Environmental Leadership in UW Science Curriculum and Research - A Partnership for Excellence Laboratory Environmental Management UW System Administration

Environmental Leadership in UW Science Curriculum and Research -A Partnership for Excellence

Laboratory Environmental Laboratory Environmental ManagementManagement

UW System Administration Environmental Health & Safety

608-262-4792

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What are laboratory wastes?

Unused chemical products and stock solutions that you no longer need;

Contaminated solutions, mixtures, and solids resulting from your lab processes.

unused stock solutions

contaminated bench covering

used solventsUnwanted

reagents

What do I do with my lab waste?

In about 20 minutes, you will learn how to define, label, contain, and manage your lab waste while they are under your control, and how to prepare for spills and emergencies.

This presentation will answer that question.

What lab wastes need special handling?

Lab wastes are regulated hazardous wastes if they are toxic, ignitable, corrosive, or reactive.

Regulated hazardous wastes always require special management.

Hazardous waste being prepared for shipment to a Hazardous waste being prepared for shipment to a licensed disposal facility.licensed disposal facility.

Regulated Hazardous Wastes

In response to incidents of environmental pollution such as Love Canal, Congress, in 1976, enacted The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

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Regulated Hazardous Wastes

RCRA, together with the Hazardous and Solid waste Amendments, passed in 1986, forms the basis for regulations that ensure proper management of hazardous chemical wastes.

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In Wisconsin, enforcement of RCRA has been legally delegated to the Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). State hazardous waste regulations are found in Wis. Adm. Code NR 600-

Click here for link to regulations

More on Regulated Hazardous Wastes

Ignitable Lab Wastes

These are liquids with flashpoints <140° F, or solids that easily catch fire. Examples include organic solvents such as acetone, xylene, and acetonitrile.

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Corrosive Lab Wastes

These are liquids with pH 2 or 12.5

Examples include nitric acid, aqueous sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid.


Reactive Lab Wastes

Those that are air or water

reactive, or have a

tendency to explode. Examples include sodium metal, extremely dry picric acid, some organic peroxides.


Toxic Laboratory Wastes

Those that exceed concentration limits for given contaminants. Examples include lead acetate, mercuric chloride, and solvent mixtures containing > 0.5 ppm benzene.


What lab wastes need special handling?

Other types of lab wastes might also require special management even if they are not regulated as hazardous waste.

If in doubt, check your campus’ hazardous waste procedures or consult with campus environmental management staff.

Biohazardous waste

NEED A GOOD PHOTOOF EHS INTERACTING W/ LAB STAFF

Who is Responsible for Lab Waste?

Proper management of laboratory waste requires a team effort between lab faculty and staff and campus environmental management staff.

Working together you will be able to manage wastes safely, protect the environment, keep costs down, and comply with regulations.

What is my role?

Your role is to take good care of laboratory wastes while they are still in your lab and to maintain your chemical stocks so that they do not become outdated or deteriorated.

What is my role?

You can also suggest ways to reduce your lab’s waste and emissions and work with your campus environmental manager to implement them.

traditional thermal distillation replaced with…

solvent purification system (operates at room temperature)

A pollution prevention idea.

What is campus environmental staff’s role?

Campus environmental staff will take care of your wastes once they leave your lab. They will classify them according to regulations, and ship them to UW-approved, off-site commercial disposal facilities.

What do I need to do?

Just five things:1. Define and label each waste you generate.

2. Contain lab wastes properly.

3. Transfer full containers to campus environmental staff.

4. Refrain from disposing of lab wastes yourself.

5. Be prepared for spills or leaks.

1. Define and Label Lab Wastes

Information sources to define your lab’s Information sources to define your lab’s wastestreams include:wastestreams include:

– experimental procedure or methodexperimental procedure or method– reagent labelsreagent labels– Material Safety Data SheetsMaterial Safety Data Sheets– References such as Merck and SaxReferences such as Merck and Sax


Do not mix together wastestreams from different processes.Do not mix together wastestreams from different processes.

If you are not sure how to define your lab’s wastestreams, contact your campus environmental staff.


Label every waste container so campus Label every waste container so campus environmental staff can determine disposal environmental staff can determine disposal requirements.requirements.

– List percentages or concentrations, if known.

– List toxic contaminants , if known or suspected.

Acetone (60%), toluene (40%), trace amounts of ChlordaneAq. waste, pH

3.5, contains

cadmium (~ 10

ppm)

Toxic Contaminants

Heavy Metalsarsenic, barium, cadmium,

chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, silver

PesticidesChlordane, 2,4-D, Endrin,

Lindane, Heptachlor, Methoxychlor, Silvex (2,4,5-TP), Toxaphene.

Organicsbenzene, carbon tetrachloride,

chlorobenzene, chloroform,

Organics, continued cresol, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, 1,2-

dichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethylene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, hexachlorobenzene, hexachlorobutadiene, hexachloroethane, methyl ethyl ketone, nitrobenzene, pentachlorophenol, pyridine, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, 2,4,5-trichlrophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, vinyl chloride.



… or, if it is more efficient for you, label the container with a general description of contents (e.g. “used organic solvents”), and use a nearby inventory sheet to record details of what was added to the container.

NOTE: This is not required, but is of great help to the campus environmental manager.

1. Define and Label Lab WastesLabel (continued)Label (continued)– Label it “used” if waste is contaminated as a result of

being used in a lab process.– For used solvent mixtures, list each solvent that makes up

10% or more of the container’s contents, if known.– Do not mix used wastes in the same

container with unused reagents and

stock solutions.Used solvents - acetone (40%), xylene (60%)


Label (continued)Label (continued)– Place unused lab reagents and stock solutions that you no

longer need in a bin or pail labeled “excess lab materials,” or with similar words.

– Campus environmental staff can transfer some of these to others who can use them - saving purchase and disposal costs.

A pollution prevention idea.

2. Contain Lab Wastes

Don’t mix Don’t mix incompatible wastes.incompatible wastes.Some classic examples:• sodium with aqueous

wastes (causes fire)

• acid with cyanide compounds (releases toxic gas)

• chlorine and ammonia (releases toxic chloramines)


Contain lab wastes so that Contain lab wastes so that they will not leak liquids they will not leak liquids or vapors and will be safe or vapors and will be safe to move across campus.to move across campus.

– Use containers in good condition

– To be safe and avoid runaway reactions be sure only compatible wastes share the same containers.


Keep containers closed.Keep containers closed.

– All waste containers must be capped unless you are adding to or dispensing from them.

THIS

NOT THIS


Use Secondary ContainmentUse Secondary Containment

– Put another container beneath waste containers to capture spills that could otherwise enter a drain or pose a risk.

– Also use secondary containment to separate incompatible wastes from each other and when moving wastes from one place to another.


Don’t fill waste Don’t fill waste containers too full...containers too full...• Overfilled containers

are more prone to mishaps.

• For liquids, leave some headspace at the top of the container to allow for expansion.

• For solids, do not add so much as to strain container walls or cap.


Waste Containers in the Lab …Waste Containers in the Lab …

– Excessive waste containers take up valuable space, increase the risk of spills, and can violate safety and fire protection requirements.

– For dioxin-bearing wastes and certain discarded chemical products, you should not have more than one quart in the lab at a time.

Contact your campus environmental manager if you have questions.

3. Transfer Waste to Environmental Staff

To arrange for waste transfer…To arrange for waste transfer…

– Follow your campus procedures to arrange for pickup of your waste.

– Your campus procedures may require you to write the date on full containers being transferred to the campus environmental manager.

– Transfer full containers of waste to the campus environmental manager at least once per semester.

4. Refrain from Direct Disposal

Some wastes are restricted by local sewer ordinance or solid waste authority.

So, do not dispose of lab wastes by pouring down the drain, placing in the normal trash, or venting in the hood unless approved by your campus environmental staff or their written procedures.

5. Prepare for Spills

...because your personal safety is # 1...because your personal safety is # 1– Know the identity and hazards of the chemicals you work

with.

– Locate your nearest fire extinguisher(s), showers, eyewash stations, alarms, and utility shutoffs; check them periodically; and learn how to use them.

– Keep evacuation paths clear - don’t block doors or leave carts, boxes, or other clutter in the aisles and halls.

– Address leaking containers immediately so they don’t become large spills.

5. Prepare For Spills

Before a spill happens...

– Know your role in your lab’s spill response plan: Do you evacuate or do you close doors, shutoff utilities, and make sure people are out?

5. Prepare For Spills

Before a spill happens...

• Keep appropriate spill clean up supplies on hand and learn when and how to use them.

• Review MSDS’ periodically for the hazardous chemicals you work with most often.

5. Prepare for Spills

If you see a spill or leak:– When in doubt - Get Out! Warn others as you go.– Pull the fire alarm if necessary.– When Safe, Dial 911.

Is the spill beyond your ability to safely respond?

Click here to view UW System spill response decision logic.

“Simple” spills (as defined by American Chemical Society) might not require reporting; follow your campus’ incident response plan to know when it is required.

In an Emergency...

When you are safe, dial 911 and be ready to tell them:– where you are calling from

– where the incident is

– what kind of problem it is

– whether anyone is injured.

Call campus environmental management.

If possible, meet emergency responders in front of the building and direct them to the scene.


Do I know what this substance is?

Is this release small

enough to manage myself?

Can this chemical be contained or

isolated safely?

This is a “Simple” spill I can clean it up myself, within my normal workday.

Key Information Ask yourself

Container label is legibleMSDS available

No injuries No fireLow reactivity Low volatilityLow flammability Not a strong Familiar quantity oxidizer

I feel comfortable enough, to deal with this situation.I am trained in proper protective equipment use.I am trained how to use spill control equipment.All the right equipment is available to me here and now.

Get Help!This is not a “Simple” Spill

Follow your campus emergency response procedures. This could involve:

Pull AlarmEvacuateCall 911Call your campus Environmental, Safety, or Facilities Management department

YES

YES

YES

NO

NO

NO

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For More Information

There are other lab wastes requiring special handling that are not covered by this presentation.

Contact your campus environmental manager if you have any questions.

??????

Other Lab Wastes of Concern

If you find an old chemical that may be shock sensitive or explosive, don’t touch it. Secure the room and contact your campus environmental manager for assistance.

View more lab wastes of concern

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Other Lab Wastes of Concern

Other lab wastes that require special handling:– those containing PCB’s, mercury, asbestos, or pesticides– infectious, biohazardous, or radioactive wastes– batteries, except for alkaline– carcinogens, mutagens, or acutely toxic compounds (e.g.

ethidium bromide)– compressed gases– dioxin-bearing wastes– lamps, computers and computer monitors


For More Information

See the UWSA Environmental Health and Safety Web Site for further information on laboratory waste management, pollution prevention, spill response and sustainable laboratory facilities and practices.

Copy this address in your browser: http://www.uwsa.edu/oslp/em/

Credits and AcknowledgementsFaculty and environmental staff provided technical and

presentation quality editing of this Lab Waste series.

Thanks to:

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UW-Green Bay

UW-Madison

UW-Milwaukee

UW-Oshkosh

UW-Platteville

UW-Stevens Point

UW-Superior

UW - System Administration Academic Affairs

State of Wisconsin - Department of Natural Resources

UW System Administration Environmental Health & Safety

Questions? Call 608-262-4792 or email [email protected]

Credits and Acknowledgements

The following University of Wisconsin campuses supplied photos for this training module:

UW-Madison

UW-Milwaukee

UW-Stevens Point

UW-Washington

UW-Waukesha

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End presentation

Documents

Environmental Leadership in UW Science Curriculum and Research - A Partnership for Excellence Laboratory Environmental Management UW System Administration