Office of Security, Safety and Risk Management

Environmental Protection Agency Standard

Since its beginning in 1970, the EPA's primary responsibility is to keep hazardous materials under control with programs that address environmental problems like toxic substances, air and water pollution, industrial waste disposal, solid waste disposal, pesticides, radiation, and noise. This agency has continued to battle large industries that put profit above responsible environmental policies. Many organizations have been caught up with the regulaltions including universities. Below are a few of the regulations we should be concerned about.

Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act -- The Clean Air Act (CAA) was originally intended in 1955 to control unspecified particles from being emitted into the air by factories. The regulations were too vague so major revisions were made in 1970, 1977, and 1990. Now there is a list of 190 hazardous air pollutants. Emissions considered harmful to the air are regulated by the EPA through a system of national emission limits and permits.
The Clean Water Act -- (CWA) was passed into law in 1972. This law was the result of environmental irresponsibility such as large scale dumping of toxic chemicals into the Great Lakes. It is well known that the Cyahoga River actually caught fire in 1969 in Cleveland, Ohio. People who swim and fish in Lake Erie can thank the EPA for enforcing strict laws that have resulted in the clean-up of the lake.

What these laws mean to us in science laboratories at Denison is that anything dumped down the drain is not permitted unless specifically directed by the instructor or supervisor. In particular, organic compounds and heavy metal compounds containing silver, chromium, mercury, nickel, etc. can result in violating EPA regulations.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act -- (RCRA) is a law congress passed in 1976 to regulate the recycling and disposal of hazardous waste. RCRA catagorizes hazardous waste and regulates the activities of all parties involved from generation, transport, storage and/or disposal of these waste. These parties must comply with recordkeeping requirements that tracks the hazardous material for 30 years.
At Denison, the hazardous waste is removed from campus annually. Each department generating hazardous waste stores their waste in a safe manner until it is compiled and removed from campus by a lisense hazardous disposal company. Every attempt is made to have all waste incinerated thereby relieving Denison "cradle to grave" or by law "cradle to infinity" responsibility. This law simply stated says that if you generate a hazardous material, you are responsible for whatever happens to that materials forever. By incinerating the hazardous material or recovering it in a pure form, the hazardous material no longer exist.
Compreshensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act -- (CERCLA) is commonly called "Superfund" and was enacted in 1980 to identify and fine those responsible for hazardous waste spills. This law gives EPA authority to collect the cost associated with clean-up. It also established a fund to be used when the responsible party is unable to pay. The fund is used so clean-up can begin while the responsible party is taken to court.
A good example of the law in action has taken place right here in Granville. A small company, below the overpass at Cherry St. and the bike trail, was involved in the redistillation of solvents used to clean plastic manufacturing equipment. There were several storage tanks full of this waste solvent when the company went bankrupt. Many residents were concerned due to the fact that the wells Granville use to obtain drinking water is a short distance away. The Superfund has stepped in and has begun removal of the waste solvent and the contaminated area.
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act -- (SARA) passed in 1986 to help local and state agencies respond to hazardous spills. This law requires an inventory of hazardous materials be kept which indicates the amount and location of chemicals on a site. It grants any member of the community access to information on chemicals present on campus.