Environmental Protection Policy

This policy was printed in the Almanac  on October 7, 2008.

The University of Pennsylvania is committed to health, safety and environmental protection in all teaching, research and clinical activities. 

Deans, vice presidents, department chairs, principal investigators, directors, managers and other supervisors are expected to support this policy. The Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety coordinates the policy under the direction of the Vice Provost for Research, with the consent of senior level management and the advice of the Radiation Safety Committee and the University Environmental Health and Safety Committee. Other University divisions and offices such as Facilities and Real Estate Services, Public Safety, Risk Management and Insurance, and University of Pennsylvania Health System Safety Management collaborate on the implementation of this policy.

Maintaining our status as a premier research and educational institution and an exemplary environmental steward requires that members of the Penn community be environmentally sensitive. Each member of the University of Pennsylvania community has a role in ensuring that the University maintains a healthy, safe, and protected environment.

Members of the University of Pennsylvania community are accountable to:

• Consider possible environmental and safety impacts when making decisions, including those concerning facilities management and construction projects.
• Emphasize safety education and safe work practices to minimize injuries and illnesses.
• Recognize and respond to any legitimate community concerns about potential environmental health and radiation safety impacts.
• Provide appropriate and timely information to questions raised about environmental health and radiation safety issues.
• Use energy efficiently.
• Reuse and recycle materials when it makes environmental sense to do so.
• Comply with all environmental health and radiation safety laws and regulations, and the University of Pennsylvania Environmental Health and Radiation Safety (EHRS) Plan.