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In the fall of 1992, the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) began a project to expand an in-house orphan chemical recycling program that had been functioning 'for about one and one-half years (NOTE: an orphan chemical is considered one that is still usable, but unwanted).
The new program included non University academic institutions, primarily within Wood County, Ohio, as a p , art of its chemical recycling effort.
non University institutions were added to the program to increase the potential for the distribution of the University's orphans, to provide a cost-savings to those institutions and the University, and to assist
non University institutions with other hazardous materials/waste management issues.
Since the initial transaction in April of 1993, approximately
4,119 pounds of solids and 1,654 gallons of liquids have been given away. To this point, the orphan chemical recycling program has saved an estimated
$373,000 to $462,000 in purchase and waste disposal costs.
The recycling program
under the direction of David Heinlen, environmental health and
safety officer at BGSU, was awarded the Governor's Award for
Outstanding Achievement in Pollution Prevention in 1995.
"It's kind of a
homey award because it's given by the state," Heinlen said.
"The recognition is nice but it wouldn't have happened if it
weren't for the participation of the people and the other
institutions and industrial facilities that have been involved
with this program," he added. He also recognizes the
involvement of Joe Rader, president of Rader Environmental
Services, a hazardous waste management company in Findlay, who has
encouraged his clients to use the recycling program when
appropriate.
Now there are plans to
expand the program to the seven counties surrounding Wood
County—Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Putnam, Sandusky and
Seneca.
The chemical recycling
program began in 1991 as a way for University departments, such
as, chemistry, biology, and art to exchange unwanted, but still
usable, chemicals.
During the program's
second year of operation, all Wood County schools and a select
number of colleges and universities outside the county were
invited to participate. Initially eight high schools, two junior
high schools, Penta County Vocational School, Owens Community
College and the Medical College of Ohio signed on. There is no
charge for schools to participate in the program.
Area companies, such
as the Campbell Soup Co., Libby-Owens-Ford, BQ
Pharmaceuticals and the Davis Besse Nuclear Power Plant have been
donating their unwanted chemicals. Other educational institutions
also have contributed. Those include the Columbus City Schools,
Kent State University, Mt. Union and Old Dominion colleges.
The Governor's Award
was the second recognition won by the program. In June it received
the Award of Distinction at the 1994 National Safety Council's
Unique and Innovative Award Program.
Recycling
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