Hazardous Waste
Accumulating Waste:
- The waste bottle and waste accumulation sheet are labeled either "hazardous waste" or "non-hazardous waste". Waste is hazardous if it is ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic; refer to the Quick Determination Chart handout from the EHS workshop for more specific information.
- The waste bottle and waste accumulation sheet are labeled generally for content (e.g., "halogenated organic solvents", "oxidizing acid waste").
- The waste bottle is properly stored (e.g., incompatible wastes are not next to each other, bottles are in flammable cabinets if necessary).
- The waste bottle is capped.
- The container is appropriate for the material it holds.
- The container is no larger than 5 gallons.
- Original labels are removed or completely marked off of bottles that are being reused.
- The waste accumulation sheet is near the bottle, and it is clear which sheet goes with which bottle.
- Entries on the waste accumulation sheet are legible and chemical names are spelled out.
- Used oil containers are labeled "non-hazardous used oil" unless they contain organic solvents, in which case they must be labeled "hazardous waste" and "used oil with organic solvent".
- Hazardous waste is not mixed in the same container with non-hazardous waste.
- You are minimizing waste and can report on your minimization activities annually (e.g., recycling, substituting, reducing quantities, surplusing, and eliminating processes that create waste).
Waste Ready for Disposal:
- If the bottle contains more than one substance, each substance is identified as a percent of total.
- Waste is under your control and is located in the lab in which it was generated.
- A chemistry department fluorescent label is filled out and attached to the bottle.
- The waste container is appropriate for the substance and is an approved type (do not use food and beverage containers or containers without screw tops).
- The lid on the container is screwed on.
For more information, go to the Environmental Health and Safety website