Title: HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT
1HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT
- Self-Study Guide for Laboratory Personnel
Annual Refresher Training for Departmental
Hazardous Waste Coordinators
2TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Introduction 3
- What is RCRA 4-6
- Identifying Hazardous 7-8 Chemical Waste
- Generator Responsibilities 9-14
- Disposal Procedures 15-23
- Spill Response 24
- Contacts 25
- Quiz Q-1 Q-2
3I. Introduction
- The Hazardous Waste Management Online Training
is - for lab personnel with departmental
- responsibility for coordinating hazardous
- waste procedures.
- to be used in lieu of classroom-based
- Hazardous Waste Management annual
- refresher training.
- a review of Hazardous Waste Management
- or RCRA compliance for lab personnel in
- teaching, research, and clinical services on
- all UMDNJ campuses, including the
- University Hospital.
NOTE This guide does not apply to non-laboratory
staff. Credit for this course is
received by passing the mandatory quiz.
4II. What is RCRA
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
- Regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection
- Agency (EPA) since 1976.
- Authorized EPA to regulate the management of
- hazardous waste from Cradle-to-Grave.
- Regulates the generation, transportation,
- treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous
- chemical waste.
- Sets forth a framework for the management of
- non-hazardous and Universal wastes.
- Requires generators to ensure that the hazardous
- waste they produce is properly identified and
- managed up to and including disposal.
5II. What is RCRA
- UMDNJ Generator Sites
- RCRA classifies waste generators by the amount of
hazardous chemical waste generated monthly.
UMDNJ holds nine EPA numbers as hazardous waste
generators at the following campuses - Two Large Quantity Generators Newark
Piscataway Campuses - Seven Small Quantity Generators Newark (ICPH),
New Brunswick (MEB, CINJ, CAB, CHI), Camden, and
Stratford campuses - Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity
- Generators Scotch Plains campus and
- offsite medical and dental clinics.
- Note clinics do not need EPA ID Numbers,
- according to RCRA
6II. What is RCRA
- When Does a Chemical Product Become a Waste?
- As a byproduct of a chemical experiment or
industrial process - Upon reaching an expiration date
- When a decision is made to no longer use a
chemical
7III. Identifying Hazardous Chemical Waste
- Individuals using chemicals must first determine
if the resultant chemical waste is a hazardous
waste. It is a hazardous waste if it is one of
500 chemicals listed by the EPA (click here for
list) or has one of four characteristics. Check
the container label and/or review the Material
Safety Data Safety (MSDS) to determine if the
waste possesses one of the characteristics listed
below. - Corrosive
- pH less than or equal to 2.0
- pH greater than or equal to 12.5
- Toxic
- Chemical substance or mixture containing heavy
metals - Chemical substance or mixture made of toxic
organic constituents
8III. Identifying Hazardous Chemical Waste
- Ignitable
- Liquid with flashpoint below 1400F (i.e.
alcohol, acetonitrile, xylene) - Solids burn vigorously when ignited (i.e.
picric acid, sodium dithionite) - Oxidizers (i.e. nitrates, nitrites,
permaganates) - Flammable compressed gases (i.e.
propane, butane, methane) - Reactive
- Substances that react violently with water (i.e.
sodium) - Chemicals containing Cyanide or Sulfide (i.e.
potassium cyanide) - Explosive or unstable (i.e. dioxane, di- and tri-
nitro compounds)
9IV. Generator Responsibilities
- EOHSS established specific procedures based on
the RCRA regulations. These procedures must be
followed without exception to ensure compliance,
and avoid costly penalties resulting from
non-compliance. The procedures summarized in
this section are presented in the Laboratory
Safety Plan and can be found in more details in
the University Hazardous Waste Management Program.
Waste Minimization
Hazardous Waste Label
Container Management
10IV. Generator Responsibilities
- Waste Minimization
- UMDNJ certifies that the University has tried, to
the extent feasible, to minimize the amount of
hazardous waste generated at our institution.
Waste minimization means any process modification
resulting in the prevention or reduction of
hazardous chemical waste. Meeting the objectives
of waste minimization at UMDNJ requires - the cooperation of everyone producing
- hazardous waste.
- an obligation to implement practices and
- procedures
11IV. Generator Responsibilities
- General principles of waste minimization, in
- order of priority, are
- Elimination ending a procedure or
- stopping the use of a hazardous
- substance that would result in the
- generation of hazardous waste.
- Substitution replacing a hazardous substance
with a less hazardous material - (i.e. substitution ethanol (non-toxic) for
methanol (toxic). - Scale Reduction reducing the amount of a
hazardous materials used in a procedure. - Recycling the reuse of spent materials either
back into the same process or into a different
process (e.g., purification, such as solvent
distillation). - Reclamation any process that removes and reuses
a hazardous material (e.g., silver recovery).
12IV. Generator Responsibilities
- Hazardous Waste Labels
- Every container of hazardous chemical waste must
have a UMDNJ Hazardous Waste label when first put
into use. - The label must include
- Name, location, and phone number of generator
- Contents with ingredients and including water
(no abbreviations!) - Hazard Class Ignitable, Corrosive, Toxic,
Oxidizer, Reactive (circle one or more) - Date the label only when the container is full
- Click here for hazardous waste labels
13IV. Generator Responsibilities
- Container Management
- Hazardous waste containers must be
- In good condition and free of precipitate
- and drips
- Compatible with the waste being collected
- Closed at all times except when adding or
- removing waste
- Inspected on a regular basis for leaks, etc.
- by the person generating the waste
- Stored at or near point of generation
- Controlled by trained personnel responsible
- for waste
14IV. Generator Responsibilities
Example of the Satellite Accumulation Area (SAA)
Container Inspection Sign
15V. Disposal Procedures
- Hazardous Chemical Waste Disposal
- Schedule a Waste Pick-up
- Fill out all requested information on the
Chemical Waste Disposal Request Form or on line - List all chemical waste to be disposed
- Fax, email, inter-office mail or submit on line
the Disposal Request to EOHSS within three days
of the container becoming full - EOHSS will contact you to confirm a pick-up date
and approximate time
Fax 2-3694 Email sangiokd_at_umdnj.edu Inter-Off
ice EOHSS, SSB-443, Newark Campus On Line
Chemical Waste Disposal Request
16V. Disposal Procedures
Example of Chemical Waste Disposal Request Form
17V. Disposal Procedures
- Hazardous Chemical Waste Disposal
- Preparing for a Chemical Waste Pick-up
- Ensure containers are clean, sealed, in good
condition, and have proper hazardous waste labels - Ensure that all full containers are dated before
EOHSS arrives - Leave labeled waste containers in a conspicuous
location, if you will not be available when EOHSS
picks up waste - Maintain an appropriate spill kit and ER flip
chart in the lab or work area - Do not handle shock sensitive or potential
explosive wastes. Contact EOHSS for assistance
18V. Disposal Procedures
- Special Types of Hazardous Waste
- Mixed Waste Streams
- Certain types of hazardous waste pose particular
problems for disposal. They may be difficult to
dispose of or may require handling and storage by
a specialized hazardous waste vendor. They are
almost always more costly to dispose, therefore,
consult EOHSS and the Radiation Safety Officer
before generating the following wastes to ensure
that a disposal option exists - Mixed radioactive/hazardous chemical waste
- Mixed radioactive/biological waste
- Mixed biological/hazardous chemical waste
19V. Disposal Procedures
- Special Types of Hazardous Waste
- NOTE The generation of wastes containing human
body fluids treat Petri dishes, syringes,
hypodermic needles, and test tubes as Regulated
Medical Waste. Do not dispose of biological
wastes in the chemical waste stream. Do not
dispose of chemical waste in biological
(regulated red bags) waste stream. - Radiographic Waste Photographic
- Film Lead Foil
- Two Options for Managing Liquid Radiography Waste
- Run used fixer solutions through a silver
recovery unit. Ensure vendor changes the silver
recovery unit often enough to ensure the
discharge meets the EPA limit.
20V. Disposal Procedures
- Special Types of Hazardous Waste
- Collect and dispose of used fixer solutions
though EOHSS. Departments not employing silver
recovery must collect the used fixer solutions
for disposal through EOHSS. Follow applicable
hazardous waste procedures outlined in the
University Hazardous Waste Management Program. - Photographic Films Lead Foil
- Used photographic films and lead foils must be
collected as hazardous waste due to the residual
silver and lead content, respectively. Bag or
box the film/foil, and write used
silver-containing films or lead foil on the
hazardous waste label.
21V. Disposal Procedures
- Non-Hazardous Chemical Waste Disposal
- Although the majority of chemicals used in a
research lab will be treated as hazardous waste,
the following materials are non-hazardous waste
and may be disposed as described below. - Drain Disposal
- You may dispose of the following liquid
- wastes down a sink drain
- Weak acids and buffers with pH of 5.5 9.0 if no
other hazardous components are present - Ethanol/water mixtures of less than 10 ethanol
if no other hazardous components are present. Do
not dilute solutions of greater than 10 ethanol
in order to dispose of them via the drain.
Contact EOHSS to determine if a waste stream is
non-hazardous.
22V. Disposal Procedures
- Non-Hazardous Chemical Waste Disposal
- Ethidium Bromide aqueous solution after filtering
through an extractor. The extractor is disposed
of as hazardous waste. These extractors are
available through lab supply companies. - Trash Disposal
- You may dispose of the following solid wastes in
the trash - Alkaline batteries
- Small quantities of solid non-hazardous wastes
may be disposed of in the trash. (Examples of
non-hazardous wastes sugars, salts, minerals,
starches, amino acids, and enzymes) - Ethidium bromide-stained agarose gels (with trace
amounts of Ethidium Bromide (lt0.5 mcg/ml) and no
other hazardous components present)
Contact EOHSS to determine if a waste stream is
non-hazardous.
23V. Disposal Procedures
- Empty Container Disposal
- Empty compressed gas cylinders should be
- returned to the vendor.
- Other empty containers
- Ensure that the container is completely empty and
no liquid remains in the container - If the chemical constituents are not acute
hazardous waste - Rinse the container, dry in hood
- Deface the label or write EMPTY on the label
- Dispose in regular trash
- If the chemical constituents are P-listed (e.g.,
sodium azide or osmium tetroxide) as acute
hazardous waste, only dispose of the container
through EOHSS.
24VI. Spill Response
- Notify Public Safety of any chemical spill.
Public Safety will contact EOHSS for spill
response. - If youve had training and the proper
supplies/equipment, contain the spill with the
appropriate spill kit. - Exit the area and wait in a safe location, away
from the spill area for EOHSS to respond. - If exposed to the spilled material, employ the
appropriate first aid procedures. - DO NOT attempt to clean up a hazardous waste
spill yourself. - DO NOT ask Environmental Services (Housekeeping
Staff) to clean up the spill.
25VII. Contacts
26Hazardous Waste Management Self-Study Guide for
Laboratory Personnel Complete the quiz fax it
to EOHSS at (973) 972-3694
- Who should you contact if you have a question
about whether a chemical waste is a RCRA
regulated hazardous waste? - Manufacturer of the chemical
- EOHSS campus representative
- Public Safety Dispatch
- Your supervisor or RI/PI
- RCRA classifies generators by what criteria
- the number of large quantity generators a company
has - the different characteristic waste types a
facility generates - the amount of hazardous chemical waste generated
monthly - whether or not a company adheres to the cradle to
grave philosophy - Which statements is false regarding when a
chemical product becomes a waste? - as a byproduct of a chemical experiment or
industrial process - upon reaching an expiration date
- when a decision is made to no longer use a
chemical - when an experiment ends
- When does a generator date a hazardous waste
label?
Q-1
27- Methanol/water mixtureslt10 can be drain disposed
- True False
- Proper hazardous waste container management
includes - stored at or near the point of generation
- closed at all times except when adding or
removing waste - in good condition and free of precipitate and
drips - all of the above
- None of the above
- A properly completed hazardous waste label
includes - generator name
- hazard class
- contents, including water
- all of the above
- none of the above
- According to UMD policy and RCRA regulations, how
should a generator handle an empty container of a
p-listed waste? - Rinse it and dispose of it as regulated medical
waste
Q-2