Contributor: Robert J Abril, CHMM, REM

Business Title: Senior Technical Service Advisor

Contact Information:
Triumvirate Environmental
Phone: 800 966 9282 x239
rabril@triumvirate.com 

Title of Presentation: Preparing an Academic Institution for an EPA Multimedia Inspection.

Author: Robert J Abril

Key Words: Prepared, EPA Multimedia Inspections

Objective:
To discuss issues facing colleges and universities with regards to being prepared for a regulatory inspection.

Issues
The following issues faced colleges and universities:

  • Applicability of the regulations to colleges and universities.
  • Overcoming the old-school attitudes
  • Giving the environmental health and safety departments sufficient budgets and staffing.
  • Training laboratory personnel on proper waste handling procedures.
  • Plan development, either the plan did not exist or was not adequate.
  • Contingency Plan
  • SPCC Plan
  • Health and Safety Plan
  • Hazardous Waste Management Plan
  • Training EH&S staffs on the proper way to deal with an inspector.

Developments

  • Address two programs designed to make hazardous waste regulations more applicable to academia.
  • Creation of Project XL program by three Region 1 schools.
  • Development of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute program, Managing Hazardous Wastes in Academic Research Institutions

Conclusions

Being prepared is the key to success. Keeping abreast of regulatory changes is the best way to prevent heavy fines and penalties for being non-compliant.