Chemical Waste Disposal Manual

Transcription

1 Chemical Waste Disposal Manual Audience: Campus Covered: EHS Contact: Reg. Citations: University of Connecticut All Denis Shannon Last Revised: July CFR and University of Connecticut Policy Best Management Practice Environmental Fact Sheet Table of Contents I. Responsibilities A. The President B. Department of Environmental Health & Safety C. Principal Investigator, Classroom Instructor or Supervisor D. The Laboratory Worker and Other Individuals II. Managing Chemical Waste and Surplus Chemicals A. Handling and Disposal B. What is Hazardous Chemical Waste? C. Chemicals for the Normal Trash D. Chemicals for the Sanitary Sewer System E. Inorganic Chemicals F. Aqueous Solutions of Toxic Metals G. Organic Solvents H. Other Liquids I. Solid Chemicals J. Potentially Explosive and Other Reactive Chemicals K. Precipitates, Semi-solids, Residues, Gels, Etc. L. Labware Contaminated with Toxic Chemicals M. Unknown Chemicals N. Laboratories Which Cease Operations or Change Hands O. Packaging and Labeling Page 1

2 PART I: Responsabilities The management of hazardous chemical waste at the University of Connecticut consists of the coordination and collection of the waste generated in laboratories and other campus facilities. To effectively manage this large program, it is necessary to use the services and technical expertise of the University's Department of Environmental Health and Safety, faculty, and staff members. This part briefly describes the function and responsibility of each group and its relation to hazardous chemical waste management. A. The President The President of the University is ultimately responsible for all health and safety-related matters. The President oversees the administration of safety policies through the normal chain of authority within the institution, delegating to the Provost, Deans, Department Heads, Principal Investigators and Supervisors the responsibility for ensuring safe work practices of those under their supervision and adherence to established policies and guidelines. B. Department of Environmental Health and Safety top of page The Department of Environmental Health and Safety is responsible for surveillance of all laboratory activities involving the use of chemical agents and all additional chemical problem areas within the confines of the University. Specific duties of the Department include: 1. Implementation of policies established by the University. 2. Design and implementation of disposal procedures for chemical waste materials. 3. Preparation, submission, and maintenance of records, reports, and manifests as required by government regulations. 4. Preparation of applications for state and federal permits to properly generate and dispose of hazardous chemical waste. 5. Assuring that University policies and guidelines regarding the proper disposal of hazardous chemical waste are followed. C. Principal Investigator, Classroom Instructor, or Supervisor The principal investigator, classroom instructor, or supervisor has the primary responsibility for assuring that the policies and guidelines or directives established herein are followed by all personnel, including other researchers, under their supervision. D. The Laboratory Worker and Other Individuals Page 2

3 The success of the hazardous chemical waste management program at the University is very dependent of the conscientious efforts of the individual laboratory worker and staff employee. Since the laboratory worker frequently handles hazardous chemicals, it is absolutely essential that he or she follow implicitly the advice, policies and procedures of the Department of Environmental Health and Safety. The individual staff member is expected to: 1. Dispose of all chemical wastes in accordance with established procedures set forth in this disposal manual. 2. Make a concerted effort to identify all unknown, or surplus chemicals, utilizing the technical knowledge of faculty members or the Dept. of Environmental Health and Safety. 3. Package and label surplus and waste chemicals in accordance with established procedures set forth in this disposal manual. 4. Seek the advice, when necessary, of the Department of Environment al Health and Safety concerning the proper handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals. Page 3

4 PART II: Managing Chemical Waste and Surplus Handling and Disposal The significant amount of chemical wastes generated at the University each month presents a serious and complex problem for the entire University community. Unless we understand that chemical waste is everyone's problem and responsibility, teaching and research efforts may be severely compromised. The key to solving this problem lies in recognizing this responsibility, understanding the management system, and REDUCING THE VOLUME OF SURPLUS AND WASTE CHEMICALS. 1.Your Responsibilities When hazardous chemicals are mishandled or mismanaged, they have the potential to contaminate the environment and threaten human health. Whether your waste chemicals are generated in organic synthesis, analytical detection, or biomedical research, understanding your responsibility for those wastes (unwanted chemicals) is the most important first step in sound chemical waste management. See Part I, section D for the responsibilities of the laboratory worker and individual staff member. 2. The University of Connecticut Chemical Waste Management System The success of the management system depends upon cooperation between you and the Department of Environmental Health and Safety. You are to use this manual to identify chemical waste and determine the appropriate route of disposal for that waste. This manual outlines two routes of disposal for your surplus or waste chemicals: Disposal to the normal trash or sanitary sewer system, ONLY IF YOU ARE SURE IT IS PERMISSIBLE. Department of Environmental Health and Safety pickup for recycling, incineration or landfilling in accordance with local, state and federal regulations, by a qualified treatment, storage, and disposal facility. When your surplus or waste chemicals are given to the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, we first check to see if the chemical is a waste. The principal investigator should check to see if this chemical can be reused. We then determine the degree of hazard and appropriate route of disposal. Containers of hazardous chemical waste must: be labeled, "Hazardous Waste", with the respective hazard warning word, if it is ignitable, corrosive, reactive or toxic; have the contents itemized by % composition; use complete chemical names, not formulae, structures or abbreviations; have tightly fitting caps which are only removed to make additions; hold compatible chemicals; be stored by hazard category, and segregated from incompatible chemicals; be stored off the floor in a secure location. Page 4

5 Non hazardous waste may be disposed of in the sanitary sewer or with normal trash, if so advised by the Department of Environmental Health and Safety. Waste solvents and other hazardous wastes are disposed of through a commercial, licensed hazardous waste disposal company. These wastes will either be incinerated, or packaged in drums and sent to an EPA-approved hazardous waste landfill. Due to the nature and type of laboratory chemical wastes, this is a very costly procedure. Throughout this process, the University is required to keep complete records that account for the disposal of hazardous wastes 'from the cradle to the grave', a concept which holds the generator of the waste liable for that waste, essentially forever. 3. Your Job in Waste Reduction The act of Congress which makes it illegal to improperly manage hazardous wastes is entitled "The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act", or RCRA. The emphasis of this act is on waste reduction, hazardous waste identification and recycling. Of the disposal methods described above, hazardous waste landfilling is clearly the least desirable. Hazardous waste landfills are costly, use precious land resources and are to be used only as a method of last resort when other proper disposal methods are not available. The Department of Environmental Health and Safety embraced this philosophy and has designed its management system around waste reduction and recycling methods. This makes sense because the handling, transport, treatment and disposal of chemical waste is expensive. You can help reduce the amount of chemical waste. Persons generating chemical waste as the result of experimentation must consider that waste is an integral part of the experiment. If a procedure exists whereby the initial chemical byproduct can be readily converted to a less hazardous form, or can be neutralized, this procedure must also be incorporated into the experimental method. A. ORDER ONLY WHAT IS NEEDED. The economy of purchasing larger sizes is offset by the University's disposal cost for your excess. These costs are generally more than the original price of the chemical. Be sure to check current stock before ordering chemicals. It may also be possible to borrow small amounts of chemicals from other laboratories. Take the time to check. B. SUBSTITUTE non-hazardous or less hazardous materials for hazardous ones whenever possible. There are commercially available non-hazardous substitutes for chromic acid cleaning solution. Alcohol based thermometers are less toxic than mercury ones and can be substituted satisfactorily in most cases. Investigate other possible substitutions through the literature or call the Department of Environmental Health and Safety for assistance. C. There are chemicals that can be safely disposed of in the normal trash (section C) or in the sanitary sewer system (section D). D. It is important that small quantities of hazardous chemicals are not mixed with nonhazardous waste, as this may cause the entire waste to be listed as hazardous. You can help! Before you call the Department of Environmental Health and Safety for pickup of an unwanted but useable chemical, please check to see if other laboratories in your department or building can use it. Waste solvents should not be evaporated in your laboratories. Segregate an d Page 5

6 collect solvents for pickup by EH & S (see Section G.) Other waste Volume Reduction Methods When planning experiments, consider the following questions in your planning: Can any material be recovered for reuse? Can the product of one reaction be used as the starting material for the next experiment? Will the experiment generate any chemical that can be safely broken down by a laboratory procedure? (e.g. elementary neutralization.) Can any unusual disposal problems be anticipated? If so, inform the Department of Environmental Health and Safety beforehand. (e.g. mixed waste - Chemical/Radioactive, or Chemical/Biological.) Are chemicals being acquired only in needed quantities? Is there a possibility of replacing a hazardous reagent or solvent with one that is less hazardous and easier to dispose of? ii.) Reduction of the Scale of Experiments The use of microscale in the study of chemical and biochemical reactions can lead to significant savings in costs of chemicals, energy, apparatus, and space. It is now technically feasible to run many reactions with much smaller quantities of chemicals. Technical advances that have made this possible include: Fast microprocessor-based, top-loading balances that are sensitive to 0.1 mg; b.) Chromatographic techniques, such as high performance liquid, gas, size exclusion, and ion exchange, that can cleanly separate and purify milligram quantities of substances; c.) Sensitive spectrometers that can analyze milligram, and sometime s microgram, quantities of substances; d.) Microscale glassware, including pipettes, burettes, syringes, reactors, and stills for handling reagents and reagent products; e.) Flow and transfer systems based on small internal diameter metal and plastic tubing that make it possible to study flow type reactions, catalysts, and multi-step reactions on a very small scale, even under pressure. In addition to reduction of waste volumes, today's economies dictate investigation of these microtechniques for use in laboratory operations. iii.) Control of Reagents That Can Deteriorate INDEFINITE AND UNCONTROLLED ACCUMULATION OF EXCESS REAGENTS CREATE STORAGE PROBLEMS AND SAFETY HAZARDS. THESE PROBLEMS CAN BE ALLEVIATED, AND PURCHASE COSTS SAVED, BY INCORPORATING A CENTRALIZED CHEMICAL STORAGE SYSTEM, ACCESSIBLE TO ALL RESEARCHERS. THIS ELIMINATES HOARDING AND DUPLICITY OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS. Page 6

7 Reagents that react readily with oxygen or water are prone to deteriorate when stored for long periods of time after the original container has been opened. A laboratory labeling program for chemicals which deteriorate over time should be instituted to prevent accumulation of outdated chemicals which pose an increased risk to the laboratory and personnel. iv.) Prevention of Orphan Reaction Mixtures All reaction mixtures stored in laboratory glassware should be labele d with the chemical composition, the date they were formed, the name of the laboratory worker and faculty member responsible, and a notebook reference. This procedure can provide the information necessary to guide the disposal of the mixture if the responsible laboratory worker is not available. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT DEPARTMENTS INITIATE A CHECKOUT PROCEDURE THAT REQUIRES DEPARTING LABORATORY WORKERS TO IDENTIFY ANY REACTION MIXTURES THAT THEY HAVE NOT DISPOSED OF AND TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION NECESSARY FOR THEIR SAFE DISPOSAL. Individual departments may be held responsible for the costs associated with the identification and removal of orphan reaction mixtures and unknown chemicals left behind by departing investigators or graduate students, and any extraordinary cleanup costs for removal of waste chemicals. B. What is Hazardous Chemical Waste? top of page The information in this section will aid the laboratory worker in determining the hazards associated with chemicals that are encountered either during instructional classes or research at the University. The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the agency responsible for the regulation of hazardous chemical waste generated in this state, uses a very broad definition of hazardous waste. However, it bases its definition on the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) criteria which considers chemical waste hazardous if it exhibits certain hazardous characteristics (section B-1), or if the chemical waste is a listed hazardous constituent (section B-2). There is some overlap between the chemicals included in sections B-1 and B-2, as some chemicals fit the criteria of both sections. Chemicals that may be disposed of in the normal trash or the sewer system, as determined by the Environmental Health and Safety, are given in sections C and D. If, after reading these sections, you are in doubt about the proper method of disposal or hazard associated with a specific substance, contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety for assistance. 1. Hazardous Characteristics Chemicals which have the following four characteristics are considered to be hazardous by the federal EPA. a. Ignitability-Flammability Page 7

8 A liquid which has a flash point of less than 600 C (1400 F) is considered ignitable. This category includes almost all organic solvents. Some examples are: acetone benzene dioxane ethanol ethyl acetate heptane hexane methanol pentane petroleum ethers toluene xylenes Ignitability-Oxidizer bromates chlorates dichromates iodates nitrates nitrites perchlorates permanganates peroxides This is only a small number of examples. Instructions for the removal of organic solvents are given in Section G. b. Corrosivity An aqueous solution that has a ph of less than or equal to 2, or greater than or equal to 12.5 is considered corrosive. Corrosive materials also include substances such as thionyl chloride, solid sodium hydroxide and some other non-aqueous acids or bases. Instructions for the removal of concentrated solutions of acids and bases are given in Section E. c. Reactivity Chemicals that react violently with air or water are considered hazardous. Examples are sodium metal, potassium metal, phosphorus, etc. Reactive materials also include strong oxidizers such as perchloric acid, and chemicals capable of detonation when subjected to an initiating source, such as solid, dry (< 10% H20) picric acid, benzoyl peroxide or sodium borohydride. Instructions for the removal of these reactive materials are given in section J. Page 8

9 Solutions of certain cyanide or sulfides that could generate toxic gases are also classified as reactive. Removal instructions for these types of compounds are given in Section H. d. Toxicity Characteristic Leachate Procedure (TCLP) Effective September 25, 1990, TCLP replaced the EP Toxicity procedure for characterizing wastes as being either hazardous or non-hazardous. The impetus behind the new rule is to address the leaching of organic compounds as well as inorganic elements. The list of Toxic Characteristic wastes is below, with their individual regulatory levels. Contaminant Regulatory Level (mg/l) Contaminant Regulatory Level (mg/l) arsenic 5.0 hexachlorobenzene 0.13 barium hexachlorobutadiene 0.5 benzene 0.5 hexachloroethane 3.0 cadmium 1.0 lead 5.0 carbon tetrachloride 0.5 Page 9

10 Lindane 0.4 Chlordane 0.03 mercury 0.2 chlorobenzene Methoxychlor 10.0 chloroform 6.0 methyl ethyl ketone chromium 5.0 nitrobenzene 2.0 o-cresol pentachlorophenol m-cresol pyridine 5.0 p-cresol selenium 1.0 cresol silver 5.0 2,4-D 10.0 Page 10

11 tetrachloroethylene 0.7 1,4-dichlorobenzene 7.5 Toxaphene 0.5 1,2-dichloroethane 0.5 trichloroethylene 0.5 1,1-dichloroethylene 0.7 2,4,5-trichlorophenol ,4-dinitrotoluene ,4,6-trichlorophenol 2.0 Endrin ,4,5-TP (Silvex) 1.0 Heptachlor (and its hydroxide) vinyl chloride List of Hazardous Constituents This section presents a list of substances which have been shown in scientific studies to have toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic effects on humans or other life forms are designated either as Acutely Hazardous Waste or Toxic Waste by the Environmental Protection Agency. Substances found to be fatal to humans in low doses or, in the absence of data on human toxicity, Page 11

12 have been shown in studies to have an oral LD50 toxicity (rat) of less than 2 milligrams per liter, or a dermal LD50 toxicity (rabbit) of less than 200 milligrams per kilogram or is otherwise capable of causing or significantly contributing to an increase in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible illness are designated as Acute Hazardous Waste. Materials containing any of the toxic constituents listed in this section are to be considered hazardous waste, unless, after considering the following factors it can reasonably be concluded by the Department of Environmental Health and Safety that the waste is not capable of posing a substantial present or potential hazard to public health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported or disposed of, or otherwise managed. When making a Hazardous Waste Determination, consider: a. The nature of the toxicity presented by the constituent; b. The concentration of the constituent in the waste; c. The potential of the constituent or any toxic degradation product of the constituent to migrate from the waste into the environment d. The persistence of the constituent or any toxic degradation product of the constituent; e. The potential for the constituent or any toxic degradation product of the constituent to degrade into non-harmful constituents and the rate of degradation; f. The degree to which the constituent or any degradation product of the constituent bioaccumulates in an ecosystem; g. The plausible types of improper management to which the waste could be subjected; h. Other factors that may be appropriate. i.) Laboratories wishing to dispose of materials containing dilute concentrations of these constituents should contact the Department of Environmen tal Health and Safety for advice regarding the proper disposal of the materials. ii.) The following list will be periodically updated to reflect current scientific information on the hazards associated with these chemicals. This list is not meant to be complete and may not include substances which have hazardous characteristics as defined above. Omission of a chemical from this list does not mean it is without toxic properties or any other hazard. Call the Department of Environmental Health and Safety for additional hazard information. Disposal instructions for these chemicals are given in Sections C through O depending on the amount, chemical classification and physical form. F-Listed Hazardous Wastes P and U-Listed Hazardous Wastes (lists follow introductory paragraphs) Page 12

13 C. Chemicals for the Normal Trash Many chemicals can be safely disposed of in the normal trash in solid form. Examples are given on the following list. These chemicals were selected because they are generally used in laboratories and have oral-rat LD50 values higher than 500 mg/kg and no positive determination for carcinogenicity according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Registry. Aluminum (Sheet) Base, blood agar Beef extract Broth, nutrient Buffer powders Calcium carbonate Calcium chloride Calcium lactate Charcoal (granular) Dextrose Extract, malt Extract, yeast Galactose Gelatin Graphite Gum, Arabic Kaolin Lactose Litmus paper Maltose Paraffin Pepsin Peptone Petroleum jelly Pumice Sucrose Talcum powder Tin (foil, sheet) Urea Wax, bee's D. Chemical for the Sanitary Sewer System Persons generating chemical waste as a result of experimentation must consider that waste an integral part of the experiment. If a procedure exists whereby the initial chemical by-product can readily be converted to a less hazardous chemical, or can be neutralized, this procedure must be a part of the experimental process, providing that you are dealing with bench scale quantities only. This provision also should be limited to non-toxic, water-soluble solutions, such as buffers, certain salt solutions, and weak acid/base solutions. Page 13

14 Those with a disagreeable odor, such as pyridine, dimethylamine, 1,4-butanediamine, butyric acids, mercaptoethanol, and valeric acids should never be disposed of down the drain, regardless of the amount. As always, if you have any question regarding the proper disposition of your materials, call the Department of Environmental Health and Safety for advice. E. Inorganic Chemicals top of page This is a list of water-soluble solutions of low-toxicity cations and low-toxicity anions. Compounds of any of these ions that are strongly acidic or basic should not be disposed of down the drain. Cations Al3+ Ca2+ Fe2+,3+ CO3 2- H+ K+ Mg2+ NH4+ Zr2+ Anions BO33- Br- Cl- HSO32- OH- I- PO43- SO42- PLEASE REMEMBER, ONLY LIMITED AMOUNTS OF THESE SUBSTANCES SHOULD BE ALL TO ENTER THE SYSTEM AT ANY ONE TIME. F. Aqueous Solutions of Toxic Metals top of page Page 14

15 The following toxic metals are regulated. Faculty and staff should understand that these metals require special precautions for disposal. Discharge of these metals, their compounds or aqueous solutions into the sanitary sewer are not allowed. It is preferred that concentrated aqueous solutions of these metals are picked up by EH&S. Substances Arsenic Barium Boron Cadmium Chromium Copper Lead Manganese Mercury Nickel Selenium Silver Zinc G. Organic Solvents top of page Waste organic solvents that are free of solids and corrosive or reactive substances may be collected in a common bottle or can which then must be properl labeled and will be taken away on the next regularly scheduled chemical waste pick-up day. Separated and well defined waste is easier and also less expensive to dispose of. Non-halogenated organic solvents, after pick-up from the labs, are bulked into 55-gallon drums for transport to a hazardous waste incinerator. High levels of halogens in the organic solvents cannot readily be handled in most incinerators and are not acceptable for incineration. Therefore, it is essential to indicate the composition of the waste liquid and, if a mixture, the approximate percentage by volume of each constituent. The percentage composition must be clearly indicated on the "Hazardous Waste Tag" on each container, and the full name of the waste constituents must be on the "Hazardous Waste Label." See Section "O". 1. Separation of halogenated and non-halogenated wastes The objective of the solvent separation program is to keep the halogen content of the organic solvents for incineration below 1.0% by volume. Do not intentionally mix halogenated solvents and/or solutes with non-halogenated solvents. When large volumes of an individual solvent are involved, consideration should be given to recycling methods such as distillation, rather than costly disposal methods. The amount of money saved in solvent purchase costs usually far exceeds the capital expense for such equipment and the success of Page 15

16 such programs is well documents, as is the purity of recovered solvent. Information is available from Environmental Health & Safety. 2. Substances which should not be put in waste organic solvent bottles The following substances are inappropriate for incineration and should not be put in a container with organic solvents: (See the appropriate section in parentheses) Solutions of Acids or Bases (E) Aqueous Solutions of Toxic Organic Chemicals (H.1) Metals (e.g. Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Se) (F) Vacuum pump oil (H.5) Sulfides or Inorganic Cyanides (H.6) Strong Oxidizers or Reducers (J) Water Reactive Substances (J) Unknowns (M) Large Amounts of Water 3. Waste Solvent Storage Precautions Halogenated solvents, under certain conditions, may become corrosive, an d can corrode metal containers, as can any dissolved corrosive in a discarded mixture. It is necessary to assure proper storage container are used for waste solvents. To avoid unnecessary exposure to toxic vapors, waste containers should be tightly capped when in storage. Heated solvents must be cooled to room temperature before being placed in a closed container. The transfer of highly toxic waste materials should be done in a chemical fume hood. However, storage of closed containers in fume hoods is not advised as this can impede the performance of the hood. Remember: If in doubt, call the Department of Environmental Health and Safety for advice!!! ( ) H. Other Liquids top of page This section deals with six other types of liquid chemicals. For liquids not covered by these sections, use Section B, What is Hazardous? to determine if the liquid is hazardous. Package hazardous liquid according to Section O and give to Environmental Health & Safety: 1. Aqueous Solutions of Toxic Organic Chemicals The decision as to whether an aqueous solution should be incinerated, treated in some way, or put into the sewer depends upon the toxicity and concentration of the solute.this decision is made by the Department of Environmental Health & Safety through consultation with its resources, including faculty and staff. Refer to Section D or call Environmental Health & Safety if you have any questions. 2. Aqueous Solutions of Toxic Metals Page 16

17 Many toxic metals are regulated in the sanitary sewer system and should not be discharged into the sewer system under any circumstances. Faculty and staff should understand that these metals require special precautions for disposal. Discharge of these metals, their compounds or aqueous solutions into the sanitary sewer must be negligible (see Section F.) 3. Solutions of Pesticides Solutions of pesticides should be given to Environmental Health & Safety. 4. Free-Flowing Metallic Mercury Environmental Health & Safety will accept and recycle metallic mercury in the free flowing form. Package according to Section O. 5. Vacuum Pump Oil Vacuum pump oil can be recycled and should not be mixed with organic solvents or other chemicals. Package according to directions in Section O. Silicon based diffusion pump oil should be segregated for separate removal. 6. Solutions of Cyanide or Sulfide Compounds Solutions containing cyanide or sulfide compounds will release toxic gases under acidic conditions. These solutions must be packaged separately from acids and given to Environmental Health and Safety. If possible, these compounds should be stabilized by raising the ph of solution to 10 before they are given to EH&S for removal. I. Solid Chemicals top of page Package tightly capped containers of hazardous solid chemicals according to the instructions given in section O. To determine whether or not a chemical is hazardous see Sections B.1 and B.2. Section C lists chemicals that may be disposed of in the normal trash. Call Environmental Health & Safety if you need assistance. J. Potentially Explosive and Other Reactive Chemicals top of page 1. Potentially Explosive Chemicals Page 17

18 Each container of potentially explosive chemicals must be packaged separately. Label clearly as to hazardous characteristics and special handling precautions. In addition, inform the Department of Environmental Health and Safety that you have potentially explosive materials when calling for a pickup. a. Potentially explosive chemicals include: Ammonium Nitrate Hydrazine Compounds Diazo Compounds Nitrocellulose (Dry) Peroxide forming agents (see paragraph b.) Picric Acid (Dry and crystallized) b. Peroxide-forming Agents Peroxides are explosives and are very sensitive to shock and heat. A variety of organic compounds react with oxygen to form unstable peroxides. Well known peroxide-forming agents include: Diethyl Ether Tetrahydrofuran Isopropyl Ether Dioxanes Petroleum Ether is not peroxidizable) Other peroxide-forming agents include: Aldehydes Compounds with benzylic hydrogens Compounds with allyl groups Exposure of any of the peroxide-forming agents to light or air increases the rate of peroxide formation. Order small amounts frequently to decrease storage time. DATE ALL NEW CONTAINERS WHEN OPENED. Refrigeration does not prevent peroxide formation and, unless the refrigerator used is explosion-proof, these materials should not be refrigerated. Be particularly cautious with materials of unknown origin. Do not attempt to remove caps from container that may cause sparks or excess friction (e.g. old metal cans or fitted glass stoppers.) Call Environmental Health and Safety when such containers are found. NEVER distill peroxide-forming solvents UNLESS they are known to be free of peroxides. Peroxides concentrated in the residue can pose a serious explosion hazard. Other precautions for handling reactive chemicals can be requested from the Department of Environmental Health & Safety. 2. Other reactives (including water reactives) Package liquids separately from solids. Please note special hazards and/or handling precautions on each box. See Section O for additional packaging and labeling instructions. Acetyl chloride ************** Phosphorus (yellow or red) Benzoyl peroxide ************ Potassium metal Page 18

19 Calcium metal ************** Sodium metal Lithium metal *************** Thionyl chloride Cyanides ****************** Sulfides Organic silanes K. Precipitates, Semi-Solids, Residues, Gels, Etc. top of page Precipitates, semi-solids, residues or gels of any kind must not be placed in with the waste organic solvents since they cannot be pumped for incineration. Use Section B to determine if the material is hazardous or call Environmental Health and Safety for assistance. If separable, the liquid phase should first be removed by decantation, filtration, evaporation, or absorption. Hazardous materials should be packaged in leak-proof containers according to section O. L. Labware Contaminated With Chemicals top of page Disposal of some labware can be considered laboratory debris, and dispos ed of in the normal trash. The term "labware" pertains to disposa ble laboratory items, such as gloves, benchtop coverings, pipets, test tubes, filter paper, apron s, etc. The decision as to whether contaminated labware should be placed in a secure landfill, treated in some way, or put into the normal trash depends upon the toxicity and concentration of the contaminant. This decision is made by the Department of Environmental Health & Safety staff through consultation with its resources, including members of the faculty and staff. If you feel that the normal trash is not an appropriate route of disposal for your contaminated labware (because the contaminant possesses a high degree of toxicity) package according to Section O. The Department of Environmental Health and Safety staff will evaluate the labware for its appropriate route of disposal. All labware contaminated with PCB concentrations of 50 ppm or greater must be given to Environmental Health & Safety for disposal. M. Unknown Chemicals top of page Faculty and staff must make every effort to provide an accurate description of all unknown chemicals. Unidentified chemicals present serious problems f or the University. Without a description, chemical s can neither be handled nor disposed of in a safe manner. Disposal companies will not accept chemical waste without an analysis. The Department of Environmental Health & Safety offers assistance in investigating the identity of unknown chemicals; however, any information provided by individuals wishing to dispose of unknowns will greatly aid investigation and identification. Whether or not a chemical is organic or inorganic is an example of information which is very useful to the Department of Environmental Health & Safety. Please call the Department of Environmental Health & Safety upon discovery of an unknown chemical. The problem presented by unknown chemicals can be reduced if lab personnel are thorough Page 19

20 in maintaining labels on chemical containers. Periodic review of chemical stock, and careful recordkeeping will lessen the chance of discovering containers with missing labels. N. Labs Which Cease Operations or Change Hands top of page Environmental Health & Safety often receives unknown and unwanted chemicals when laboratories change hands. The ensuing cleanup and disposal of chemicals is time-consuming and costly. Before a faculty member or research investigator leaves the University, either the departing individual or the department must take responsibility for the removal of chemical wastes. The departing individual should notify Chemical Health & Safety before he/she ceases laboratory operations. If a major cleanout is anticipated, Chemical Health & Safety will provide forms for designating chemicals for disposal. In the event that an individual 'abandons' a laboratory, the Department Head or designee shall take this responsibility. All waste chemicals shall be identified, labelled, and stored properly prior to the pre-arranged pickup date, according to the points outlined in Section II.A.2. O. Packaging and Labeling top of page 1. General Rules and Information Good packaging provides safety in transporting chemicals and the labeling of materials is essential for proper disposal. Please use the following guidelines when giving material to the Department of Environmental Health & Safety for disposal: a. Minimize the quantity of chemicals given to Environmental Health & Safety. Items which can be disposed of in the trash or into the sewer should not be sent. If you are unsure about a chemical, please check Section B or call the Department of Environmental Health and Safety. b. Liquid and solid chemicals should be in closed, labeled containers. Each container must have a "Hazardous Waste Tag" filled out completely and attached securely to the container. These tags are available upon request from Environmental Health and Safety. (please see Appendix A) The form must include the following information: Tag Label Generator's Name: Principal Investigator or Supervisor Location: Building or Address Room: Where waste is generated or stored Page 20

21 Phone #: Professional's signature: Person filling out form * If the chemical is new, unused or is still suitable for use, please check the appropriate box on the form. This will enable the staff to better evaluate the possible reuse of the staff to better evaluate the possible reuse of the material for other purposes. Identification of Materials: When filling out this portion of the form, please try to be as accurate as possible. DO NOT ABBREVIATE OR USE CHEMICAL FORMULA. Use of the chemical name will speed up processing of the proper method of disposal. If a compound identification is difficult, a chemical classification will aid in its removal. Components: please list the major components for any mixtures keeping in mind the proper segregation guidelines of the manual. Also, a good estimate of the concentration of each component of the mix should be given. The Department and staff understand the difficulty in attempting to list 100% of the components, however, every attempt to be as complete as possible should be made as the components and concentrations determine the appropriate route of disposal. Total Quantity: List the total amount by volume or mass. Hazards: Check off any hazards of which you are aware and indicate any special handling instructions. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS FORM, PLEASE CALL THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY FOR ASSISTANCE 1.Phone the Department of Environmental Health & Safety to indicate that you wish to have chemical waste picked up. Pickups for chemical wastes are made at least weekly. Call to request a pickup of chemical waste. 2.EH&S will pickup the sealed and labeled containers and package them for transport to the University's interim storage facility. 3.Chemical waste to be picked up should never be stored outside the laboratory as this increases the risk to personnel. Your chemical wastes will be removed from your laboratory upon proper notification to EH&S. If you are not available at certain times or days, please indicate this when calling for a chemical pick-up and every attempt will be made to accommodate your schedule. Commercial products not readily identifiable by chemical composition mus t be accompanied by a material safety data sheet from the manufacturer prior to EH&S pickup. Your cooperation and help is sought to successfully implement this necessary change in our chemical removal system. EH&S will attempt to be responsive to the special needs and conditions surrounding your programs and the chemical waste generated by these research and educational endeavors. Only through this cooperative effort will the goals of this system be achieved. Page 21