Before submitting any hazardous waste please complete the Hazardous Waste Management course
HSE operates a Chemical Inventory and Hazardous Waste System that tracks laboratory inventories and allows for the submission of hazardous waste for disposal. Inventory bar codes and waste cards are generated for each bottle/bag/pail of waste using UALabSync. Waste is either pick up directly from your lab or deposited into ESB B-03 for storage until the HSE Hazardous Waste Technicians collect waste. There is a video walking you through how to submit a wate request.
We CANNOT dispose of UNLABELLED or INCORRCELY LABELLED chemicals – you MUST LABEL your chemical waste CORRECTLY.
Always make sure to:
- Each bottle/bag/container needs its own unique waste card. It does not matter if it has the same waste as another container.
- Make sure the waste is put in the pick up location you choose on your hazardous waste request (If using B-03, select “All Buildings” and select room B-03A). Larger items or large volumes of waste can be deposited into ESB B-03. Highly hazardous waste such as HF or perchloric acid should be pick up directly from the lab.
- Sharps, needles, pipettes, and syringes (even if they have no tips) must be disposed of in a sharps container. These can be purchased from Chem Stores or through SupplyNet using ThermoScientifc
- Leave 10% air space in containers with liquid in case of expansion
- DO NOT use metal containers to store corrosive wastes – they will corrode the metal container
- Be sure to place the liquid waste into the correct containers, e.g. Hydrofluoric Acid waste cannot be placed into glass bottles
There are some chemicals that they will not take because of their extreme hazards. HSE will call a professional chemical disposal agency to remove these types of chemicals.
When storing waste in yoru lab or depositing waste into ESB B-03:
- Use a chemical cart or bottle carrier for transport. Both are available to borrow from ESB B-03
- DO NOT mix incompatible chemicals in the same bottle. Check your safety data sheets (SDS). Explosions have occurred from this practice
- Do not store incompatible containers in the same secondary container
- Pails and garbage bags go on the floor tucked under the counter tops
- Liquids in bottles go in secondary containers with compatible waste only
- Hazardous liquids (HF, Nitric, Aqua Regia, Chloroform) go into the fume hood if there is room. Otherwise place as close as the fume hood as possible in the a secondary container
If ever in doubt of the correct packaging for hazardous waste use the linked google form for more information.
Failure to comply with the proper disposal of chemicals may result in an incident. Pouring chemicals down the drain or placing chemical waste in the regular garbage can result in steep fines.