Credit 8.0 (1 point)
Develop an action plan to eliminate, minimize, substitute, recycle, and dispose of harmful chemicals safely. Plan should improve distribution, and limit quantities, storage and waste.

Technologies & Strategies

Develop material handling and processing guidelines as a part of initial building design, and monitor implementation of guidelines as a part of final building commissioning. Guidelines should reduce consumption of hazardous materials, and to prevent potential contamination of the surrounding environment.

Consider providing dedicated centralized areas for receiving of, return of, or safe disposal of, hazardous materials. Also consider providing dedicated space in each lab for receiving of, return of, or safe disposal of, hazardous materials. Include an area for reporting of all hazardous material “transactions” to central inventory system.

Develop decanting procedures that eliminate waste or allow for recycling of waste streams.

Minimize proliferation of hazardous materials in laboratories by developing “just in time” inventory system.

Provide coordinated materials transport strategy that allows efficient “just in time” delivery of hazardous materials.

Use alternative equipment or laboratory methods designed to reduce consumption of hazardous materials.

Minimize use of hazardous materials in relationship to testing/experimental volume.

Use automated laboratory equipment that maximizes sample throughput while minimizing sample size, reagent quantity, and waste streams.

Work with EH&S (Environmental, Health, and Safety) personnel and local code officials in developing action plan.

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