The Environmental Safety Center (former Environmental Protection Center, EPC) was established in September 2005 to prevent environmental pollution caused by the use of chemical substances in the educational and research activities at the Chemical Research Building on the Kagurazaka Campus of Tokyo University of Science (TUS). In addition to the pollution control, we have contributed to the protection of health of students, staff and the surrounding residents, and preserving surrounding environmental conditions. In April 2010, the EPC reinforced to the Environmental Safety Center (ESC). Its mission contains safety management of hazardous chemicals as well as environmental protection. At present, ESC has been established at three campuses of TUS (Kagurazaka, Noda and Katsushika campus).
TUS defines following substances as "hazardous substances"; chemicals regulated by the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act, the Fire Service Act and other related regulations. And TUS is conducting a management of hazardous substances in accordance with laws and regulations.
As laws and regulations are frequently amended, chemicals that were not subject to regulations in the past may become a regulated substance later. TUS has introduced a chemical management system called "IASO", in order to respond to these amendment and making chemical management appropriately. Regulatory information for chemicals on IASO is updated regularly. All chemicals are confirmed on the delivery and registered to IASO database. After use, a consumption record is registered to the system. As a result, we are able to obtain the amount of inventory and use from the IASO system.
In addition to chemical management, the ESC is supporting for radiation management, biological experiment management, and high-pressure gas management in accordance with laws and regulations.
Some kinds of chemicals used in the laboratories are potentially hazardous to students and educational staff. In order to protect their health and conduct experiments safely, the ESC measures the working environment based on the Industrial Safety and Health Act and analyzes the concentration of designated chemical substances in the laboratory indoor air.
In addition, in order to prevent the spread of contaminants from laboratories to the surroundings of the university, the ESC periodically collect samples from experimental effluent and monitors the concentration of chemical substances specified in the effluent standard. Malodorous substances in exhaust gas are also monitored continuously by using semiconductor sensors.
Various chemicals used in TUS daily generate experimental wastes. Among the experimental wastes generated from laboratories, liquid waste is a complex mixture of chemical substances.
The Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act obligates us to dispose wastes safely and not to cause environmental pollution. TUS collects and classifies waste liquids in accordance with laws and regulations in consultation with waste disposal companies. The ESC supports students and educational staff to properly classify and submit experimental wastes, and provides guidance and advice in cases of inappropriate classification or submission.
In order to cultivate the ability to conduct student experiments properly and safely in accordance with laws and regulations, we hold safety education and seminars for students regarding the laws and regulations related to the duties of the ESC, the rules established by TUS, and the basics of environmental science and safety science.
The number of chemical substances used in educational and research activities are so large that it may not be possible to analyze these substances by the existing analytical methods described in the environmental laws and regulations. In such cases, we develop new analytical methods or improve existing analytical methods to prevent environmental pollution and chemical accidents. We present our research results at research meeting and scientific journals, and provide information to other universities.
In the course of educational and research activities, students and educational staff occasionally encounter issues related to environmental protection and environmental safety. The ESC provides appropriate guidance and advice to those issues from an expert's point of view.
Various kinds of events related to the environmental safety occur in the campus. We utilize analytical instruments to elucidate the cause of them and take measures to the events.
Ensuring the safety of experimenters and the public, protecting the environment, and complying with social and ethical criteria are the basic rules for conducting research safely.
Based on our knowledge of chemistry and physics, we need to establish a safe system to advance research. It is also necessary to consider whether the system is socially acceptable.
Experimenters are required to comply with laws such as the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act, the Fire Service Act, and the Industrial Safety and Health Act in order to safely handle "hazardous substances". In addition, experimenters are required to use protective equipment and local exhaust ventilation apparatus, and to dispose solid and liquids experimental waste properly. On the use of radioactive substances and radiation generators, it is necessary to comply with the Act on the Regulation of Radioisotopes and the Ionization Ordinance. Furthermore, in human and biological experiments, in addition to the complying with laws and regulations for chemical substances and radiation, it is necessary to form a research plan considering ethical aspects such as personal information protection and animal welfare. On the other hand, in order to prevent pollutants from leaking out to the environment as a result of such research activities, compliance with effluent standards and control of genetically modified organisms are also required.
In order to ensure both compliance with relevant laws and regulations and safe research, the ESC has qualified personnel such as Radiation Protection Supervisors, Handlers of Poisonous and Deleterious Substances, Environmental Certified Measurers, Pollution Control Managers, and Working Environment Measurers. Such engineers are familiar with the relevant laws and regulations. ESC supports chemical management, solid waste management and wastewater management and holds seminars and environmental safety education.
The Environment Safety Center has published an "Environmental Safety Guidebook" that describes the registration and disposal of chemicals necessary for daily research activities, waste liquid classification, management of radiation and biological experiments, and emergency response. This guidebook was distributed to each laboratory so that all laboratory members they can refer it when needed. A whole guidebook can be downloaded from our homepage, and the specific topics such as chemicals, waste are shown on the relevant pages in the website. We hope that the guidebook will be used in every case you have a question about environmental safety. Since the first edition was published in 2011, the Guidebook has undergone several revises, and the 4th edition published in 2024 is the current one.
Environmental Safety Guidebook, 4th ed. (2024) (in Japanese)"Annual Report of the Environmental Safety Center" contains an activity report, monitoring data on the effluent and atmospheric emission, and the status report on the waste emission and consumption of high-pressured gases. In other words, the Annual Report is an evidence of safety where educational and research activities are taking place. Through the Annual Report, the ESC makes an effort to maintain an environment in which students and educational staff can conduct their experiments safely.
Annual report of ESC, 2021FY (in Japanese)Environmental Safety Center /
Kagurazaka campus
[Business hours] 8:30-17:00
Environmental Safety Center /
Noda campus
[Business hours] 8:30-17:00
Environmental Safety Center /
Katsushika campus
[Business hours] 8:30-17:00
