Waste Reduction for Colleges & Universities: Waste Reduction for Colleges & Universities
Waste Types: Waste Types Hazardous Waste Solid Waste Non-traditional Waste
HAZARDOUS WASTE: HAZARDOUS WASTE Why Reduce?
Reduce financial, liability and regulatory burdens associated with pollution management & waste volumes
Save money
Reduce potential for spills
Improve image in community
Receive recognition
Reduction Methods: Reduction Methods Micro and small scale chemistry
Chemical substitution
Mercury reduction
Procurement changes
Chemical inventory and tracking systems
Micro & Small Scale Chemistry: Micro & Small Scale Chemistry Reduces amount of chemicals needed in teaching and research, by as much as 100 times
Reduces risk of fire and explosions and exposure to vapors
www.microscale.org
Chemical Substitution: Chemical Substitution When planning lab experiments, reduce or eliminate:
Oxidizers
Reactive chemicals
Halogenated chemicals
Highly toxic chemicals
Flammable solvents
Metals (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg, Se, Ag)
Mercury Reduction: Mercury Reduction Labs
Plant operations
Health center
Student housing
Housekeeping
Mercury in Labs: Mercury in Labs Thermometers
Preservatives
Drain traps/pipes
Lamps
Sphygmomanometers
Cleaning supplies
Hold a mercury thermometer exchange.
Other Mercury Sources on Campus: Other Mercury Sources on Campus Plant Operations
Boilers
Health Center
Thermometers
Sphygmomanometers
Student Housing
Thermometers
Thermostats
Fluorescent bulbs
Housekeeping
Cleaning supplies
Campus-wide
Fluorescent bulbs
Thermostats
Procurement Changes: Procurement Changes Negotiating with your vendors is the key to success
Incorporate language into your purchasing specs
Non-toxic
Micro-quantity chemicals
Just-in-time delivery
Be provided with less packaging material or in bulk
Contain post-consumer recycled content
Meet a certification standard, such as Green Seal
EPP Resources: EPP Resources Environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP)
www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp
Mercury
www.masco.org/mercury
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
www.h2e-online.org
Cleaning products
www.westp2net.org/ janitorial/jp4.htm Purchasing for waste reduction
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/ EPP/
Certified products
http://www.greenseal.org/ recommendations.htm
Writing EPP specifications
http://www.swmcb.org/ EPPG/ 2_3.asp
Chemical Inventory & Tracking: Chemical Inventory & Tracking Benefits
Encourages optimal chemical purchase/use
Reduces amount of waste disposed
Minimizes stockpiling of outdated chemicals
Enhances lab safety
Helps ensure compliance
Sample Guidelines: Sample Guidelines Campus-wide chemical inventory audit
Use inventory management software
Set up procedure to track newly purchased chemicals
Campus-wide education and outreach
Develop follow-up audit schedule/procedures
Key Elements to Success: Key Elements to Success Upper management support
Minimal burden on individual chemical users
User-friendly
Cooperation from departments
Ongoing training
SOLID WASTE: SOLID WASTE Why Reduce?
Save money
Prolong life of landfills
Promote environmental stewardship
Solid Waste: Solid Waste Why Reduce?
Conserve natural resources
Enhance image in community
Receive recognition
Management Options: Management Options Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Compost
Dispose
Reduce: Reduce Products supplied with less packaging material
Leasing programs for carpet, copiers, etc.
Supplier take-back programs
Double-sided copies
Education
Electronic vs. paper
Reuse: Reuse Dump & Run
www.dumpandrun.org
Local salvage stores
Local charitable organizations/nonprofits
Reusable office supply exchange (ROSE)
Recycle: Recycle Paper is the largest single waste stream on campus
The average college student produces 640 lbs of solid waste each year, including 320 lbs of paper
Other large generators: administration, purchasing, student records…
Recycle: Special Events: Recycle: Special Events Athletics/Homecoming
Meetings/Workshops
Graduation Conferences
Festivals
Orientation
Recycle: Special Events: Recycle: Special Events
Compost: Compost Food waste and other organics accounts for more than 50% of the waste stream on campus
Compost: Compost Ithaca College waste stream composition
(average daily basis) Before compost facility After compost facility
NON-TRADITIONAL WASTES: NON-TRADITIONAL WASTES Construction & Demolition
Wood
Ceiling tiles
PVC
Metals
Asbestos
Drywall
Carpet
Brick & concrete
Lead-based paint
Land-clearing debris
Asphalt pavement & shingles
Disaster Debris Planning: Disaster Debris Planning Items to include in plan
Types of disasters likely to occur
Types/amounts of debris likely generated by each disaster type
Local resources to manage debris
http://people.cecs.ucf.edu/reinhart/DDfinalreport.pdf
http://www.training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/crslist.asp Preferred debris management strategy
Contingency strategies
Communication strategy
Funding issues
Sources:
Electronics: Electronics Computers
PBTs: mercury, lead
Hexavalent chromium
Brominated flame retardants
Assorted plastic types
TVs, VCRs, cell phones, PDAs, DVD players, computer peripherals, FAX, assorted wireless devices
How to Get It Done: How to Get It Done
Steps to Success: Steps to Success Get campus-wide commitment and support
Form cross-campus “green” team
Establish environmental policy
Plan waste reduction program and set goals
Educate campus community about program
Monitor & evaluate progress toward meeting goals
Adjust & expand program as needed
Commitment & Support: Commitment & Support Administration
VP level
Faculty and staff
Student leaders and organizations
Student government
Fraternities & Sororities
Service organizations
Green Team: Green Team Students
Environmental and service clubs
Student workers
Fraternities/Sororities
Staff
EHS
Facilities
Housing
Purchasing
Administration
VP level
Faculty
Sciences
Engineering
Environmental club sponsor
Sample Environmental Policy: Sample Environmental Policy “The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia is strongly committed to protecting the environment and human health in all of its operations… pro-active efforts must be taken to ensure that sound environmental, health and safety planning is integrated into every level of University System decision making.”
Sample Environmental Policy: Sample Environmental Policy “We, the Emory University community, affirm our commitment to protect and enhance the environment through our teaching, research, service, and administrative operations. We seek to foster a community that sustains ecological systems and educates for environmental awareness, local action, and global thinking. We seek to make environmentally sound practices a core value of the University.”
Plan Program & Set Goals: Plan Program & Set Goals Define parameters of program
Set measurable goals
Develop monitoring and tracking system
Select a reliable service provider Establish a collection infrastructure
Placement of recycling containers
Collection methods and routes
Plan for expanding program
Communicate & Educate: Communicate & Educate Include info in new employee and student orientation
Feature articles in campus newsletters & other publications
Advertise via posters, table tents, flyers
Provide progress updates during other meetings Apply for awards and publicize them when you win
Host an environmental fair in conjunction with a national event
Tailor materials for specific audiences
Evaluate & Adjust: Evaluate & Adjust Stick to the schedule for monitoring progress
Enlist student workers to help
Make changes if goals remain unmet
When goals are met, set new ones
Aim for continual improvement
How P2AD Can Help: How P2AD Can Help Technical assistance via phone, email, onsite
Identify reuse, recycling options and markets
Identify and develop best practices Host workshops or trainings
How to set up a recycling program
EMS
Facilitate networking and community partnerships
Conduct waste audits
Recognition Programs: Recognition Programs P2AD Partnership Program
EPA Waste Wise
EPA Performance Track
Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
National Recycling Coalition
National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology Program
Waste Reduction & Recycling Organizations: Waste Reduction & Recycling Organizations Georgia Recycling Coalition
National Recycling Coalition
College and University Recycling Council
Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence
University Leaders for a Sustainable Future
Sustainable Universities Initiative
Campus Safety, Health and Environmental Management Association
National & International Events: National & International Events Arbor Day, Date varies by state/location
Earth Day, April
World Environment Day, June
Pollution Prevention Week, September
Clean Up the World, September
America Recycles Day, November