waste is classified and described along with detailed descriptions for how to dispose of it. http://ehs.uoregon.edu/sites/ehs.uoregon.edu/files/uploads/Hazardous%20Waste%20Disposal%20-%20Quick%20Reference_151202.pdf Clean Harbors is a service that UO contracts to come in, pick up and manifest it for disposal.
A brief description of any significant hazardous material release incidents during the previous three years, including volume, impact and response/remediation:
http://www.nrc.usgs.org website
Data from 2013-2016 does not report any hazardous release incidents for University of Oregon main campus in Eugene, White Stag in Portland, Pine Mountain Observatory in Bend, Oregon Marine Biology Institute in Coos Bay, or The Shire in Skamania County.
A brief description of any inventory system employed by the institution to facilitate the reuse or redistribution of laboratory chemicals:
UO Eugene has a hazardous (poisonous) reuse system of chemical reuse database software system. After logging in using a UO login email, the interested party can check the inventory and check out chemicals. UO has 3000 chemicals in good condition and take an annual inventory, editing things that have not been used. Chemicals come form all over campus. When a principal investigator submits a waste request or is a leaving faculty, they are checked if they qualify for a waste reuse program based on demand and supply. If there is a great demand, is in good condition, and there is room in the program, the chemical has satisfied the 3 factors necessary for approval. When no longer useful, solid hazardous waste, has to be treated by the DEQ. They have Treatment Storage Disposal Facility through the state. They get a EPA identifier and are disposed of in a number of ways (Incinerator, aqueous treatment, solvent recovery, fuels blending for kilns).
Does the institution have or participate in a program to responsibly recycle, reuse, and/or refurbish all 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):
UO Eugene http://ba.uoregon.edu/content/disposal . The basic guidelines for Ewaste disposal: 1) If the property is in good condition, other departments on UO campus may need it. Departments are required to post all working surplus property, e-waste and furniture, in good condition on the UO Department Surplus Listing web site for one week. 2) Computers and servers that no longer effectively run a supported operating system version should be transferred to the surplus property warehouse directly without posting to the surplus website. Materials are segregated and go to Business Affairs, Zero Waste or Campus Waste. Zero Waste works collaboratively with Business Affairs and sorts Ewaste from recycling. If you still have e-waste property after posting to the surplus listing web site, complete an UO Property Disposition Request Form (PDR) online. Also do this If an item is not usable. Typical recycling items include paper, cardboard, handbook, materials and go to Zero Waste. Campus operations are paid monthly to pick up office furniture and electronics waste for the Business Affairs office to deliver to their warehouse. Vehicles go to Brasher's auctions NW auto auction and miscellaneous to the warehouse. Ewaste goes through Business Affairs and is defined as property that can be plugged in or has batteries. A big portion of Ewaste are refrigerators. http://ba.uoregon.edu/content/disposal. As mentioned in the guidelines, it is required to post the item to the self-serve surplus (surplus.uoregon.edu) website by completing a UO Property Disposition Request Form (PDR) online. This does not need to be approved as long as it is a UO item. A document number is generated Instructions on completing the PDR form. Instructions include: contact information and item description; disposal reason; date reported the working/usable property; if it has a Banner Number (green barcode to indicate a fixed asset; if property was purchased with Federal (Fed) funds, Gift funds or is a leased piece of property; if 4 working monitors, group them together on the same line; Keep the working and non-working items on separate lines; do not combine e-waste and furniture on the same PDR; Keep a copy of the PDR for your own files; forward the PDR to BAO Surplus Property/Oregon Hall. The items stay in the department until requested and on the website for 7 days. The information will be sent out through BAO news if for a business purpose. For several years, the state required all Ewaste be sent to them, but then the administrative rules changed. It would cost $50,000 a year. The benefits of keeping things local include supporting local economy, establishing relationships. The state would then sell the surplus property and the departments had to pay for the service. Because this new program is free, departments actually use it. For several years ago used to have to send things up to the state. Used to cost 50k a year. Contractor Next Step recycling picks up and refurbishes about 90% of the computers. Zero Waste works collaboratively with Business Affairs and sorts Ewaste from recycling. If an item is not usable, a property disposition request is completed. There are public sales offered by Athletics and the Outdoor Program for where to purchase surplus. GTF’s can utilize the recycle program listed above.
A brief description of steps taken to ensure that e-waste is recycled responsibly, workers’ basic safety is protected, and environmental standards are met:
Waste is classified and treated by departments on campus that specialize in that type of waste. Special instructions are in place for handling dangerous items. Community partnerships are in place with contractors who come to process the waste after an item is not reused through the surplus system. Appropriate agencies get involved with toxic waste disposal, such as the Department of Environmental Quality or the Environmental Protection Agency. File cabinets and other metal objects can be sold as scrap metal. Profits can go back to departments or a revenue fund if sold through the warehouse.
The website URL where information about the institution’s hazardous and electronic-waste recycling programs 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.