Environmental Audit

As you may have read in recent editions of our Safety Matters newsletter, EH&S is planning to audit hazardous waste management practices in campus laboratories this fall.  The audit at the Medical Center has been confirmed for October 27-30, 2008.  Throughout the week, EH&S will be accompanied by representatives from Woodard & Curran, an independent environmental consulting firm,  which will be assisting us with our assessment. 
During the laboratory visits, which we expect to last only a few minutes, we will be performing an assessment of each laboratory’s hazardous waste management practices (i.e., compliance with the 5Ls of Hazardous Waste Management). Please advise your laboratory staff of our upcoming audit visit and refer to our website for an updated schedule of audit activities (http://www.ehs.columbia.edu/envauditschedule.html).  If you have questions about the audit or any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact EH&S.  Thank you for your continued support.        

The 5Ls of Hazardous Waste Management

CoLLect

• CoLLect all of your hazardous chemical wastes and submit a chemical pick-up request form to EH&S for proper disposal.  Please consult with EH&S if you are unsure if your chemical waste is Hazardous Waste. http://vesta.cumc.columbia.edu/ehs/wastepickup/
• Evaluate your chemical inventory periodically and coLLect chemicals for disposal that are unwanted, expired or have no intended use.
• DO NOT- Dispose of Hazardous Waste inappropriately or prior to determining its hazards.  Hazardous Waste must not be poured down the drain.

Label

• Affix a Hazardous Waste Label to the container as soon as you start collecting waste.
• List all of the components of the Waste on the Label.
• DO NOT - Use chemical formulae or abbreviations on Hazardous Waste Labels.

Lid

• Keep Hazardous Waste containers closed at all times, except when actively adding or removing waste.
• Use a closeable Lid that will prevent the Hazardous Waste from spilling should the container be knocked over.
• DO NOT - Leave a funnel in a Hazardous Waste container.

Locate

• Locate Hazardous Waste containers at or near the point of the Hazardous Waste’s generation (a.k.a. Satellite Accumulation Area).
• DO NOT - Locate Hazardous Waste containers outside of the room in which the waste was generated.

Leaks

• Inspect Satellite Accumulation Areas weekly for Leaks.
• DO NOT - Allow Leaking containers to remain in Satellite Accumulation Areas. Contact EH&S upon discovering the leak.