UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, August 23,1996
5A
Chemistry department praised for recycling
Program returns hazardous material for safe disposal
Recycling anything and everything has been a goal of the department of chemistry for years and, as a result, the effort has saved the University of Kansas $5.000.
By Dave Breitenstein
Kansan staff writer
Susan McAfee, director of chemistry laboratories, said the department placed an advertisement in the Lawrence Journal-World last January to find someone to dispose of the hazardous material created by the department.
"We wanted to get the best price for our material, and after looking through the bids, we chose the one who would pay us the most," McAfee said.
Previously, mercury was sent back to the manufacturer to be cleaned, then returned to the department for reuse.
DFG Mercury Corporation of Evanston, Ill., was chosen for the job. The company paid the chemistry department $1.45 per pound of
If the department would not have found a business to recycle the material, it would have had to call a hazardous waste material removal company, which would have charged about $5,000 for its services.
mercury, with approximately 950 pounds being recycled. This netted the department more than $1,300.
Metallic mercury had been stored in the basement of Malott Hall for several years, and the department sought ways of disposal.
"We had too much on hand, so we were trying to cut back," McAfee said. "It is a hazardous material and having a lot is dangerous."
McAfee said she had been working on the recycling project months before the material was hauled away in February.
McAfee said the mercury came from a variety of chemistry equipment, including thermometers. The mercury was placed in seven containers for storage, each about the size of a fire extinguisher.
McAfee said the containers were very heavy. One pound of mercury fits into a container the size of a small eavedropper.
In addition to large recycling projects, the department of chemistry recycles cardboard boxes, office paper, Styrofoam, newspapers, packing material, catalogs and even junkmail. McAfee said.
She said volunteers from the department took all recyclable materials to Wal-Mart on their way home, and everyone in the office did their part.
"One of the reasons we recycle is to save the University money," McAfee said, "but we do it for the environment as well."
"Compared to everyone else, they are probably the leaders in chemical recycling, reuse and reduction," Russell said. "People have worked on recycling in every department, but chemistry is probably at the top."
Mike Russell, director of the department of environmental health and safety, commended the department of chemistry for their recycling efforts.
Russell said the department of chemistry contacted him prior to recycling the mercury and asked for help. Together, they searched for ways to dispose of the material, and recycling was the best way.
Russell said he tried to spread the word on what needed to be done to help the environment.
"We send out things to all departments about recycling, pollution prevention, and minimizing waste," Russell said. "We inform chemical users of the different things they can do to cut down on volume."
None of the service charges in the 50-to-69-hour grace period will be forwarded to the next month; they simply will be voided.
Continued from Page 1
The bills will be sent out by the University of Kansas' billing/receivables system. Karen Bailey, University bursar, said that if a student didn't pay his bill, a hold is put on his student records. He will be unable to pre-enroll or order transcripts. Once someone is not a KU student, he is sent two bills, after which his
Online
Niebaum said student accounts that aren't renewed by Oct. 1 will be deactivated. Faculty accounts will be deactivated if they are not renewed by the end of October.
Mary Ann Munsch, assistant director of information technology services, said that yesterday's Kansan story had caused some extra work for computer center employees.
"We will have more phone inquiries," Munsch said. "People already have questions. This will just add to it."
was a difficult one.
Crowe said that deciding to increase the fee for online access
"The increase was hard," Crowe said. "It was very attractive to just keep it at last year's price. Nobody wants to raise the fee. We just want to provide a system that is open to the user."
The increase in modem ports that will be financed by the new fee increase will make the system more accessible. he said.
account is eligible to be given to a collection agency.
Crowe said that this fee has an important role in maintaining the University.
"It all translates into whether or not KU will be the kind of place it has been in the past — a place of high quality," he said.
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