Environmental Management
It is the policy of Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) to provide and ensure a safe and healthy environment for the Florida Tech community by constantly maintaining an effective safety and environmental/occupational health program.
Hazardous Waste Management
The Environmental Health and Safety Department handles and manages hazardous waste in accordance with the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) regulations. A hazardous waste determination must be made for any waste material that is generated. If a waste is hazardous then it must be recycled, treated, stored, or disposed of at an approved hazardous waste facility. *Hazardous Waste Determination Flow Chart can be used to properly categorize waste. You can also contact for assistance.
Once you have categorized the waste you can use the links below to learn more about proper disposal:
The Florida Tech Hazardous Waste Contingency Plan will be used in the event of a hazardous waste release or emergency. The purpose of the plan is:
- To act as a guide during actual emergency situations;
- To minimize hazards to human health and the environment from fires, explosions, or any unplanned sudden or non-sudden release of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents to the air, soils, or surface water; and
- To familiarize local emergency response personnel (i.e. police, fire, and rescue departments, hospital and governmental personnel) with the types of material handled and internal emergency response procedures.
*Criteria for the Definition of Solid Waste and Solid and Hazardous Waste Exclusions
Proper waste management is an essential part of society’s public and environmental health. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), passed in 1976, created the framework for America’s hazardous and non-hazardous waste management programs. Materials regulated by RCRA are known as “solid wastes.” Only materials that meet the definition of solid waste under RCRA can be classified as hazardous wastes, which are subject to additional regulation. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed detailed regulations that define what materials qualify as solid wastes and hazardous wastes. Understanding the definition of a solid waste is an important first step in the process EPA set up for generators to hazardous waste to follow when determining if the waste they generated is a regulated hazardous waste.
Some of the materials that would otherwise fit the definitions of a solid or hazardous waste under waste identification are specifically excluded from the definitions. EPA concluded that these materials should not be regulated as solid or hazardous wastes for a number of reasons. Many exclusions are mandated in RCRA. EPA selected other exclusions to provide an incentive to recycle certain materials, because there was not enough information on the material to justify its regulation as a solid or hazardous waste, or because the material was already subject to regulation under another statute.
Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC)
The Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Department provides training, procedures, inspection, spill cleanup materials and response in accordance with 40 CFR Part 112, and the Florida Tech Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan. Florida Tech stores petroleum products on campus in hydraulic elevators, kitchen grease containers, above ground storage tanks, and electrical transformers. Therefore, an SPCC Plan is required by EPA. The purpose of the plan is to prevent oil discharges from reaching navigable waterways and adjoining shorelines, and to ensure effective response to oil discharges. A copy of the full plan is available for review in the Environmental Health and Safety Office upon request. Important elements of the plan are summarized below:
Incidental “Small” Spills
Incidental spills involve a small quantity of a known hazardous material where the material is routinely used. If the person discovering the incidental spill has knowledge of the hazards and can perform clean up using available spill clean up materials, the spill should be cleaned up immediately and reported to EHS for waste disposal. As a rule of thumb, less than one gallon of a hazardous material is typically considered a small spill. Incidental spills do not involve unknown chemicals, acutely hazardous materials, injury, fire, explosion, or uncontrolled releases.
Emergency Spills
If there is a large spill, fire department response is necessary. These spills may involve unknown chemicals, acutely hazardous materials, injury, fire, explosion, or uncontrolled releases. In the event of a large spill, evacuate the area and call 911 from a safe location. Large spills should also be reported to EHS as soon as possible after calling 911. EHS will contact outside agencies if further reporting is required. See the Emergency Response Flow Chart for detailed instructions and contact information.
Training
Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Training is available online through HSI. This training is required annually for all oil handling personnel, including but not limited to, Transportation, Dining Services, and Maintenance personnel. Please follow the instructions below for online training.
- Login to the Online training with your TRACKS/CAS information.
- Click on “Enroll in New Course”. Choose the “Oil Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) course.”
- Click the (home) tab to view your new course.
- Click on start tab to begin your training.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the quality of a building’s environment in relation to the health and well-being of those who occupy space within it. IAQ is determined by many factors. Some of these factors include:
- Temperature extremes
- Relative humidity
- Ventilation
- Contaminants from cleaning products, construction activities, carpets and furnishings, perfumes, cigarette smoke, water-damaged building materials, microbial growth (fungal, mold, and bacterial), insects, and outdoor pollutants.
The Environmental Health and Safety Staff (EHS) works in conjunction with the Facilities Services Department in response to concerns from building occupants who suspect a possible unsafe working environment. Also, the Facilities Department makes every attempt to keep building occupants aware of various construction projects that may be in or around a building that may be a source or exhaust fumes, etc.
Understanding the sources of indoor environmental contaminants and controlling them can often help prevent health concerns. If you suspect a problem with indoor air quality, please submit a Facilities Service Request by visiting the Facilities Department website (https://www.fit.edu/facilities/).