Take Action To Protect the Future

Take Action To Protect the Future

NIH Green InitiativesLab Managers Group

December 11, 2008

Terry [email protected]

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Why is NIH Going Greener?

Federal and state environmental laws and regulations

– Executive Order 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management”

• Requires Federal agencies to implement Environmental Management Systems (EMS), involve all employees in environmental awareness, continual environmental improvement

NIH Environmental Policy

– Approved by Dr. Zerhouni in January 2005

Support the NIH Mission: A healthier environment leads to better public health!

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NIH Building, Maintaining, Renovating, and Demolishing Facilities

– More than 75 buildings with 14 million square feet of laboratories, vivarium, patient care/clinical center space, offices, and shops

Laboratory Research

Clinical Center Activities

Office and Administrative

Procurement

Grants

General Services

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Environmental Issues of Concern Environmental Concerns are Public Health Concerns

Energy Consumption and Air Emissions

– Approximately $130 million in utilities FY08

– 6.6 trillion BTUs approximately equal to 53,000 houses

– Air emissions from burning coal and other fossil fuels to produce energy

– Climate change and health impacts from climate change

– Transportation

Degradation of the Chesapeake Bay and Local Waterways– NIH uses 1 billion gallons ($8 million) annually

– Stormwater runoff

Waste Management – 40,000 lbs of solid waste daily, 200 tons hazardous waste

annually

– Waste incinerated in Dickerson. Recycling and reducing is better

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What are the Major Components of the NEMS? Examine all NIH activities and how they impact the

environment

Recommend NIH environmental objectives

Determine polices and procedures as needed and assist with outreach and awareness to ensure all employees are aware

Conduct environmental awareness training for the NIH community

Perform audits

Prepare annual reports

Management reviews progress

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Performance Plan Elements – SES Level Supports Achievements in the HHS Environmental Stewardship and

Environmental Management System (EMS) and/or OPDIV-specific EMS initiatives that demonstrate:

– Exceptional: By September 30, 2009, develop and implement at least three business practices that are designed to improve HHS’ environmental performance and simultaneously serve to minimize costs. This may be through the elimination of paper centric processes, office based energy savings practices, green procurement or other sustainable business practices.

– Fully Successful: By September 30, 2009, develop and implement two initiatives focused on business practices that are designed to improve environmental performance, pollution prevention or conservation of resources.

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NIH Goes Greener

Sustainability Management TeamSustainability Management Team

NEMS Implementation TeamNEMS Implementation Team

Montgomery County Sites

• Poolesville Liaison

• Rockville Environmental Working Group




Advisory Groups

• Energy Stewardship Advisory Group

• NEMS Communications Advisory Group

Advisory Groups



Functional Working Groups

• Sustainable Facilities Working Group

• Sustainable Lab Practices Working Group

• Sustainable Office Practices Working Group

• Sustainable Animal Care Activities Working Group

• Sustainable Clinical Center Activities Working Group







Green Teams

• CIT

• NIDDK

• NIDCD

• NEI

• The Children’s Inn

• NCI sites

Green Teams

• CIT

• NIDDK

• NIDCD

• NEI


• NCI sites

Sustainability Management TeamSustainability Management Team

NEMS Implementation TeamNEMS Implementation Team







Advisory Groups



Advisory Groups















Green Teams

• CIT

• NIDDK

• NIDCD

• NEI


• NCI sites

Green Teams

• CIT

• NIDDK

• NIDCD

• NEI


• NCI sites

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NIH Green Teams Green Teams examine activities occurring within their institute and

develop tools to "green" those activities. This includes developing guidance, tools, outreach programs and best management practices, as well as identifying new opportunities to become more sustainable.

– NEI: Focus on recycling

– NIDDK: Increase recycling, minimize paper, raise awareness through brown bags and awards

– NCI, NIAID: Looking at options for developing teams

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NIH Green Teams: NIDCD

NIDCD Environmental Policy

– NIDCD Commitments

– Employee Responsibilities

NIDCD Goes Greener Office Challenge

– Evaluate: Copy rooms, conference rooms, common areas, kitchens for energy conservation, recycling, procurement, paper use, transportation

– Provide outreach tools and fact sheets

– Re-evaluate for final results

Green Team Development Guide

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Sustainable Labs WG: Labs Go Greener Challenge

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Labs Go Greener Challenge

Data Collection

– Equipment

– Water Use Activities

– Target Chemical Usage

– Fume Hoods

Pilot Evaluation in a Few Labs

– Energy conservation, recycling, green purchasing, fume hoods, chemical management, water conservation, hazardous waste disposal, chemical minimization, fossil fuel use

– Roll out to all of NIH

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Sustainable Labs WG: NIH Target Chemicals Ranking

Identify chemicals for reduction: Risk-basked criteria for use in targeting and prioritizing laboratory chemical waste streams for reduction efforts

– Direct risk to health and safety

– Wastes subject to specific reduction mandates by law, executive orders, and agency plans

– Availability and feasibility of alternatives

– Quantity

Develop awareness program

Track results

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Sustainable Labs WG: Six Target Chemicals Chromic Acid

– Detergent substitute for chromic acid. Non-toxic, phosphate-free, chlorine-free, and completely free-rinsing

Phosphoric Acid

Picric Acid– Alternative fixers

Ethidium bromide– Non-toxic, non-mutagenic alternatives

Ethylene oxide

Phenol/chloroform

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Sustainable Labs WG: Green Procurement

Recent presentations from Sigma-Aldrich and Fisher Scientific/Thermo Scientific

Environmentally preferable procurement for purchasers of scientific supplies, equipment, and services

Purchase office supplies and furniture that contain recycled and non-toxic content to conserve natural resources and reduce waste. GSA and EPA websites

Products should be from local as opposed to distant manufacturers where possible

Products should use minimal or take-back packaging

Staples Initiative

Self-Service Stores

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Recycling Initiatives for Lab Materials Exploring new opportunities for recycling for laboratory related materials

Existing programs include:– Glass and plastic bottles containing non-hazardous waste (saline

solutions, buffers, etc) may be placed in red NIH commingled recycling containers. Glassware can be recycled, except Pyrex.* *Do not recycle containers contaminated with infectious, radioactive, or hazardous waste.

– Propylene pipette racks recycled on campus

– Chemical reagent bottles are recycled in bldg 21 as applicable

– Recycle cardboard

Check with your laboratory supply companies for other opportunities

An updated Waste Disposal Guide will be released later this year and will contain recycling information

For more information: Mark Marshall, NIH Recycling Coordinator; 301.496.7990; [email protected]

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NIH Mercury Policy Manual Issuance As of September 2, 2008, the procurement and use of

mercury and its compounds and mercury contaminated products are now prohibited on all NIH facilities

There are a few general exceptions for items like fluorescent lights that require small amounts mercury to work properly

Key components:

– Prohibit the procurement of mercury added products with NIH appropriated funds

– Prohibit use of mercury and its compounds on all facilities owned, operated, or leased by NIH

– Require the elimination of existing mercury containing devices in use on NIH facilities

– Provide for exceptions or procedures for obtaining variances for necessary scientific and medical uses of mercury

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Mercury Free NIH

NIH Catalyst article: http://www.nems.nih.gov/outreach/mercury-freeNIH_Catalyst_jan-feb08.pdf

Read the full NO MERCURY policy at NIH: http://www.nems.nih.gov/records/NIH_Manual_Issuance_3033.pdf

Mercury-free alternatives: http://orf.od.nih.gov/Environmental+Protection/Mercury+Free/Alternatives.htm

Extended mercury website is under development

For more information: Captain Ed Rau at 301.496.7775 or [email protected]

http://www.nems.nih.gov/outreach/mercury-freeNIH_Catalyst_jan-feb08.pdf

http://www.nems.nih.gov/records/NIH_Manual_Issuance_3033.pdf

http://orf.od.nih.gov/Environmental+Protection/Mercury+Free/Alternatives.htm

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What are Some of the NIH Energy Objectives? Reduce energy consumption by 3% annually or 30% by 2015

– Audit 10% of facilities every year

– Matrix of energy technologies in use or explored for use at NIH

– New programs to remotely enable ENERGY STAR computers and purchasing efficient computers

– Meter buildings and share results

– Use animal bedding as biomass

– Solar panels

Greening all NIH facilities including leased buildings

– 36 existing buildings registered for LEED

Increase purchase of renewable energy to 7.5% by 2013

– Currently purchase at least 3.5% from renewable resources: wind, sun, biogas

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What Can Employees Do to Reduce Energy Consumption?

Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)

– Saves 350 lbs coal, 500 lbs greenhouse gases, and 16 acid rain producing emissions

Switch off unnecessary lights and use natural lighting

Use task lighting and turn off general lighting

Turn off display and decorative lighting

Sensors can result in a 40% reduction in lighting costs

Energy vampires

– Unplug equipment (e.g., phone chargers, radios, coffee makers) when not in use

Use the stairs instead of the elevator

Use reusable items when possible:

– Plates, cups, utensils, water bottles, and grocery bags

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Greening General Operations and Procurement Procurement: The EPEAT Standard (epeat.net). Computers are rated

gold, silver, or bronze based on:– Reduction/elimination of environmentally sensitive materials

– Materials selection

– Design for end of life

– Product longevity/life cycle extension

– Energy conservation

– End of life management

– Corporate performance

– Packaging

Operation– Enable the low-power or sleep mode features on your computer and monitor

– Turn off computers and monitors at the end of the workday• Sleep-mode enabled computers and monitors with the low-power or sleep mode

enabled can save $10 to $45 per computer annually (ENERGY STAR estimate)

• 60,000 desktop computers and monitors x ($27) $1.6 million in energy costs a year!

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Greening General Operations Operations: Printing and Copying

– Use recycled-content paper with a minimum 30% post-consumer fiber content

– Copy and print all materials double-sided

– Set your default print settings to duplex

– Minimize the number of hard copies and paper drafts

– Disable the printer test page feature

– Set fax machines to print a confirmation sheet only when there is a problem

– Save documents on your hard drive to create a virtual filing system instead of printing out hard copies

– Turn off printers and copy machines at the end of the workday

– Use copiers instead of printers to produce multiple copies

– Configure the power saving features so that printers go into sleep mode when not used for more than 30 minutes during the workday

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Transportation Commuting options that can ease traffic

congestion, decrease pollution, and reduce the stress:

– Ride Metro, Buses or other Public Transportation

• Join the NIH Transhare Program: http://dtts.ors.od.nih.gov/transhare.htm

– Join a Carpool or Vanpool

– Bike to Work • Visit the NIH Bicycle Commuter Club’s web

site for more information: http://www.recgov.org/r&w/nihbike

– NIH Shuttles

– Telecommuting options

– Learn more online at http://telework.od.nih.gov/Index.htm

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NEMS Outreach Tools

NEMS - Program Poster NEMS - Waste Information Poster

NEMS - Energy BillPoster

NEMS - Medical ResearchPoster

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NEMS Web Site: nems.nih.gov

Documents

Take Action To Protect the Future