Spring Break
How hazardous is your waste
Kristine King
Issue date: 3/27/07 Section: News
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Plastic bins or tin cans, a normal piece of trash doesn't take much notice. But there are other types of waste, types produced here on campus, that can't be tossed away.
While students are encouraged to reduce, reuse and recycle municipal waste, it is less common to hear about the regulated waste here on campus. For example, in 2006 UNH generated 70,672 lbs of hazardous waste according to Hazardous Waste Coordinator Marty McCrone of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS).
Hazardous, or chemical waste, as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), poses a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or living organisms. It may even be lethal or tend to cause detrimental effects over time if not contained.
Along with hazardous waste, UNH created 1,818 cubic feet of biohazardous or infectious waste in 2006. Primarily produced in life science labs, it is defined as laboratory waste such as pathological specimens and disposable fomites, which is any substance that may harbor or transmit pathogenic organisms.
UNH also produces amounts of radioactive waste. Volumes produced depend on the types of active research projects, and vary year to year, said McCrone. Radio active waste that has a half-life of less then 65 days is held on campus in a decay storage program until it is no longer radio active, and is then transferred to a waste broker.
Other types of regulated wastes include Universal waste which is separated into electronics, batteries and lamps. In 2006 McCrone said UNH disposed of 76,760 lbs of electronics, 6,656 lbs of batteries, 10,611 light bulbs.
While each type of waste is handled differently due to regulations, the process is generally the same. No regulate waste is disposed of on campus, but gathered in secure areas and then shipped elsewhere.
All regulated waste is managed by the OEHS, which follows university and government regulations. When any type of regulated waste is produced it is put into labeled containers and picked up by OEHS before it is shipped to a waste broker. That private company then transports and coordinates the final disposal of waste through methods like incineration or stabilization.
While students are encouraged to reduce, reuse and recycle municipal waste, it is less common to hear about the regulated waste here on campus. For example, in 2006 UNH generated 70,672 lbs of hazardous waste according to Hazardous Waste Coordinator Marty McCrone of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS).
Hazardous, or chemical waste, as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), poses a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or living organisms. It may even be lethal or tend to cause detrimental effects over time if not contained.
Along with hazardous waste, UNH created 1,818 cubic feet of biohazardous or infectious waste in 2006. Primarily produced in life science labs, it is defined as laboratory waste such as pathological specimens and disposable fomites, which is any substance that may harbor or transmit pathogenic organisms.
UNH also produces amounts of radioactive waste. Volumes produced depend on the types of active research projects, and vary year to year, said McCrone. Radio active waste that has a half-life of less then 65 days is held on campus in a decay storage program until it is no longer radio active, and is then transferred to a waste broker.
Other types of regulated wastes include Universal waste which is separated into electronics, batteries and lamps. In 2006 McCrone said UNH disposed of 76,760 lbs of electronics, 6,656 lbs of batteries, 10,611 light bulbs.
While each type of waste is handled differently due to regulations, the process is generally the same. No regulate waste is disposed of on campus, but gathered in secure areas and then shipped elsewhere.
All regulated waste is managed by the OEHS, which follows university and government regulations. When any type of regulated waste is produced it is put into labeled containers and picked up by OEHS before it is shipped to a waste broker. That private company then transports and coordinates the final disposal of waste through methods like incineration or stabilization.
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