Policies & Procedures

Policy 1A.12: Acceptance of Potentially Hazardous Materials

Part 1.  Purpose.  This procedure provides the basic framework for colleges and universities accepting materials on campus through either donations to the institution or through programmatic changes.  It is in the best interest of an institution to fully understand and assess the impacts and liabilities of introducing new materials on campus through donations or programmatic changes. 

Part 2.  Applicability.  This procedure applies to all institutions. 

Part 3.  Policy Statement.  Each president shall establish a material acceptance policy for their institution that ensures: 

1. Materials meeting Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) definitions as a hazardous, universal or infectious/biological waste are not accepted.
2. The material acceptance process includes an analysis of the cost of disposal versus the program benefit.
3. Campus Hazardous Waste Coordinator is part of the acceptance process to access and quantify the full impact acceptance would have on existing waste streams, creation of a new waste stream, and impact the campus waste generator size designation.
4. Campus Hazardous Waste Coordinator reviews new campus programs or program changes to access and quantify the full impact on existing waste streams, creation of a new waste stream, and impact the campus waste generator size designation.
5. Campuses review and update their acceptance procedures annually and provide a copy or link to these updated procedures to the system office.

A policy template policy memorandum is attached for institutional use.

Part 4.  Definitions. 

1. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA):  State regulatory agency responsible for enforcing federal and state environmental health rules.
2. Hazardous Waste:  Any waste that meets one of the following as defined by MPCA:
1. It displays a hazardous waste characteristic as defined by MPCA
2. It is recorded in one of the four MPCA lists of hazardous waste
3. It contains polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
3. Universal Waste:  A subset of hazardous waste that is managed under reduced requirements.  These wastes are referred to as universal because almost every business, non-profit organization and government agency generates them.
4.  

Institutional Policy

On

Assessing Materials Within Programs and As Donations

It is the policy of the Anoka-Ramsey Community College and the Anoka Technical College to exercise due diligence in assessing materials being considered for use as part of a new or changing academic program, process or function within campus operations, or as a donation to fully understand the potential costs impacts and liabilities before introducing or accepting the materials. 

Prior to accepting any new materials through programmatic changes, donations, or other means, the Anoka-Ramsey Community College and the Anoka Technical College Hazardous Waste Coordinator and Business Manager will review all materials, non-monetary donations and determine:

1. If the materials donation meets one of the following Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) waste definitions, they will not be accepted.  The specific definitions are:
   1. Hazardous Waste: Any material, product, or substance that meets one of the following as defined by the MPCA:
   2. It displays a hazardous waste characteristic as defined by the MPCA
   3. It is recorded in one of the four MPCA lists of hazardous waste
   4. It contains polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
      1. Universal Waste:  A subset of hazardous waste that is managed under reduced requirements.  These wastes are referred to as universal because almost every business, non-profit organization and government agency generates them.
      2. Infectious/Biological Waste:  Wastes that poses a biological risk.  Examples include; blood and other body fluids, sharps, human vaccines, infectious cultures, etc.
2. If the acceptance of the donation will create a major impact on existing waste streams, create a new waste stream, and/or the acceptance impacts on the campus waste generator size, the Hazardous Waste Coordinator shall review and make recommendations to Leadership to accept or deny the request.
3. If new campus programs or current program changes will create a major impact on existing waste streams, create a new waste stream, and/or impacts on the campus waste generator size, the Hazardous Waste Coordinator shall review and make recommendations to Leadership to accept or deny the program or changes.

This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as needed.

Related Policies:       Minnesota State Board Policy 5.24 Safety and Security Compliance

                                  Minnesota State Board Procedure 5.24.1 Acceptance of Materials Procedures

History:

09.2014 Adopted 

08.2017 Technical change: MnSCU to Minnesota State