Environmental Quality
Factors contributing towards environmental quality include the use of chemicals and hazardous materials. It is important that the University works toward reducing the use of these products and continues to ensure their proper disposal.
Main Strategies
- Reduce use of hazardous materials and ensure proper disposal
- Increase awareness of issues related to hazardous materials
Objectives for 2023
- Study effectiveness of organic fertilizers and reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers
- Phase in more Green Seal-certified cleaning products and adopt green cleaning procedures.
- Develop a set of sustainable operations and maintenance standards
- Complete the campus inventory of chemicals and hazardous materials
2020-21 Priorities and Outcomes
- Expand educational campaign around storm water pollution and what the campus is doing to reduce pollution.
- An informational PDF has been created that highlights CSUN's strategies for addressing storm water, and ways that campus members can prevent storm water pollution themselves. A video on this topic is also underway.
- Merge campus e-waste data into CSUN's Energy Information System for centralized tracking.
- E-waste data from AS Sustainability and Environmental Health and Safety has been added to CSUN's Energy Information System (EIS). This data will now be tracked in the EIS moving forward.
- Develop a site management policy to align our operations with LEED EBOM.
- Existing practices have been reviewed, and additional steps identified to align CSUN's building operations with LEED EBOM. These steps will be formalized in a written policy/ operating procedure.
Other Highlights
- CSUN has purchased and will be installing lids on all of its outdoor waste receptacles. These lids prevent rainwater from entering bins and leaking out as polluted storm water.
- Hazardous waste data is being shared between EH&S and Sustainability, and is now included in CSUN's Energy Information System database.
2021-22 Priorities
- Determine volume of electronic equipment (e-waste) generated by campus, to use as a benchmark with the goal of future reduction.
- Create and launch a “green labs” program for science/research/learning labs focused on energy, water, and waste reduction.
- Develop and implement a set of sustainable operations and maintenance standards.
- Identify and implement alternatives to synthetic herbicides.
Other
Organic Fertilizers
Issue:
EQ1.1
Priority:
1
Strategy:
Identify and implement alternatives to synthetic fertilizers.
Status:
No organic fertilizers are being used, organic mulch is used.
Party Responsible:
PPM, USU, IS, Housing
Next/Action Items:
PPM needs to evaluate the potential for using organic fertilizers.
Cleaning Products
Issue:
EQ1.2
Priority:
1
Strategy:
Phase in more Green Seal-certified cleaning products and adopt green cleaning procedures.
Status:
In housing, Green Seal products make up 67% of money spent on total cleaning products. It is written into contracts that cleaning company must use Green Seal certified products.
PPM has switched some cleaning products this year to include several green cleaning products.
Party Responsible:
IS, PPM, USU, Housing
Next/Action Items:
In-progress. Need to develop a campus wide Green Cleaning Policy/Program.
Operation Standards
Issue:
EQ1.3
Priority:
Develop as needed
Strategy:
Develop a set of sustainable operations and maintenance standards
Status:
Potential to adopt LEED EBOM standards as building operation standards for the campus.
Party Responsible:
PPM, FPDC
Next/Action Items:
In-progress. FPDC and PPM need to evaluate the LEED EBOM standards and whether they will work for the University.
Materials Inventory
Issue:
EQ1.4
Priority:
3
Strategy:
Complete the campus inventory of hazardous materials/chemicals and make it available to
University faculty and staff
Status:
Chemical inventory from departments has been established, however not all faculty are participating.
Party Responsible:
EH&S
Next/Action Items:
On-going. EH&S to work with researchers on campus to provide a chemical inventory. Need to develop a policy to ensure this reporting is completed. EH&S will look at the potential to reuse chemicals on a campus to reduce waste.
Determine E-Waste
Issue:
EQ1.5
Priority:
2
Strategy:
Determine volume of electronic equipment (e-waste) generated by campus, to use as a benchmark, with a goal of future reduction
Status:
Asset Management in PPM and AS Recycling both have e-waste inventories.
Party Responsible:
AM, IS, IT, USU
Next/Action Items:
On-going. Need to ensure these are being tracked through the university waste and recycling tracking sheet.
Educational Campaign
Issue:
EQ1.5
Priority:
No further action
Strategy:
Conduct an educational campaign on hazardous wastes and their proper disposal. Information campaign aimed at students, faculty and staff would help improve knowledge regarding hazardous waste and their proper disposal.
Status:
Training is coordinated with sciences and PPM.
Party Responsible:
EH&S, IS, FPDC
Next/Action Items:
On-going. E-Waste education is needed. EH&S to work with FPDC and IS on educational outreach.
Data Collection
Issue:
EQ1.5
Priority:
No further action
Strategy:
Collect more information on current practices and successes in reducing the use of hazardous materials and wastes from other institutions
Status:
Ongoing.
Party Responsible:
EH&S
Next/Action Items:
No further action.
Communication
Issue:
EQ2.3
Priority:
No further action
Strategy:
Communicate environmental quality information to the campus community and public
Status:
Ongoing.
Party Responsible:
PPM, EH&S
Next/Action Items:
No further action.
Our 10 Focus Areas
Click the icons below to learn more about our initiatives!
