The Other Press

November 30, 1993

 

enviro-

Hazardous waste disposal under the microscope

by Sid Waskiewich
(Institute of Urban Ecology)

Environment Canada says, “Many Cana-
dians have put their concern about the
environment into action by following the four
R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover, But, it’s
time to do more. For example, only one in four
Canadians take reusable bags when they go
shopping - a simple and inexpensive way to
reduce waste.”

The four R’s have become common words
in today’s vocabulary. One of the major consider-
ations when discussing these terms is whether or
not they are economically feasible. The one factor
that many people don’t realize is that by
implementing these methods, money is saved
over time. Diritig the next few months these
terms and their application to Douglas College
will be focused on in this column, along with the
Environment Canada message that can be applied
both at home and at school. Details regarding
how the school is environmentally friendly, what
can be improved, and monetary considerations
will all be discussed. This column will focus on
environmental concerns including paper recycling,
waste management, and air quality. The economic
considerations of hazardous waste disposal is the
focus of this first article.

The term hazardous waste probably creates
a vision ofa toxic wasteland with a green bubbling
liquid and workers in protective yellow suits. But
in reality, this waste can include everything from
latex paint to mercury to syringes. Hazardous
waste is defined by the Special Waste Legislation
(BC Environment) and hazardous products are
covered by Workplace Hazardous Materials
Information System (WHMIS). At Douglas

College, hazardous waste is managed by Facilities
Services. Jean Allan, the WHMIS representative,
coordinates the collection and disposal procedures.
In October of 1989, she started as the WHMIS
representative and today can be found either
working in the Chemistry Lab in the Math and
Sciences Department or in her office in the 4800
block. She is responsible for collecting and
disposing the hazardous materials in a yearly
round-up in May, the documentation of all the
dangerous materials in the building, maintaining
a database of MSDSs (Material Saféty Data Sheets),
and for the training of all Douglas College
employees about material hazards. Her job also
includes developing ways to cut disposal costs,
reuse the current materials, and reduce the amount
of hazardous waste produced.

Some people think that being environ-
mentally responsible means spending lots of
money. The tremendous costs incurred by hiring
hazardous waste disposal companies to dispose of
our wastes by the kilogram proves these people
right. However, there are some free disposal
methods and chemistry-based ways to save on
disposal costs.

Objects such as syringes and small broken
glass can easily be thrown in the garbage. Here,
they posea danger to janitors and garbage collectors
and the college is charged for their disposal. To
avoid this, they are gathered separately and taken

down by Douglas College employees to the
Burnaby incinerator where they can be disposed
of free of charge. These sharp objects can just been
placed in the normal garbage collection, but by
being honest with the GVRD (Greater Vancouver
Regional District) regarding whatis in our garbage,
we are able to dispose of these objects without
charge, protecting workers and saving money.
Some of the other materials that need to be
disposed of include consumer materials such as
paints, glues and batteries. Asa further cost cutting
measure, Jean makes personal trips to a free
disposal center on 103 Ave. in Surrey to dispose
of such household wastes. Otherwise, these
materials would be included in the hazardous
waste collection and we would again be charged
for their disposal.

By using her chemistry background, Jean
is also able to reduce the amount (or weight) of
materials that need to be disposed in order to cut
costs. One such example involves the disposal of
lead solutions. A large bottle of liquid that contains
a small percentage of lead costs a substantial sum
since disposal companies charge for dumping the
whole bottle. Using chemistry, the lead can be
taken out of the liquid and then the school is
charged only fora small amount. Jean’s knowledge
of chemistry also allows her to categorize the
chemical compounds that need to be disposed.
Otherwise, waste disposal companies would

charge the college for the amount of time required
to have their own chemists do it. We are also
charged for time spent on the annual pick-up in
May. Since all of the compounds have been
separated and are ready to be taken away, pick-up
time is kept to a minimum. For example, the time
needed during the most recent pick-up in May
was only one hour. Remember, these materials
were stockpiled for one year and came from
several departments.

Even with all of these economical waste
disposal methods, the process of silver reclamation
is not used at Douglas College. Most universities
have projects in place that collect the silver waste
from photo labs and print shops, which is recycled
and re-sold. Currently, the college doesn’t produce
enough silver containing waste to make this
recycling method economically feasible. As is the
case with many environmental considerations,
the final decision is based on money. Even so, it
appears as though Douglas College and its WHMIS
representative Jean Allan, are stretching the money
available as far as it will go. The work done by Jean
proves that by making some inquiries and applying
available knowledge, it can be relatively easy and
inexpensive for you to help the environment.
*In order for environmental citizenship to be effective in our
school, a collective effort is needed from both students and
staff. Suggestions and comments can be submitted to the
Institute of Urban Ecology at 527-5522.

 

 

 

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UNICEF cards and gifts...
for the future of children

 

 

What makes UNICEF cards and
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For a sales outlet, call:
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United Nations Children’s Fund

 

 

 

 

Remembering Montreal

A forum on men and violence

December 2, 1993
2pm - 4pm

Boardroom (Room 4920)

This forum is an opportunity to discuss the issue of men and violence,
and to promote understanding, insight and awareness.

A panel discussion will address the following topics:

What causes males to adopt violence as a conflict-resolution tactic?

Why is the problem of male violence so difficult to deal with and

identify?

What can we do about this problem as educators, therapists, students,
or members of the community?

What practical issues do we face at Douglas College with respect to
violence and security, and how can we effectively address these

concerns?

The forum moderator will address all relevant comments and suggestions
in a manner that encourages more discussion.

Produced by the Public Information Office

Printed on Recycled Paper

$$ douglas college