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The Medical Center treats their regulated medical waste using an autoclave. Rather than incinerating it, an autoclave uses steam, pressure and time to kill pathogens before the waste is ground up and disposed of.
Many batteries (excluding most alkaline) contain regulated levels of cadmium, lead, mercury, silver or other hazardous materials. These are collected for recycling. In 2005 over 5.6 tons of batteries were recycled.
Carpet reclamation recovers nylon from broadloom carpet and uses it to make new engineered resins. In 2008 the University recycled 16,200 square feet of carpet. It is estimated that this averted 19.1 cubic yards of landfill and saved more than one million BTU's and 10,260 gallons of water.
A proactive approach to the management of computer solid wastes. In April and October 2008, the University of Rochester sponsored an electronic waste disposal event for employees and students which resulted in the earth-friendly disposal of more than 25,000 pounds of unwanted electronic equipment.
This is a federally mandated program intended to protect to ozone layer. Those who work on CFC/HCFC containing equipment must be certified and follow proper protocols for ensuring ozone depleting compounds are collected and managed in accordance to EPA regulations.
This is a hospital program that entails third party reprocessing and certification of single-use items that would otherwise be thrown away. This saves resources and money.
Damaged pallets are ground up for landscape mulch and usable pallets are redistributed.
Used printer cartridges are collected for remanufacturing and the proceeds are utilized to plant trees on University campuses.
Amy Kadrie is the University of Rochester's recycling coordinator. Amy has a B.S. in Environmental Science from Syracuse University. Prior to joining the U of R, she was a compliance officer/environmental specialist with the North Carolina Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources. Amy may be contacted by cell at 585.362.5739 or by email at amy.kadrie@rochester.edu.
All undeliverable third class mail addressed to former students or employees is recycled through an outside contractor.
Grounds department uses pruning debris and pallets ground into mulch for use in naturalistic landscape settings.
Selected solvent waste streams are distilled to a grade that enables them to be used for their intended purpose rather than be thrown away. Xylene, acetone and ethanol are redistilled as are some of the xylene substitutes.
Used inkjet and toner cartridges can now be mailed to University Mail Services for recycling. Place your used cartridge in its original or replacement package and mail to University Mail Services, PO Box 270001. For every laser cartridge returned 1/2 gallon of oil is conserved. In 2008, the U of R recycled approximately 1,600 pounds of plastic/metal from ink jet and laser cartridges.
