Annual Report on Project XL Activities at Boston College

Prepared by N. Gail Hall, Environmental Health and Safety Officer

August 15, 2005

 

Introduction

 

This report contains the findings and observations of the most recent year of Boston College’s participation in the New England College and University Laboratories Project XL.  The report includes waste data for the calendar year 2004, and survey, training and other data for the academic year 2004-2005.

 

 

Management of Hazardous Chemicals of Concern (EPIs 1 & 2)

 

Laboratories are required to submit complete chemical inventories to the Office of Environmental Health and Safety annually.  These inventories are used by us to meet regulatory requirements, including emergency planning, Tier II and emission source registration reporting.  We compare the HCOC list to the main inventory in order to identify HCOCs in various locations in labs.  The HCOC list is also used to identify particular chemicals for targeted clean-out or maintenance (e.g. ethers, picric acid).  In the past year we have used the HCOC list in developing a protocol for limiting lab activities when there is a significant event on campus[1] (e.g. football game, commencement, Boston Marathon).  By sorting the HCOC list based on certain parameters (e.g. Class 1A flammables [Table 1] and reactive chemicals [Table 2]), we have been able to provide labs with a discrete list of chemicals whose use is prohibited during significant events when there are large numbers of people on campus and emergency response to campus is difficult.  In addition, the HCOC table is used to provide information on chemical storage of unstable chemicals.

 


Table 1:  HCOCs sorted by NFPA Diamond Flammable Level 4 (Lab workers are prohibited from using these chemicals during significant events.)

 

CHEMICAL:

HCOC Reactive [R]/ Toxic [T]

NFPA Flammability Rating***

Oxidant [S/L/G]

Explosive

Peroxide Former Class**

Acute Toxicity: DOT Poison*

Waste Code***

Special Handling Requirements

Acetaldehyde

R

4

 

 

2

 

 

12 month storage limit if inhibited, 3 month if  not inhibited

Butadiene

R

4

 

 

1

 

 

3 month storage limit

Chloroethane

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diethyl Ether

R

4

 

 

2

 

 

12 month storage limit if inhibited, 3 month if  not inhibited

Ethylamine

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethylmercaptan

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hydrocyanic Acid

T

4

 

 

 

B

 

 

Hydrogen

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hydrogen Cyanide

T

4

 

 

 

A/B

 

 

Isobutane

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isopropylamine

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Methyl Mercaptan

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Methylamine

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pentane

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Propylene Oxide

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trimethylamine

T

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vinyl Bromide

R

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vinylidene Chloride

R

4

 

 

1

 

 

3 month storage limit

Diazomethane

T

Flam Gas

 

X

 

 

 

 

Diborane [G]

T

Flam Gas

 

 

 

A

 

 

Acetylene

T

Flammable Gas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Table 2:  Excerpt from HCOC Reactive Chemicals (Lab workers are prohibited from using these chemicals during significant events.)

 

 

CHEMICAL:

HCOC Reactive [R]/ Toxic [T]

NFPA Flammability Rating***

Oxidant [S/L/G]

Explosive

Peroxide Former Class**

Acute Toxicity: DOT Poison*

Waste Code***

Special Handling Requirements

Acetal

R

 

 

 

2

 

 

12 month storage limit if inhibited, 3 month if  not inhibited

Acetaldehyde

R

4

 

 

2

 

 

12 month storage limit if inhibited, 3 month if  not inhibited

Acetylenic Compound

R

 

 

X

 

 

P

 

Acrylic Acid

R

 

 

 

1

 

 

3 month storage limit

Acrylonitrile

R

3

 

 

1

 

 

3 month storage limit

Acyl or Alkyl Nitrates

R

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Acyl or Alkyl Nitrites

R

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Alkyl Hydroperoxides

R

 

 

X

 

 

P

 

Alkyl or Acyl Peroxides

R

 

 

X

 

 

P

 

Butadiene

R

4

 

 

1

 

 

3 month storage limit

Chlorobutadiene [chloroprene]

R

 

 

 

1

 

 

3 month storage limit

Chlorotrifluoroethylene

R

 

 

 

1

 

 

3 month storage limit

Cumene

R

3

 

 

2

 

 

12 month storage limit if inhibited, 3 month if  not inhibited

Cyclohexene

R

3

 

 

2

 

 

12 month storage limit if inhibited, 3 month if  not inhibited

Cyclooctene

R

 

 

 

2

 

 

12 month storage limit if inhibited, 3 month if  not inhibited

Cyclopentene

R

 

 

 

2

 

 

12 month storage limit if inhibited, 3 month if  not inhibited

 

 

 

Boston College is in the process of choosing a chemical inventory management software package.  This tool will allow us to manage a single, consistent, electronic inventory, and to flag HCOCs automatically.
Pollution Prevention and Chemical Redistribution (EPIs 3&4)

 

As stated in the previous Project XL reports, an on-going chemical redistribution program (EPI 4) is not cost effective.  We continue to have lab clean-outs due to personnel changes or changing space needs, and these activities generate some unused chemicals.  However, for the reasons mentioned in previous years (concerns for quality), only ~5% of the containers of unused chemicals may be taken by other labs.  When we have a clean-out we make an effort to redistribute chemicals.

 

Other opportunities for Pollution Prevention continue to be elusive, especially in light of the current growth in research with a corresponding increase in waste production.  In the ‘05-‘06 academic year we will be undertaking a new mercury elimination effort, with the primary goal of protecting our wastewater.  We also expect that the electronic chemical inventory will be useful in managing purchasing, as people will see what is available in other labs.  (As was shown in previous years, chemical borrowing from a known source is much more acceptable to researchers than taking an unused chemical from an unknown source.)

 


Hazardous Waste Generation (EPA #5)

 

Waste totals are presented in Table 3[2] and Figure 1.   The 14% increase in waste from 2003 – 2004 has been noted anecdotally in our waste management operations in the past year.  The Chemistry Department continues to grow, particularly in the area of organic synthesis.  The incoming graduate class in September 2004 was roughly twice the size of previous incoming classes, and we have anecdotal reports that these students are interested in the organic synthesis labs.  The impact of these students on waste production will not be seen until Spring/Summer ‘05 . 

 

Another sign of expansion is redistribution of space in the Merkert Chemistry Center – the amount of laboratory space for the people in the organic synthesis group is growing, while space for some of the other laboratories is contracting.  There is also discussion of adding one or more new researchers in this field, which is consistent with BC’s commitment to expand the research science capacity by 25%[3].  I predict that waste volumes from the Chemistry Department will continue to increase due to department growth.

 

Table 3. Hazardous waste totals based on manifests (in lbs.)

 

 

 

2002

2003

2004

Chemistry Department

Halogenated solvents

21,435

15,100

22,415

 

Non-halogenated solvents

12,260

12,405

8,830

 

Silica gel

2,575

750

2,380

 

Lab Packs

7,102

9,274

6,930

Chemistry Total

 

43,372

37,529

41,297

All other labs

Lab Packs

2,094

1,515

3,101

Lab Waste Total

45,466

39,044

44,398

% inc/dec per year

 

-15%

14%

% inc/dec 02 - 04

 

 

-2%

Chemistry waste as % total

 

95%

96%

93%

 


Figure 1.  Change in waste totals over time.

 

 

There was also significant growth in the non-chemistry labs.  The near doubling seen from 2003-2004 can be explained by addition of new faculty in Biology, Psychology and Physics, an increase in the number of graduate students, and an increase in the activity of the Physics Department.  The Physics Department is gaining prominence in the field of nanotechnology, and while the results of their work are very small (and nanotechnology may eventually be a significant pollution prevention tool), the activity required to achieve those results has increased the amount of hazardous waste they produce.

 

The Campus Consortium on Environmental Excellence (www.c2e2.org) continues to be interested in understanding how it might be possible to normalize hazardous waste data in order to detect trends and understand the changes in waste production from year to year.  Boston College and C2E2 are planning a symposium on normalization for the academic year ’05-‘06.

 

Environmental Awareness (EPI 6)

           

The Environmental Awareness Survey for 2005 was completed by 128 people in the Chemistry Department (Table 6).  The survey was divided into four sections.  Questions 1-8 were knowledge questions that have been asked in previous years.  There were no significant differences seen in knowledge about lab procedures, except that undergraduates (understandably) have lower scores because they have had more limited training.  These questions continue to point out where we need to provide better training.  The addition of web-based training may be the difference that we need to get people to understand certain principles like how a fume hood works.

 

Questions 9-15 were questions about workers’ attitudes concerning their responsibilities in environmental issues and waste generation.    It is pleasing to see that 76% of those surveyed agree or strongly agree that they do have responsibility to “minimize the environmental impact of their work (Q. 9).”  However, only 48% agree that they could reduce their waste production by 10% (Q. 11).  The responses to Question 13 suggest that  researchers don’t have information on how to reduce waste production.  Combined with the lack of readily accessible information about less toxic replacements in the scientists’ own literature, it suggests that there is a significant opportunity here for EPA to work with the American Chemical Society and other chemical manufacturing resources to encourage the development of new technologies that would allow for toxic use reduction.

 

Questions 16 and 17 were demographic questions.

 

Questions 18 -20 were new questions, and provided excellent program feedback for us in terms of improving our health and safety and waste management program.  Question 18 is especially gratifying:  of those who had grounds for comparison, 52% believe the BC program is better than other waste programs and a total of 93% believe that the BC program is better than or the same as other waste programs.  The New England University Project XL has certainly had a positive impact on our lab waste management program at Boston College.

 

Specific information comes from the comments (Q. 19 and 20).  We see that certain simple operational improvements, like better management of labels and waste bottles, training of safety contacts, and communication with our waste contractor, should positively impact the program with a very small amount of effort.  It is also gratifying to know what our successes are.  The data contained in the survey may provide additional insights upon further analysis, and I expect to continue to use customer surveys in the future to ensure the improvement of our program in the right direction.

 

Training (EPI 7)

 

There have been no significant changes in our training program over the last year.  We continue to train nearly 100% of the lab workers, either with face-to-face initial training at the start of a semester, or with written training for interim arrivals who still have to complete face-to-face initial training at the next scheduled time.  We also provide refresher training on request.  The average Chemistry lab worker has a 3 hr. initial training and annual refresher training (1 hr.).  The lab workers in other departments generally have 2 hours of initial training.

 

Training attendance is managed by departmental personnel, and is tracked by the departments and EH&S.

 

The Chemistry Department and EH&S are piloting a new training vehicle for the current academic year (’05-’06).  WebCT is a web-based online learning software package supported at Boston College.  Any classes that have online learning activities use WebCT, and there are an increasing number of students who are familiar with it.  WebCT supports a number of formats and provides tracking for those who use it.

 

The first training program being introduced through WebCT in Chemistry is the emergency evacuation plan.  This will be followed by DOT shipping training, chemical hygiene, and waste management.  WebCT is not intended to replace face-to-face training, but will allow people to review materials at a slower pace, to have make-up training or initial training immediately on arrival at BC.

 


Objectives and Targets (EPI 8)

 

Objectives and targets are presented in the format of the Environmental Scorecard (Appendix III).

 

Audit Scores (EPI 9)

The trend in audit scores (Figure 2) suggests that our increased efforts in training and communication in the Biology Department are having a positive effect, as compliance is reaching the same level as the Chemistry Department. The two labs in Geology are under the control of one person, so compliance management in that department is very easy.  Physics is the next frontier as far as targeting training to improve compliance.  The Physics Department is undergoing a period of growth and change.  It will be necessary in the current year to identify waste generation points and provide training targeted to Physics’ activities.

 

Table 4:  Average Audit Scores by Department from 2003-2005.

 

Report year /Department

2003

2004

2005

Biology

5.1

7.2

8.1

Chemistry

8.5

8.6

8.5

Geology/Geophysics

9

10

10

Physics

4

N/A

5

 

Figure 2.  Change in Audit Scores

 

 

Conclusion

 

Boston College’s participation in the Lab XL Project continues to provide us with opportunities to learn and inform about the challenges of waste management in laboratories at universities throughout the country and the world.  Ultimately I believe this work will provide answers that support waste minimization and Green Chemistry, and will lead to a change in the culture of science such that we will take into account chemicals’ health, safety and environmental impacts as well as their utility chemical dependent processes.

 

 

 


Appendix:  Supporting Data

 

Table 5. Hazardous waste totals based on lab pick-up forms

 

Data collected from waste pick-up forms

 

 

 

 

Weight (lbs.)

 

 

Department

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Biology

1199

952

808

1287

data not available from waste pick-up forms

882

Chemistry

21598

35642

33363

33391

38742

Geology

23

24

85

(a)

55

Physics

N/A

46

25

46

82

Psychology

391

100

54

11

42

Total

23211

36764

34335

34735

39803

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(a) Data not recorded, but estimated at ~ 80 lb.

 

 

 

 


Table 6.  Environmental Awareness Survey 2005

 

Question

Grad

Undergrad

Non-Stu

Totals

% Respondents

1. When I need health/safety information about a chemical I consult (check the two most common sources)

 

a. paper MSDS

32

9

7

48

21

b. online MSDS

67

20

14

101

44

c. Merck

23

4

3

32

14

d. book

21

12

4

39

17

e. other

2

3

2

7

3

N

 

 

 

227

 

2. Before I begin to work with a hazardous chemical I’ve never used before, I consult

 

a. MSDS

39

8

13

61

31

b. chemical label

41

8

3

54

27

c. PI

5

5

4

14

7

d. colleague

40

15

4

60

30

e. other

6

0

1

7

4

f. no one

2

0

0

2

1

N

 

 

 

198

 

3. Which of these factors do you think is the largest overall environmental impact of laboratory work:

 

a. toxic chemicals

26

16

3

47

32

b. utility use

6

2

2

10

7

c. hazardous waste

61

9

15

87

58

d. biomedical waste

1

3

1

5

3

e. animal waste

0

0

0

0

0

N

 

 

 

149

 

4. Which of these factors do you think is the largest overall environmental impact of YOUR laboratory work:

 

a. toxic chemicals

28

7

4

40

27

b. utility use

6

6

3

16

11

c. hazardous waste

50

13

11

77

52

d. biomedical waste

9

4

1

14

10

e. animal waste

0

0

0

0

0

N

 

 

 

147

 

5. A chemical fume hood works by

 

a. air curtain

4

2

1

7

5

b. filtering chemicals

4

5

1

10

7

c. diluting chemicals

7

2

4

13

9

d. laminar flow

7

2

2

11

8

e. all

61

21

11

96

70

N

 

 

 

137

 

6. What is the proper way to dispose of 1 liter of strong mineral acids?

 

a. dilute

3

2

3

8

6

b. neutralization

37

14

4

57

42

c. collection and pick-up

46

12

11

70

52

d. mixing

0

0

0

0

0

N

 

 

 

135

 


7. Ultimately, most chemical wastes generated in laboratories are:

 

a. incinerated

50

6

10

66

50

b. landfill

1

1

1

3

2

c. sewer

3

0

0

3

2

d. treated

30

21

7

61

46

N

 

 

 

133

 

8. In general, the cost of disposal of a chemical is ______ the cost of buying that chemical.

 

a. less than

5

6

2

13

10

b. equal to

13

3

4

21

16

c. a little more

13

12

3

28

21

d. a lot more

51

7

9

69

53

N

 

 

 

131

 

9. It is the responsibility of every lab worker to minimize the environmental impact of their work

 

1. strongly agree

50

16

13

79

62

2

11

6

1

18

14

3

2

1

2

5

4

4

3

3

0

6

5

5. strongly disagree

16

1

1

19

15

N

 

 

 

127

 

10. With careful planning, I would be able to produce 10% less laboratory waste without affecting my research output.

 

1. strongly agree

14

7

5

26

22

2

18

10

3

31

26

3

25

7

4

36

31

4

13

0

2

15

13

5. strongly disagree

8

0

1

10

8

N

 

 

 

118

 

11. Hazardous waste is a necessary byproduct of chemical research.

 

1. strongly agree

15

2

3

20

17

2

31

14

10

45

38

3

13

11

4

28

24

4

12

0

0

12

10

5. strongly disagree

11

0

1

13

11

N

 

 

 

118

 

12. It is important for scientists to find safer chemicals to use in their experiments.

 

1. strongly agree

26

4

5

35

27

2

25

14

8

47

36

3

12

6

3

21

16

4

8

3

1

12

9

5. strongly disagree

11

1

1

14

11

N

 

 

 

129

 


 

Question

Grad

Undergrad

Non-Stu

Totals

% Respondents

 

13. I would be willing to make changes in my experiments in order to produce less hazardous waste, but I don’t know how.

 

1. strongly agree

17

2

1

20

16

2

21

15

5

41

33

3

24

6

7

37

30

4

9

4

2

16

13

5. strongly disagree

10

0

1

11

9

N

 

 

 

125

 

 

14. I have seen articles about pollution prevention in research in my discipline’s journals.

 

1. strongly agree

12

0

2

15

13

2

16

6

3

25

22

3

18

3

6

27

24

4

14

7

3

24

21

5. strongly disagree

13

4

4

21

19

N

 

 

 

112

 

15.  It is important to routinely review the health and safety information on the chemicals I use.

 

1. strongly agree

29

4

5

38

30

2

25

15

6

46

36

3

11

5

4

20

16

4

10

4

3

18

14

5. strongly disagree

5

0

0

5

4

N

 

 

 

127

 

16. Current Role

 

Faculty

 

 

 

6

5

Staff / Admin

 

 

 

1

1

Staff / Lab Tech

 

 

 

11

9

Graduate Student

 

 

 

82

64

Undergraduate

 

 

 

28

22

N

 

 

 

128

 

17. Years in research at BC

 

<1

 

 

 

35

27

1-2

 

 

 

44

34

3-5

 

 

 

44

34

>5

 

 

 

6

5

 

 

 

 

129

 

18.  I believe that the Laboratory Waste Management Program at BC is _________ the waste management programs at other universities.

 

better than

 

 

 

42

32

the same as

 

 

 

33

25

worse than

 

 

 

6

7

I have no grounds for comparison.

 

 

 

45

34

No response

 

 

 

5

4

                                                            N                                                         131


19.  The best/worst things about BC’s Lab Waste Management Program              

 

The Best

 

The Worst

 

 

 

every lab has specific person for safety issue

 

lack of training for that person

safety officers constant evaluation and checking in lab

 

inconsistently enforced

review of incidents

 

waste bottles not kept in hoods

training

 

some waste I'm not sure what to do with

informative

 

frequent lack of empty waste jugs

detailed training

 

not enough info on what happens to waste, what goes in containers

the education

 

Clean Harbors refuses to ask for entry to locked labs. 

alert people all the time

 

qualified people not in charge of the program

they stress safety and caution

 

not separating chlorinated waste (it used to be separated)

EH&S good staff

 

pickup frequency. Sometimes too many waste bottles under fume hood

good waste bottles

 

controlling waste water

well organized

 

should have easier access to the waste labels

staff are available for help and advice

 

methylene chloride in the drains

reduces toxic chemicals in environment

 

rigorous continued effort to pay attention to waste

prizes

 

could do with more communication (how to dispose of waste/separation)

frequent pickup of lab waste

 

occasional lack of empty waste bottles

fairly simple procedure for requesting pickup

 

the waste water nazi's

scheduled pickup, those guys rock!

 

inconsistency

getting picked up frequently

 

too stringent rules, no room for waste tubs

scheduled pickup

 

having to close the lid on waste jugs

rigorous attention paid by those in charge

 

saying that we would decrease overall emission w/o considering growth of dept.

informing how to get rid of chemicals

 

sometimes waste bins aren't collected regularly

lab pickup of waste containers

 

waiting for pickup

emphasis placed on it

 

the fact that they commonly don't pick up materials they have sheets for

well organized

 

not enough room and bottles

rigorous continued effort to pay attention to waste

 

its long

collecting waste

 

running out of empty waste bottles on Monday night

nice guys, very efficient

 

no separate collection of primarily solvent waste

yearly safety sessions

 

no carbonyls(?) in lab

the multi colored tie wraps

 

enforcement of vacuum aspiration

lab safety officers

 

none

the seminars

 

 

weekly waste pickup

 

 

how easy it is to get rid of waste

 

 

waste company disposes of large bottles of reactives

 

 

it is easy to get info helpful for proper disposal

 

 

ease of use

 

 

bottles and labels are readily available

 

 

they actually have one and take it seriously

 

 

its very informative

 

 

It’s easy, safe, and fun for everyone!

 

 

ease of waste pickup on weekly schedule

 

 

waste tech entering labs

 

 

close relation of safety people

 

 

Easy access to waste management tools

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

Table 7. 

Audit results 2005

 

 

 

 

Container mngment (a)

SOP (b)

Self Inspection (c)

Grade

 

/4

/4

/2

/10

Biology

 

 

 

 

 

4

4

2

10.0

 

4

4

0

8.0

 

3

3

0

6.0

 

4

4

2

10.0

 

4

3

2

9.0

 

4

3

0

7.0

 

3

3

2

8.0

 

4

3

2

9.0

 

3

3

0

6.0

 

 

 

 

 

Average Score

 

 

8.1

 

 

 

 

 

Physics

 

 

 

 

 

3

2

0

5.0

 

 

 

 

 

Geology/Geophysics

 

 

 

4

4

2

10.0

 

4

4

2

10.0

 

 

 

 

 

Average Score

 

 

10.0

 

 

 

 

 

Chemistry Research Labs

 

 

 

4

4

2

10.0

 

4

3

2

9.0

 

4

3

2

9.0

 

4

4

2

10.0

 

4

4

2

10.0

 

3

3

1

7.0

 

3

4

2

9.0

 

3

3

0

6.0

 

4

3

2

9.0

 

3

4

2

9.0

 

4

4

0

8.0

 

4

4

2

10.0

 

2

2

1

5.0

Chemistry Teaching Labs

 

 

 

4

4

2

10.0

 

3

3

0

6.0

 

 

 

 

 

Average Score

 

 

8.5

 

(a) Containers closed, in good condition, segregated, in secondary containment

(b) Labels legible, no abbreviations, completely filled out

(c) Inspections done all the time

 

A0341583.DOC;1



[1] The Merkert Chemistry Center is adjacent to the sports complex on the south west side.  Higgins Hall, housing the Biology and Physics Departments, is adjacent on the north side.  The sports complex includes a 45,000 seat stadium and an 8,000 seat sports arena.

[2] Waste totals determined from waste pick-up sheets are presented in Table 5 in the Appendix.  The table provides more detailed information about the waste generating activities of individual departments.  The discrepancy in totals between the pick-up sheets and manifests results from the additional weights of containers that are included in manifest totals.

[3] From 2003.