Risk Management & Safety Department – Environmental Compliance

Pollution Prevention/Waste Minimization

Pollution prevention and waste minimization provides everyone an opportunity to be environmentally responsible. Pollution prevention reduces waste at its source while waste minimization includes recycling and other methods that reduce the amount of waste to ultimately be disposed of.

Pollution prevention begins with the individual. At first glance, one person's efforts wouldn't seem to have much impact on waste reduction. However, the combined effort of many individuals can produce a large reduction in waste. Information and ideas regarding pollution prevention (PDF format) can be found on the American Chemical Society website.

In June 2000, President Likins recommitted the University of Arizona to pollution prevention and waste minimization by signing the following policy statement.

University Of Arizona Policy Statement On Pollution Prevention

The University of Arizona is committed to excellence in protecting the environment. Our objective is to reduce the use of hazardous materials and the subsequent generation of hazardous waste to the greatest extent feasible. We strive to minimize adverse impact on the air, water, and land through excellence in pollution prevention and effective waste management. By preventing pollution at its source, we can help maintain a safe and healthy environment, with the additional benefits of direct cost savings and increased operational efficiencies.

Environmental protection is everyone's responsibility and must be incorporated into all University activities. A Pollution Prevention Plan has been prepared that articulates our strategy and establishes specific goals for the accomplishment of the task.

The University of Arizona is committed to the implementation of the Pollution Prevention Plan and attainment of the goals therein. The principles on which the University's waste management and pollution prevention efforts are based follow:

Preventing pollution by reducing and eliminating the generation of hazardous waste at the source is an important consideration in the development and implementation of academic programs, research activities, maintenance activities, and other University operations.
Technologies and methods that substitute non-hazardous material and/or utilize other source reduction approaches will be given top priority in implementing pollution prevention strategies.
Processes that utilize hazardous materials will be reviewed periodically to identify opportunities for pollution prevention such as substitution, recycling, reuse, or scale reduction.
Employees who work with hazardous materials will be provided information on pollution prevention concepts and will be encouraged to continually seek new opportunities for pollution prevention in their areas of responsibility.
Hazardous waste generation that cannot be avoided will be managed in a prudent manner that minimized impact to the environment, achieves regulatory compliance, and minimizes institutional liability.

Peter W. Likins, President
June 2000

The Department of Risk Management & Safety (RMS) has been designated as the coordinator for UA pollution prevention efforts. Following are areas with specific goals for pollution prevention.

Liquid Ethidiuim Bromide

Ethidium Bromide (EtBr) is widely employed for rapid visualization of nucleic acids in electrophoretic gels. EtBr intercalates with DNA and produces a fluorescent complex, which is visible with the aid of UV light. The intercalating properties are what make EtBr so applicable for the staining of DNA. However, this same ability also creates potential mutagenic properties associated with the substance.

The use of EtBr as a stain in molecular biological research produces a significant quantity of liquid waste as a by-product. Though the eventual disposal of EtBr is not currently regulated as a hazardous waste under the EPA hazardous waste regulations, EtBr is considered a toxic substance with potential mutagenic properties.

Currently, RMS is offering an extraction device (free of charge) to safely remove EtBr from nucleic acid staining buffer waste for easy disposal. The device consists of two layers of activated carbon filters sealed into a polypropylene housing. Using a simple vacuum filtration procedure, >99% of EtBr is removed from up to 10 liters of staining solution through adsorption by the activated carbon matrix. The decontaminated filtrate can then be safely disposed of down the drain.

For more information on this process, please contact RM&S at 621-5861 or by e-mail at hazmat@email.arizona.edu.

Mercury

Mercury is a toxic metal that can be hazardous via any route of entry to the body, ingestion, inhalation or skin absorption. If left uncontained, spilled mercury will slowly vaporize over time, contaminating the air in the vicinity.

The most common type of mercury release is from broken thermometers, particularly in the -20^o to 110^o C temperature range. RMS has a thermometer exchange program in place for thermometers in this temperature range. The department is also determining the feasibility of expanding the thermometer exchange program to include thermometers exceeding the 110^o C temperature range. If you are interested in exchanging thermometers or removing mercury from the workplace please contact Jeff Christensen at 621-5861 or jgchrist@email.arizona.edu.

In conjunction with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, UA RMS developed a booklet entitled Laboratory Pollution Prevention. This booklet contains general information regarding pollution prevention for research and teaching labs. To request a copy please contact Jeff Christensen at 621-5861 or by e-mail at jgchrist@email.arizona.edu.