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6
Protect
Preserving
Environmental Harmony
EH&S is committed to protecting the
environment.
EH&S protected our campus and community environments through programs that minimized Iowa
State University’s environmental impact.
EH&S’ commitment to improved environmental protection was a perfect
match to ISU’s strategic commitment to improved infrastructure and
facilities. EH&S provided weekly construction site inspections to assure
storm water runoff and soil stability systems remain intact throughout the
construction process. Storm water runoff management prevented over
30
cubic yards of topsoil erosion from ISU construction sites. That saved
3.2
dump truck loads of soil from entering area surface waters and helped
prevent maintenance issues for storm sewers.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic, persistent and bioaccumulating
chemicals that were commonly used in the 20th century. PCB-contaminated
electrial equipment could be found in just about every campus building in
previous decades. In 2014, the last known PCB-contaminated electrical
transformer was removed from campus for disposal.
Underground storage tanks (USTs) responsible for soil and
groundwater contamination once numbered over one hundred on
the ISU campus. Today there are just two safe and modern USTs
remaining after the removal at the Knapp-Storms Dining Complex.
Over the past 25 years, EH&S has coordinated the safe removal and
disposal of countless PCB transformers and USTs.
EH&S continued to provide environmental auditing and impact reporting services for university real
estate transactions.
EH&S is committed to environmental protection.