PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY: Disposal of potentially unstable lab chemicals to take place January 7 at the University’s main campus
During a recent chemical inventory check at the University of Regina, bottles of older chemicals stored in science laboratories located in the Research and Innovation Centre (RIC) and the adjoining Laboratory (Lab) Building were discovered to have degraded to a point where they pose a potential explosive hazard if disturbed.
With public safety as its top priority, the University immediately consulted with the Regina Police Service’s (RPS) explosives/chemical disposal experts and, on their advice, cordoned-off the implicated labs with no access permitted.
On January 7, a team of RPS experts is scheduled to safely extract and dispose of these chemicals.
Members of the University community and the public are asked to avoid coming to the University’s main campus that day to allow for a safe operation. Temporary building, road and parking lot closures at the main campus will be in effect in preparation for, and during, the extraction and disposal processes. Emergency services personnel will be stationed in these areas of campus, including Campus Security. All instructions, signs, and barriers must be adhered to.
Safe disposal of these chemicals will require the use of controlled detonation in a remote, unpopulated area of campus. This may result in loud noises, audible for some distance.
The University of Regina, like other post-secondary intuitions, uses chemicals for teaching and research purposes. While the majority of these chemicals do not pose an explosive risk, health and safety protocols and procedures are in place for the safe handling, storage and disposal of chemicals used on campus. The University audits its existing chemical inventory for safety purposes and will continue this work on an ongoing basis.
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About the University of Regina
Set in the heart of the Canadian prairies we are a comprehensive, mid-sized university where the opportunities are as limitless as the horizon. Our campuses are on Treaty 4 and 6 - the territories of the nêhiyawak, Anihšināpēk, Dakota, Lakota, and Nakoda peoples, and the homeland of the Michif/Métis nation. It is our responsibility to strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities to build a more inclusive future for all. Our three federated colleges, 10 faculties, 25 academic departments, and 18 research centres foster innovative research with practical and theoretical applications. We are committed to cultivating the potential of our 16,700 students and supporting their health and well-being. We take learning beyond the classroom through work and volunteer experiences to develop career-ready graduates.
Let’s go far, together.