Chemical Waste Disposal
- All hazardous wastes constituents must be specifically identified by both name and concentration — no unknowns or "trace" quantities!
- Wastes are to be collected separately by hazard class whenever feasible.
- Disposal of chemicals in sinks is regulated and requires special permits.
- Drain disposal of substances such as strong acids and bases, volatile organic compounds (VOC's), heavy metals, and other hazardous materials is specifically forbidden.
Proper disposal of hazardous waste follows a five-step process.
A substance qualifies as hazardous waste if it has one or more of the following properties:
- Ignitable: solvents, oils, organic liquids, paint strippers
- Corrosive: acids and bases, photoresist developers, inorganic and organic acyl halides
- Toxic: heavy metals, organometallic compounds, cyanides, carcinogens, teratogens
- Reactive: alkali metals, oxidizing agents, reducing agents, air-sensitive compounds
- Unstable: peroxides, perchlorates
- Batteries containing lead, mercury, or other heavy metals (alkaline batteries are excluded)
- Bulbs and lamps containing mercury vapor
- "Sharps": syringes, needles
- Beryllium
- "E"-waste: computers, power supplies, circuit boards
Visit the U of R Hazardous Waste Management Unit (HWMU) Website for more information. If you are still in doubt, contact the LLE/COI Chemical Hygiene Officer Ken Marshall at 275-8247 or the HWMU office at 275-2056 for assistance.
- Containers must be both chemically compatible with the contained waste and be able to be closed during storage and transport.
- Glass bottles are the best all-around choice for most waste materials.
- Metal cans are also acceptable for use with noncorrosive wastes.
- Heavy-walled plastic bottles are acceptable for materials that react with either glass or metal (e.g., hydrofluoric acid).
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- Federal and state laws require that all waste containers bear an approved "Hazardous Waste" label that contains specific information about the contents. An example of the label is pictured below.
** Click here to download
a printable version of the above label in PDF format. **
- Improper handling of hazardous waste containers is one of the most frequently issued EPA inspection citations!
- Each container of hazardous waste submitted for disposal must have a tracking tag in addition to the hazardous waste label on the bottle.
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Use approved secondary containment when transporting waste. |
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It is a violation of both Federal and NY State law to leave waste containers outside the cabinets or to block access to cabinets in any way.
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