Federal and state regulations require generators of hazardous wastes to manage those wastes in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. BSU Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) coordinates the management of chemical and biological hazardous wastes generated at Bemidji State University.
This includes collection, central storage, manifesting and shipping of the wastes. Individual generators are responsible for proper collection, identification, labeling and storage of hazardous wastes in their respective areas before EHS removes them.
EHS also provides waste management information, advice and assistance to campus generators. Resources, such as the Chemical Hazardous Waste Management Guide and the Biohazardous Waste Management Guide, are available here or by contacting EHS.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
BSU encourages all employees to consider ways to reduce or eliminate waste in their work activities, such as:
- substituting non-hazardous or less hazardous products
- using water-based paints and soy-based inks
- purchasing and preparing products in quantities that will be completely used
- reducing the size and frequency of waste-generating projects and activities
- accurately labeling product containers and preventing product contamination
- designing projects that will use wastes generated by other projects
Additional sources of information on waste reduction include professional publications, product vendors and manufacturers, environmental websites at various universities and government agencies such as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). BSU EHS can also assist in exploring waste reduction possibilities.