University will pay more than $80,000 for hazardous waste violations
The University will also have to evaluate 301 laboratories as stipulation of agreement reached with EPA.
By Joe Preiner (Contact)
Friday, October 3rd, 2008
The alleged mishandling of hazardous wastes will cost the University more than $80,000 to clean up.
The Environmental Protection Agency evaluated University laboratory buildings last December for compliance with the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. It cited the University for multiple violations of the RCRA and Kansas hazardous waste regulations. The University and the EPA reached an agreement on the matter Monday afternoon.
The violations included improperly labeling, documenting, handling and storing hazardous waste at several locations around campus, including labs in Burt and Malott halls and the McCollum lab in the Higuchi Biosciences Center.
The University agreed to pay $39,431 to the EPA for the violations and will also spend at least $41,585 on a project aimed at reducing the use and production of hazardous and toxic waste on campus, usually produced during scientific processes. The process will involve evaluating 301 laboratories in various departments as well as the University’s Natural History Museum. It will also include more training for people involved in the handling of the hazardous materials.
Chris Whitley, public affairs specialist for the EPA’s region seven, said the University had to complete the project within the next two years.
“We don’t expect it all to be done right away,” Whitley said. “Evaluating 301 labs is a big undertaking.”
To assure the University stays on track with the project, Whitley said it would submit progress reports to the EPA. If the University fails to make the necessary progress in the allotted time, additional fines will be added. Whitley said whenever something such as hazardous waste was not being handled according to regulations, a potential for damage to human health was present.
Mike Russell, director of environment, health and safety for the University, said none of the violations the EPA cited involved exposure or harm to the environment or people. He said that while there was potential for harm in everyday life, the problem with hazardous waste handling on campus would not be hard to address.
“People need to follow through with the procedures and responsibilities,” Russell said. “It is something we worry about.”
Jack Martin, deputy director of the office of university communications, said the University’s agreement with the EPA came after a series of discussions among University officials about the agency’s inspection. He said the University was able to show that some of the issues the EPA had brought up were not violations. Despite disagreeing with the EPA on some remaining issues, Martin said the deal was fair overall.
Ryan Callihan, Lenexa senior and a coordinator of KU Environs, said that while the EPA fine may seem like a lot of money, it seemed petty considering the violations. He said the University wasn’t immune to the rules and regulations imposed on other organizations.
Martin said covering the cost of the fines was a matter of reallocating existing resources to where the need arose. He said the money for the environmental project would come from assigning new duties to existing staff members. The source of funding for the $39,341 penalty is still being determined.
— Edited by Rachel Burchfield
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