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Hazardous Materials Recycling & Disposal |
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The generation of unwanted hazardous materials and waste products is an inevitable consequence of chemistry research and shop activities. Strict labeling, segregation and packaging requirements must be followed to ensure that unwanted hazardous materials are handled safely and recycled or disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. The following guidelines have been prepared to assist researchers and college staff in meeting their hazardous material recycling and disposal responsibilities.
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1. Drain Disposal of Chemicals 2. Redistribution of Commercial Chemicals 3. Disposal of Rountinely Generated Hazardous Materials 4. Disposal of Special Hazardous Materials Appendices
Table of Contents
| 1. Drain Disposal Guidelines |
The disposal of chemicals into any sewer system is controlled by Federal and State laws and regulations. As written, these laws prohibit any drain disposal of hazardous wastes and severely limit the allowable wastewater concentration of a number of specific substances. The range of substances that can be considered to be hazardous waste is enormous. Indeed, almost any chemical substance is a hazardous waste if it is disposed of in large quantities or in high concentrations.
Federal and California hazardous waste laws do permit laboratories to drain dispose of small amounts of some chemicals in quantities that do not pose a hazard to human health or the environment. In order to help researchers determine which chemicals and quantities are acceptable for drain disposal, UC Berkeley has developed guidelines that apply to drain disposal of chemicals from laboratory sinks on campus. In general, laboratory sink disposal of chemicals is limited to the occasional disposal of small amounts of chemicals of high water solubility. All researchers should review the attached “Interim Guidelines for Drain Disposal of Chemicals” (see Appendix 6a) very carefully prior to discharging any chemical to the drain.
| 2. Redistribution of Commercial Chemicals |
The Chemical Reuse Facility
To donate commercial chemicals that are both in useable condition and in their original containers with original labels, contact the Facility’s specialist at 2-2630. Understocked chemicals for which there is suspected demand will be accepted. Jug solvents, mineral acids, explosives, gases and chemicals in pressure-containers will not be accepted.
Solvents, Gases and Mineral Acids
Contact the College Health and Safety Program at 2-2630 to gain assistance with the redistribution of these chemicals.
| 3. Disposal of Routinely Generated Hazardous Materials |
Chemically Contaminated Laboratory Debris
Laboratory debris such as used paper towels, pipettes, gloves and glassware, and open containers that are contaminated with trace amounts of chemical residue, cannot be disposed of in the municipal trash and must be disposed of in the white or green 5-gallon buckets labeled “Chemically Contaminated Material Only.” These buckets are picked up, emptied and returned to each laboratory by College of Chemistry Health and Safety Program staff. Call 3-0526 to schedule a pick up.
Solvents, vials or containers of liquids, sharps or bulk quantities of chemicals are NOT to be placed in these pails. Small EMPTY vials or containers can be placed in the white buckets if there are only trace amounts of chemical residue. Notify the Health and Safety Program at 2-2630 to arrange for a chemical lab pack of your unwanted bulk chemicals. Your research director will be billed by the pound for Contaminated Laboratory Debris, so do not put uncontaminated material in these special buckets.
Empty Glass Chemical Containers
Empty 4 liter glass bottles and steel or aluminum ether cans can be disposed of by placing them in the specially labeled bins located in corridors throughout the College. Note that only completely empty containers that are totally free of chemical residue can be disposed of in this manner. The legal criteria for what constitutes an “empty” container are very strict and are defined in the attached Glass Solvent Bottle Disposal Guidelines (see Appendix 6b). All generators of disposable glass solvent bottles should review these guidelines to insure that empty containers are managed properly. Glass, which is determined not to be legally empty, will be disposed of as Contaminated Laboratory Debris as described above.
Spent Liquids; Solvents (pure or containing trace organics), Aqueous Containing, & Oils.
All spent liquids should be containerized and segregated according to Table 1: Bulk Solvent Profile. The container label should be filled out to identify all chemical constituents using CAS identifiable chemical names. Abbreviations, chemical structures or nomenclature is not acceptable. Collect spent liquids in appropriately sized containers. The Health & Safety Program furnishes free 1 gal poly bottles that are compatible for most solvents and oils. Spent strong acids should be collected in the same type of container it was issued in, i.e. glass in most cases. Cyanide containing spent liquids should only be collected in 1 liter volumes due to the unique requirements stipulated in our hazardous waste handling contract. If the Campus Hazardous Material Facility receives cyanide containing liquids in excess of 1 liter, they will have to split the item down to 1 liter containers and charge the group. Table 1 is to be used as a guide for the collection and segregation of spent liquids.
BtUH
BtUL
BSI
Tier 1
Water <=20%
Halogens <=5%
Water + Halogens <=20%Water <=20%
Halogens <=20%
Water + Halogens <=20%Water <=60%
Halogens <=80%
Water + Halogens <=80%Tier 2
No RCRA Metals
No elemental Bromine
(or) Bromine Solutions
No Cyanides or Sulfides
No Mercaptans or Thiols
No Dioxins or PesticidesNo RCRA Metals
No elemental Bromine
(or) Bromine Solutions
No Cyanides or Sulfides
No Mercaptans or Thiols
No Dioxins or PesticidesNo RCRA Metals
No elemental Bromine
(or) Bromine Solutions
No Cyanides or Sulfides
No Mercaptans or Thiols
No Dioxins or PesticidesTier 3
No sludge >1/2”
No dark and opaque bottles
pH = 4 to 10No sludge >1/2”
No dark and opaque bottles
pH = 4 to 10No sludge >1/2”
No dark and opaque bottles
pH = 4 to 10Table 1: Bulk Solvent Profile
Tier 1 describes the allowable aqueous/solvent percentages. Either of the three categories, BtUH, BtUL, or BSI is acceptable. Remember, all constituents must be listed by percentages and add up to 100%. The cost difference between the 3 is very small and is listed in Table 2.
Tier 2 constituents are listed next in the line. If any of the listed constituents are in the waste, above trace amounts, it will not meet the bulk rate profile, therefore, these constituents should not be combined with Tier 1 materials whenever possible. Care should be taken to keep the volume of Tier 2 materials to a minimum in your waste streams. These are referred to as Lab pack items. There are two categories: Lab-pack Non-reactive, and Lab-pack Reactive. The reactive constituents in Tier 2 are: cyanides, sulfides, mercaptans, thiols, dioxins, pesticides. Elemental bromine and its solutions are charged at a higher rate than reactives.
Tier 3 conditions must be met in as much as any dark or opaque bottles must have listed constituents that would reasonably give rise to the dark or opaque quality. Depending on the darkness and/or opacity the waste may be bulked or designated as a Lab Pack. It is the final decision of the Hazardous Materials Facility staff as to whether the specific darkness or opaqueness moves the container out of the bulk rate and into the lab-pack rate. Sludge of greater than ½ inch of would eliminate the container from the bulk rate, as well as pH’s listed outside the range. Proper pH testing is imperative, whereas, solvents and phased spent liquids must be sampled appropriately in order to reach a valid pH level. Call the Health & Safety Program if you are getting waste rejected for pH problems at 2-2630.
HazCat refers to liquids that have no definitive labeling and must be sampled for characterization. The HazCat charge is in addition to the per pound fee once it is identified.
All current prices are reflected in Table 2.
BtuH
$0.72/lb
BtuL
$0.72/lb
BSI
$0.96/lb
Lab Pack Non-Reactive
$4.20/lb
Lab Pack Reactive
$20.70/lb
Elemental Bromine and Solutions
$21.74/lb
HAZCAT Charge
$34.12
Table 2: Waste Chemical Costs
Disclaimer: Prices subject to change at any time. Use for comparative purposes only.
Used methanol laser dye is also collected from the labs in gallon jugs and can usually meet the bulk solvent profile. Unfortunately, DMSO-based laser dyes must be handled as a Lab Pack item rather than the bulk solvent profile. Collect DMSO dyes in properly labeled gallon jugs and call the College Health and Safety Program at 2-2630 to arrange for disposal.
Excess Commercial Chemicals (liquid and solid)
Commercial chemicals that the Reuse Facility is unable to accommodate can be submitted for disposal at the Lab Pack rate. Call the College Health and Safety Program at 2-2630 to receive materials and instructions for proper packing of your bottles, or to arrange for our staff to do it for you.
Liquid and solid products generated from experiments that do not fit the above criteria still must be containerized, labeled and handled by the Health & Safety Program.
| 4. Disposal of Special Hazardous Materials |
Full height gas cylinders, empty or with contents, should be taken to the College Receiving Dock (B84 Hildebrand) and checked into the cylinder cage for return to the vendor. Helium tanks are the exception. These should be returned to the College’s Liquid Air Plant in Giauque Hall.
It is very costly to send small gas cylinders (less than 8” in diameter and 24” in height), lecture bottles and other assorted pressure containers to a disposal vendor. Available alternatives include fully-utilizing a cylinder’s contents within your lab or passing the partially full cylinder to another researcher who will. Once a cylinder is empty simply remove the valve with a wrench, preferably within a hood. Place the cylinder hulk upright in the hood to air out and once all odor has dissipated call the Health & Safety Program at 3-0526 to come pick it up. If a cylinder contains a reactive gas or liquid, this must be quenched and purged before the valve is removed. Call the tech support number of the original seller (Aldrich, Matheson, etc.) and ask that quenching/purging instructions be sent to you by fax. If a gas cylinder must be sent for disposal, call the College Health and Safety Program at 3-0526 to schedule. Lecture bottle size cylinders will be gathered and submitted to the campus’s contracted disposal company once or twice per year, at a charge of $200-$800 per cylinder, depending on the type of gas. A cylinder containing an UNKNOWN gas will cost $1500-$5000 to send for disposal and the procedure may take as long as a year. AT LEAST TWICE PER YEAR, CHECK TO SEE THAT YOUR GROUP’S STORED GASES HAVE SECURE, MULTIPLE LABELS. Also make sure that all gas cylinders are entered into your 4D chemical inventory.
Alkaline, zinc-carbon dry-cell, and lithium batteries are considered Universal Wastes and must be disposed of accordingly. There are two areas where they are collected: 791 Tan Hall (chem stores) and 317 Lewis Hall. Contact the College Health and Safety Program if you have batteries that don’t meet the above descriptions. At no time should ANY battery be thrown into the common trash.
Detailed instruction on managing and disposing of controlled substances is provided in a Campus EH&S Help Sheet and can be found on their website or see Appendix 6e in this section of the College of Chemistry Health and Safety Manual.
Contact the College Health and Safety team at 3-0526 to arrange disposal.
Medical waste/Biohazardous waste
Detailed instruction on managing and disposing of medical waste is provided in a Campus EH&S Help Sheet (see Appendix 6c in this section of the College of Chemistry Health and Safety Manual).
Contact the College Health and Safety team at 3-0526 or 3-0648 for assistance in cleaning up and disposing of spilled mercury and contaminated debris.
Radioactive waste must be handled and disposed of in strict compliance with the UC Berkeley Radiation Safety Manual. All radioactive waste (radwaste) must be kept bagged in properly marked and shielded waste containers. Solid wastes cannot contain any freestanding liquid. Liquid radwaste must be kept in double containment. Radwaste must be kept segregated by isotope. Do not mix chemical wastes and radwaste. Radwaste pick-up and disposal is managed by the UC Berkeley Office of Environment, Health and Safety (contact Pat Goff at 2-1925 for more information).
All chemically contaminated needles and razor blades need to be disposed of in the red sharps containers (available from the storeroom). Unused sharps should also be placed in these containers for disposal. Contact the College Health and Safety team (3-0526) for pickup and disposal.
Sharps that are contaminated with biohazardous materials must be handled according to the medical waste disposal guidelines (see Appendices 6c and 6d in this section of the College of Chemistry Health and Safety Manual).Used silica gel and other chromatographic supports should be deposited into the appropriately labeled blue 5-gallon pails within the plastic liner that is provided with each blue pail. Contact the College Health and Safety team (3-0526) for disposal.
To dispose of the empty product drums, rinse the inside of the drum to remove any loose silica dust. Mark the drum label as "EMPTY" and call the contaminated Lab Debris program at 3-0526 to coordinate a pick up. They will schedule a pick up from you lab generally within 48 hours.
Do not leave the drums anywhere outside of your laboratories especially in the hallways or elevator landing areas. Items found here will be returned to your lab for proper handling. Remember, clean empty containers can be stored out on the balconies for short periods of time.
Unknown liquid or solid chemicals
Contact the College Health and Safety team at 3-0648. Unknown materials cannot be sent for disposal until they are identified. Identification of unknown materials is very costly, so make a strict habit of keeping ALL chemical containers labeled
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Guidelines for Drain Disposal of Chemicals |
Guidelines for the College of Chemistry Glass Solvent Bottle Disposal |
EH&S Help Sheet: Managing and Disposing of Medical Waste |
EH&S Help Sheet: Handling and Disposing of Sharps |
EH&S Help Sheet: Managing and Disposing of Unwanted Controlled Substances |
EH&S Fact Sheet: Minimizing Hazardous Waste |
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