UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS EARN PRAISE FOR POLLUTION FIGHTING EFFORTS

July 17, 2003

UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS EARN PRAISE FOR POLLUTION FIGHTING EFFORTS

Four departments at the University of New Mexico were recently honored for their efforts in pollution prevention by the City of Albuquerque.

The University Automotive and Fleet Services department received a P2 Pollution Prevention Award this week for their efforts to recycle and reduce waste as well as use environmentally friendly products and working to reduce emission output from university vehicles.

The city's Pollution Prevention section of the Albuquerque Public Works Department also gave a P2 Award to the UNM general chemistry undergraduate lab for efforts to remove all mercury thermometers from use and minimize the amounts of chemicals used in experiments. The chemistry department was also praised for stressing the importance of a safe work-place environment and the safe removal and disposal of chemical waste by the UNM Safety, Health and Environmental Affairs office (SHEA).

SHEA Pollution Prevention Specialist Linda McCormick works with departments across the UNM Campus to reduce and recycle their waste and create a safer and more environmentally-friendly work place. "(The efforts) don't have be earth shaking, but it has to be real," McCormick said. "As a university, we're generating less hazardous waste, so it's a win-win situation."

According to McCormick, the UNM family health clinic received an award for their involvement in the city's "Five Parts per Million Silver" program which recognizes efforts to reduce the amount of silver released in wastewater to under five parts per million. Fixer from the clinic's X-ray unit is collected and processed to remove the silver before it is disposed of.

In addition to these recent awards, the University dental clinic in Novitski Hall was given a P2 Award in May for its pollution prevention efforts.

"The University is doing some really wonderful things," City of Albuquerque Pollution Prevention Specialist Brynda Gutierrez said. "We're amazed at how they're constantly pushing the envelope regarding pollution prevention."