Chemical Disposal Training

Transcription

1 Chemical Disposal Training Cornell University EH&S Revised Feb 2011, Brian S. 1

2 OBJECTIVE What EH&S wants you to learn today 1. What rules and regulations govern waste management 2. Cornell EH&S s role in assisting you with your wastes 3. Types of waste specifically hazardous wastes 4. Understanding the satellite accumulation area requirements 5. Procedures for packaging waste for removal from your work spaces 2

3 This Training This training is tailored to laboratories, research areas and chemical use areas across campus but most of the information is also applicable to hazardous waste management for shop areas as well Everyone who handles materials that become Hazardous Waste has to know: How to properly contain / store it How to properly identify it How to properly get rid of it 3

4 Chemical Waste Disposal Laws Federal: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waste regulations Rules for waste management are mandated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) State: New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) waste regulations Must be as/or more strict than Federal Regulations EPA will be using the NY version of the regulations 4

5 Why Manage Chemical Wastes Carefully? Health and Safety Risks are Real! Student/Staff/Faculty health & safety are #1 Our goal is to prevent: Injury to personnel Damage to the environment Regulatory compliance violations Fines to Cornell It s a Cornell Health & Safety Policy Requirement (University Policy 2.4) Cost Effective Fines and Bad Public Relations 5

6 Result of Mixing Incompatible Wastes 6

7 TRUE STORY Professor pleads guilty to dumping chemical UW researcher put solvent down sink to avoid paying fee March 8, 2007 Seattle PI When a University of Washington professor whose work includes studying the brain, found out that getting rid of potentially dangerous chemicals in his lab would cost $15,000, he decided to find a cheaper way. The professor in the Department of Pharmacology, dumped ethyl ether down the sink. He pleaded guilty in federal court in Seattle to pouring the ethyl ether, which can explode or catch fire if handled improperly, down the laboratory sink in June Prosecutors say the professor then tried to cover up his actions. He faced a possible 5 years in jail and a $250,000 fine for knowingly disposing of a hazardous waste without a permit. He was sentenced to three years of probation, 80 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine. 7

8 Cornell EH&S s Role EH&S is a technical resource that is customer focused EH&S is not an enforcer or police-type function 8

9 Cornell s Haz Waste Program Role Pick up waste from your research spaces Provide technical advice for the proper disposal of chemicals Minimize disposal costs 9

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11 Making the Waste Determination Is it a waste / is it reusable? Talk to your department others may want it Campus-wide surplus chemical exchange Chemicals and pickups are free Go to: 11

12 Making the Waste Determination (cont.) Is it hazardous? Review label & material safety data sheets Ask your Department Safety Representative (DSR) EH&S Website and Chemical Waste Manual Contact EH&S Is it regulated? - Is it a Hazardous Waste as defined by the EPA 12

13 Objective Determining the types of hazardous wastes Is it a Listed Hazardous Waste? Is it a Characteristic Hazardous Waste? 13

14 It Is Regulated If... It is a Listed Hazardous Waste as defined in 40 CFR 261 Subpart D & NYCRR 371 K Specific source wastes (none at CU) F Non-Specific source wastes U Commercial chemical products, toxic P Commercial chemical products, acutely toxic B PCB wastes, (NYS code) 14

15 It Is Regulated If... It possesses any of the following hazardous characteristics as defined by EPA and NYSDEC 15

16 It Is Regulated If... It is ignitable ignitable is defined by the EPA as having a flash point of <140F (flammable) or promoting combustion as an oxidizer Flammable examples include: Ethanol Glacial Acetic Acid Toluene Xylene Acetone Ether Organics w/ FP <140 F Oxidizing examples include: Nitric & Perchloric Acids Ammonium Persulfate Potassium Dichromate Silver Nitrate Hydrogen Peroxide ending in ate beginning with per 16

17 It Is Regulated If... It is corrosive corrosive is defined by the EPA as having a ph 2.0 or 12.5 Corrosive acids include: Hydrochloric Acid Sulfuric Acid Nitric Acid Perchloric Acid Acetic/Formic/Propionic Corrosive bases include: Potassium Hydroxide Ammonium Hydroxide Sodium Hydroxide Lithium Hydroxide ending with hydroxide 17

18 It Is Regulated If... It is reactive It is readily reactive with other chemicals, when exposed to air or water, or is shock sensitive. Will generate toxic gas, heat or may explode. Examples include Hydrides Metal Powders, e.g. Lithium, Sodium Organic peroxides Picric acid Carbides Aromatic + Nitros 18

19 It is regulated if It is toxic as identified in 40 CFR Subpart C It contains any of the following metals in any media (salt, solution, or metal) regulated by ppm (this is not the complete Toxicity Characteristic table) Arsenic 5.0 Cadmium 1.0 Chromium 5.0 Lead 5.0 Mercury 0.2 Silver 5.0 Selenium 1.0 Barium 100 Or If it is a halogenated organic Chloroform 6.0 Chlordane 0.03 Trichloroethylene

20 It Is Regulated If...you can t use it, and You declare it a hazardous waste Useful or waste? 20

21 Empty Containers Are Exempt Regulatory definition of 'Empty' is less than 1% of the original contents Triple-rinsing empty containers: it is recommended that all empty containers are triplerinsed prior to trash disposal empty containers that held P-Listed chemicals must be managed as hazardous waste; or triple rinse the empty container and manage the rinse as hazardous waste Other considerations where will the container go, who will have contact with it, could someone be harmed will it smell, will warning label scare someone 21

22 Wastes not listed or exhibiting hazardous characteristics In many cases if a chemical does not meet the definition of a regulated Hazardous Waste, it is may be acceptable to dispose of it in the regular trash or down the drain followed by copious amounts of water. Radiological and biological wastes cannot be put in the regular trash. Contact EH&S at or go to Ask EH&S at if you have waste disposal questions. 22

23 Chemical Residue The following materials may be disposed of in the regular trash: Used gloves Bench paper Pipette tips If you are using something acutely toxic or highly hazardous check with EH&S 23

24 Chemical Residue (cont.) Used Syringes Any syringe having a needle and requiring disposal, must be placed in a sharps container. Syringes without needles that were used for transferring chemicals should be bagged or boxed and taken to the dumpster for disposal. Do not throw used syringes in the laboratory trash can. 24

25 Drain Disposal Limits Non-Hazardous chemicals acceptable for drain disposal This is not an all inclusive list Sugar solutions Dilute non-toxic salts solutions and physiological saline Inorganic phosphate or bicarbonate based buffers Organic buffers at use concentrations Fresh and spent supernatants rendered non-infectious Water soluble vitamins Surfactants in small amounts Neutralized acids and bases with no other hazardous constituents e.g. toxic metals 25

26 Drain Disposal Limits cont. Chemicals Unacceptable For Drain Disposal Hazardous Waste may not be drain disposed. It is a violation of federal law to intentionally dilute or treat a hazardous waste to render it non-hazardous without an EPA permit. The one exception to this law is described on the next slide. Refer to Hazardous Waste Manual for Cornell s full policy related to drain disposal of chemicals ( 26

27 Allowed Treatment in a Satellite Accumulation Area Neutralization of Corrosives only if you are comfortable doing it 5.5 to 9.5 ph for drain chromic acid (Chromerge) should be sent out as hazardous waste due to the chromium precipitate Chemical Deactivation (for non-haz wastes only) Recyclable/Reclaimable: metallic mercury (shipped for recycling, not treated) silver in photographic wastes - campus recycling program managed by EH&S 27

28 Waste Storage Areas Storage Area types 90-day Accumulation (Time Limit) Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (Geneva - Agricultural Experiment Station) Satellite Accumulation (Volume Limit) 55 Gallons Satellite areas are regulated by volume not time 28

29 Objective satellite accumulation area This training is tailored to personnel working at Cornell University in satellite accumulation areas Satellite accumulation is a less burdensome option for managing small volumes of hazardous waste 29

30 New Satellite Accumulation Signs Should Be Posted 30

31 Satellite Accumulation Area (SAA) Definition EPA defines a Satellite Accumulation Area as: The waste containers must be at or near the point of generation The waste containers must be under the control of the operator of the process generating the waste. (operator = user) Current strict interpretation means that a Satellite Accumulation Area = a single room 31

32 Satellite Accumulation Area Limitations Up to 55 gallons of hazardous waste There is no time limit until you have 55 gallons of waste in storage Any excess over 55 gallons must be removed in three days Facilities may have as many accumulation areas as needed provided they are properly maintained 32

33 Satellite Accumulation Area Requirements Triggers that bump you from a SAA to a 90 Day Area: Storing more than 55 gallons of hazardous waste for more than 3 days Collecting hazardous waste from other areas 33

34 Container Labeling Requirements Containers must have: the phrase Hazardous Waste written on them words that identify the contents Taping a hazardous waste label to a bottle is OK: the phrase Hazardous Waste is already on the label add contents to the label when the chemical is added 34

35 Container (physical) Requirements containers must be in good CONDITION wastes must be chemically COMPATIBLE with the container containers must be CLOSED except when adding or removing waste 35

36 What is this? Are you prepared to convince the DEC or EPA that this will be used? 36

37 ID: Hazardous Waste needed What s inside? 37

38 Are These Waste Containers OK? Labeling 38

39 Location and contact Ready for disposal date Cornell s Hazardous Waste Label Hazards 450mls Amount Contents Hazardous Waste 39

40 Is the container open? Does it need a waste label? 40

41 Unless adding to the container, the cap must be secure 41

42 Chemical Hygiene Properly Labeled 42

43 Additionally Storage must be in a Designated SAA Secondary Spill Containment Defacing original container labels on reused bottles 43

44 Secondary Containment funnels; residue blocking hood s flow 44

45 Also Segregate by Hazards Organics from Oxidizers Acids from Bases Organic acids from Oxidizing acids Isolate Reactive & Toxics 45

46 Hazardous Waste Spills Many hazardous waste spills can be safely cleaned up by laboratory staff without the help of EH&S. Only attempt to clean up incidental spills if you are trained and have the proper spill cleanup materials available. Call 911 for hazardous waste spills outside the cleanup capability of the area or facility personnel. More information on chemical spills response can be found in Section 5.4 of Cornell s Laboratory Safety Manual at: 46

47 Boxing Chemicals for Pick Up Locations where boxes are stored will be included in the updated Waste Disposal Manual. UN/DOT Box Rigid cardboard Styrofoam inserts Assure boxes are in good condition Full boxes must stay in the SAA when ready for transport to 90 Day Accumulation Area The HazWaste Specialists need to easily locate them Give us 5-working days, then call if not serviced 47

48 Other Types of Waste Universal Waste Managed by Solid Waste Group Fluorescent light bulbs Rechargeable Batteries Requirements sturdy packaging & proper labeling accumulation start date & 9-months on site 48

49 Other Types of Waste Used Oil Managed by Solid Waste Group Requirements: Label containers with USED OIL the container capacity Prevent any release to the environment Do not place in normal refuse containers Do not mix other waste with Used Oil NOTE: Used oil containing PCB s are considered Hazardous Waste in New York State 49

50 Waste Computers and monitors are separately regulated Managed by Solid Waste Group These are regulated because of their high content of toxic metals such as lead 50

51 Contaminated Waste Label This label is used for non hazardous wastes or recyclable materials that require special disposal 51

52 Biohazard/Radioactive Wastes Radioactive wastes are picked up weekly Biohazard wastes are shipped off site for deactivation and disposal Contact EH&S for scheduling and pick up at , or online scheduling at, 52

53 Further Thoughts & Services General Housekeeping include upkeep of the satellite accumulation area Discuss safety concerns with your Dept. Safety Rep. Get to know your HazWaste & Radiation/Med. Waste Technicians EH&S waste services Free and friendly service Assist with laboratory clean outs & waste I.D. Technical reference for identification & disposal RCRA and other laws 53

54 Online Cornell EH&S, MSDS & Grounds Info. EH&S website: For Chemical Waste Pick ups: MSDS URL: Cornell Grounds Department: 54

55 Cornell EH&S and Grounds Department Contacts: EH&S ASK EH&S , ask for Research & Safety Group member Grounds Department , 55

56 THANKS 56