|
Pollution Prevention Initiatives
Recreational Activities
Penn State University provides facilities for its students, faculty, and staff to enhance their health and well-being. Among these facilities, two areas targeted under pollution prevention initiatives are the swimming pools and rifle ranges.
For additional information on any topics in this section, please visit the following links:
Swimming Pool Treatment
The operation of a swimming pool requires chemical disinfection using large quantities of hazardous materials, typically gaseous chlorine. Releases of even small quantities of gaseous chlorine can endanger human health and the environment.
The University,through the coordinated efforts of Intercollegiate Athletics, OPP and EHS during the renovations of one of our largest swimming pools at University Park, eliminated the use of gaseous chlorine, while ensuring the protection of human health. Gaseous chlorine has been replaced with solid calcium hypochlorite. This material is safer, easier to handle, and less chemically reactive than gaseous chlorine. In addition, the use of calcium hypochlorite as a solid material eliminates the hazards of both liquid and gaseous chemical storage.
Elimination of Lead Use in Rifle Range
Lead, commonly contained in ammunition, is a heavy metal that has both occupational and environmental risks associated with it. Occupational exposure can result from inhalation and ingestion. Lead released into the environment can be present in soil for long periods of time, and can enter the groundwater system, providing an additional pathway for human exposure.
Where possible, rifle ranges have been eliminated. In existing ranges, range use is very carefully controlled, with standard operating procedures developed and implemented for dust control. Containment measures have also been implemented to prevent exposure to users and environmental contamination.
| 
