|
|
 |
Materials, Recycling and Disposal Operations |
|
|
Chemical Redistribution/Reuse Program
The University Department of Environmental Health and Safety operates a Chemical Redistribution Program that finds users for unwanted but usable chemicals within the University community. The program distributes approximately 1,000 kilograms of chemicals per year that would otherwise be disposed of as hazardous waste.
http://www.dehs.umn.edu/hwd/recycle/
|
|
Chemical Safety Day Program
Since 1981, the Chemical Safety Day Program (CDSP) has helped hundreds of high schools, colleges, and nonprofit organizations dispose of hazardous material and waste at a reasonable cost and in an environmentally responsible way. The program is a joint effort of the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning and the University of Minnesota. CSDP works under the state hazardous waste contract and tailors the program to each customer’s specific needs. Collected waste is processed at the Thompson Center for Environmental Management (TCEM) on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Ninety percent of the waste processed at the TCEM comes from the University system and ten percent comes from schools, institutions, and agencies through the Chemical Safety Day Program.
http://www.dehs.umn.edu/csdp/
|
|
Electronics Waste Management
The University of Minnesota statewide system collects all electronic equipment, redistributes what it can within the University, and pays to have the rest sent to a licensed demanufacturer. The demanufacturer markets a portion of the equipment, recycles a portion, and properly disposes of the remainder. The University has worked extensively with the Minnesota Department of Administration and other agencies to develop a statewide computer and electronics recycling contract. The University recycles approximately 200,000 pounds of electronic material annually. This initiative conserves resources and avoids heavy metal contamination of soil, surface waters, and groundwater.
The University supports two programs that provide free collection of unwanted computer systems. The University Recycling Program arranges to collect electronic waste. They maintain a Reuse Warehouse where usable computers and other items are distributed back into the University community. University Computer Services (UCS) picks up products. The computers are checked for quality and designated for resale or recycling through the University Recycling Program. UCS sells used computers to the University community and the public.
http://www.dehs.umn.edu/hwd/topics.html
|
|
Landcare efforts
Composting is an important effort of the University of Minnesota Landcare Department, making our campus more sustainable. All of the yard waste and refuse collected from the campus greenhouses is composted. This compost is then used around campus to control the weed-seed germination, conserve water, moderate soil temperature extremes, and reduce the compaction effects of heavy rains and sprinkler irrigation. Composting keeps this waste out of the waste stream and incorporates it back into the environment.
The University of Minnesota Landcare Department partners with Xcel Energy to recycle woody materials. The University provides space on campus to store the woody material and the wood waste. Xcel chips all the wood that is collected and the University uses the wood mulch around campus. This partnership saves the University about $10,000 a year in materials alone, in addition to the labor saved by Xcel taking over the wood chipping.
|
|
Latex Paint Recycling
Using construction products made from recycled materials like reformulated latex paint can help the environment greatly. University officials and a host of other agencies made a collaborative decision to use recycled paint on the interior walls of the new $35 million University Gateway Building. The project was part of a green building initiative spawned by the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance, the University’s Waste Abatement Committee, Hirshfield’s Painting Mfg., and the Minnesota Painting and Wallpapering Employers Association.
A one-day paint drive collected more than 1,000 gallons of paint of different colors, gloss, and quality from members of the Minnesota Painting and Wallpapering Employers Association. The paint was inspected, mixed, and tested by Hirshfield’s. Two thousand gallons of recycled paint were used to coat a majority of the Gateway interior walls. The only areas exempt from the paint are ceilings and door frames, which require a different product. Though recycled paint is not new to Minnesota, the Gateway venture signifies the largest commercial use of recycled paint thus far in the state. The Gateway project illustrates to the University and greater community that recycled paint isn’t just a raw concept but a quality alternative to virgin paint. From an application standpoint it demonstrates that it’s an industry-grade paint that can be purchased by contractors and used effectively.
|
|
Low-Mercury Lamps
In an effort to reduce the amount of mercury entering the environment, the University of Minnesota has changed the type of fluorescent lamps it purchases. The new bulbs contain about 60 percent less mercury than regular lamps. The University collects fluorescent lamps from all of its campuses and has them recycled for mercury recovery. The University offers fluorescent lamp recycling to educational institutions throughout the state via its Chemical Safety Day Program. In 2000, the University recycled 95,000 fluorescent lamps (eight pounds of mercury).
In 2001, the University purchased more than 50,000 fluorescent tubes used throughout its offices and warehouses. Why the fuss? Nearly 650 million fluorescent lamps are sold in the United States every year. Each contains mercury, a substance that can cause permanent nerve damage in humans. When a fluorescent lamp is broken, incinerated, or discarded, it releases mercury into the air. Ultimately, this mercury falls back onto our lakes and rivers as rain or snow. In water, mercury can build up in fish, making their consumption hazardous to humans and wildlife. Using low-mercury lamps will decrease the amount of this hazardous substance that makes its way into the environment. INFORM, a national nonprofit environmental organization, researched lighting options for the University and learned that all the major lighting manufacturers offer low-mercury lamps rated to perform as well and last as long as regular lamps. To learn about other less toxic products, visit INFORM’s Purchasing for Pollution Prevention Web page at http://www.informinc.org/p3_00.php.
|
|
Material Review Board
The Material Review Board (MRB) includes representatives from Facilities Management zone operations, building services, and the safety and purchasing departments. The sole purpose of this committee is to improve the safety, health, and functionality for Facilities Management’s custodial work force. Facilities Management initiated the board to centralize purchasing of custodial supplies and to reduce the number of different products used by their employees. The goal was to optimize supply management and enhance worker safety and environmental friendliness through a product selection process.
Facilities Management custodial services cleaned out and disposed of old, unused custodial products from 900 custodial closets in the 250 campus buildings. A committee of custodial workers and supervisors was formed to classify and evaluate the 600 products being used. They found that many of the products being used served the same function. The MRB approved a list of 51 products to be used in the custodial cleaning process. Each of the 51 approved products went through stringent evaluation and testing to prove that they clean properly, minimize employee exposure to hazardous chemicals, and protect the environment by minimizing harmful discharges to sewer and air.
If a new custodial product is suggested for use in Facilities Management, it must go through a safety check, a Material Safety and Data Sheet (MSDS) check, a vendor demonstration, and trial use by a test group before it is approved. If a new product is added to the list of accepted products, then at least one product serving the same function must be removed from the list.
The MRB has also integrated bio-based products into the custodial operations. Bio-based or plant derived products can be as effective as the existing approved products while vastly improving the safety, health, and environment for the end user. President Clinton issued an executive order in 1999 that set a goal of tripling U.S. use of bio-based products by 2010. The MRB intends to accomplish this by 2005 by replacing 15 percent of the current approved product list annually with bio-based products.
For more information on the Material Review Board go to http://www.dehs.umn.edu/hwd/topics.html#clean.
|
|
Methane Digester
The University, through the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering provides research, education and guidance in the area of anaerobic digestion of organic waste to produce methane as a fuel for energy generation.
http://www.bae.umn.edu/extens/manure/index.html
http://www.bae.umn.edu
|
|
Recycling Program
In 1984, the environmental operations division of Physical Plant (now Facilities Management) set up a pilot project to recycle office paper in one building on campus. The success of this pilot project launched the University of Minnesota Recycling Program. Since that time, the program has expanded collections to every campus building including residence halls, food services, academic buildings, and research facilities. In addition to office paper, the program now collects magazines, hard-and soft cover books, newspaper, beverage cans, plastic bottles, glass, tin cans, phone books, and cardboard. Ferrous and nonferrous metals, including iron, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, brass, and lead are also recovered for recycling. Appliances are recycled through vendors that are certified for the proper recovery of Freon and other hazardous materials.
http://www1.umn.edu/recycle/recycle.html
|
|
Reuse Program
In 1991, the University received a grant from the state Office of Environmental Assistance to create a Reuse Program. The program removes reusable furniture, office supplies, electronics, appliances, and dimensional lumber from the University’s solid waste. Instead of spending money to transport items to a landfill, the University stores and sells usable furniture and office equipment at the ReUse Warehouse. This provides university departments an opportunity to claim items for use in their business units. Items not claimed by university departments are made available to public schools, nonprofit organizations, charities, and the public.
http://www.reuse.umn.edu
|
|
SMART System Recycling Program
Environmental concerns for preserving air, land, and water quality, recovering resources, and conserving energy were initial foundations for recycling at the University of Minnesota. In 1991, the Recycling Program underwent a major change in operations with the implementation of the Self-Managed Activities for Recyclables and Trash (SMART) Program. The SMART program is a concept in which individuals dispose of their own waste and recyclables in conveniently located containers. Responsibility and accountability for waste management is assigned to those who create waste.
Each time a person throws away an item, he or she has an opportunity to recycle using the “Quad System,” one of four containers strategically placed within the work area. One container is for trash, and three are for office paper, newspaper, and commingled bottles and cans. Cardboard is collected by flattening boxes and placing them alongside the containers for custodial staff to remove at the end of the day. This system has significantly changed the way recyclable materials are collected. Four thousand sets of containers, a total of 16,000 23-gallon containers were purchased. The container cost was approximately $250,000 with an estimated 2.8 year payback period. Revenue from recycling has increased. Disposal fees and custodial costs have decreased.
The SMART program has increased the amount of materials recovered. Recovery of targeted recyclables in SMART buildings averages 90 percent.
http://www.umn.edu/recycle/recycle.html
|
|
