Emory Report homepage  

April 20, 2009
EPA on campus this week for voluntary self-audit program

By David Payne

Emory will host eight teams of auditors to several of its campuses this week as part of a voluntary self-audit process in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency. The inspections will include University and health care sites on Clifton Road, Briarcliff, Midtown and Northlake campuses. Oxford College will conduct its own review in the fall.

Emory stepped forward in 2007 as one of several colleges and universities that volunteered to participate in the self-audit process. As part of the review, audit teams will visit environmentally sensitive areas on each campus, many of which are storage areas for chemicals and bio-medical waste.

Most buildings have mechanical spaces where chemicals are typically stored, and these spaces will be a primary focus for the inspectors. Other inspection areas include: custodial storage; laboratories, Emory’s Central Steam Plant, food service locations, art and theater departments, museums, physical education centers and animal research centers.

In addition to the labeling, storage and disposal of chemicals, the audit teams are expected to review documentation for regulatory issues of interest to the EPA, such as air, water and hazardous waste.

Following the inspections, the auditors’ report will be filed with EPA and Emory will be given the opportunity to correct any deficiencies the auditors discover.

“The preparatory work conducted in anticipation of these audits is extensive – we’ve inspected over 1,700 of our own mechanical spaces in the past two years,” says Bob Hascall, vice president of Campus Services. “This process is rigorous, but is critical in order to be part of a compliant community. It’s important to Emory and to our environment that we conduct this review thoughtfully and thoroughly in conjunction with the EPA.”