Posted on: Friday, August 6, 2004

UH reduces its toxic waste, pays $505K government fine

Advertiser Staff

The University of Hawai'i has reduced its production of hazardous waste as part of a February 2001 settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Health.

All told, a series of university projects cut waste production by 13,000 pounds annually, a news release said.

The university, accused of violating hazardous waste regulations, also paid a $505,000 fine, which was split — $120,000 to the federal government and $385,000 to the state.

The university spent $1.2 million on its hazardous-waste reduction effort, which the EPA and Health Department said cut the quantity of chemicals bought and stored by the school, and reduced student and staff exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Projects included a $140,000 effort that identified pollution-prevention and waste-reduction projects at UH campuses across the state.

Organic chemistry classrooms now do microscale chemistry, using special glassware and smaller quantities of chemicals, reducing the use and waste of chemicals by more than two-thirds.

In a $207,000 project, the Honolulu Community College print shop was switched to a digital system that eliminated more than 11,000 pounds of silver-based developers, inks, solvent and other printing wastes. More than 1,300 pieces of equipment that use potentially hazardous mercury were replaced throughout the university system.

The various campuses' auto body programs are using new technology to reduce the use of paints and solvents and cut toxic emissions. Air pollution releases were cut 30 percent and paint use 25 percent.

The mitigation program resulted from a series of violations identified since October 1997 at university facilities at Manoa, Waiakea Agricultural Experiment Station and the Kaua'i Agricultural Station.

Investigators found batches of various chemicals — including poisons, corrosives, flammables and unknown materials—that were improperly stored and labeled. All of that material has been properly disposed of, the EPA and Health Department said in a press release yesterday.

"We encourage all of the regulated community to learn from the university's example and look to pollution prevention as a way to improve their practices, save money and protect the environment," said Larry Lau, deputy director of the Hawai'i Department of Health's Environmental Health Administration.