Gdańsk University of Technology: Implementation of a chemical and hazardous waste management sytem in higher education and research

The Gdańsk University of Technology wanted to improve chemical safety for its employees and students by aligning procedures with current legal norms and adapting them to the requirements of the European Union. The main goal of this initiative was to introduce a comprehensive system for the management of hazardous substances and preparations and hazardous waste (SYGOS — Chemical and Hazardous Waste Management System in Higher Education and Research) at Gdańsk University in cooperation with other universities in Poland.

The implementation of the SYGOS programme at Gdańsk University, and in particular in the Department of Chemistry, has led to:

• greater experience in dealing with chemicals and waste;
• the fulfilment and anticipation of the legal requirements of Poland and the European Union;
• the development of a system for proper, modern collection and sorting of chemical waste, a selective collection system for other waste at the Gdańsk University, and the integration of those systems with the municipal waste collection system;
• the assessment of reagent stocks in individual departments and of technical conditions and equipment in the department’s storage areas;
• the removal of unsuitable reagents;
• the implementation of a computerised system for recording and labelling chemical substances used in laboratories.