Proper Waste Disposal

1. Waste Management

1. Users should make an effort to keep waste to a minimum. The best way to do so is by reducing the scale of operation, which minimizes the quantity of waste generated. Whenever possible, chemicals used should be substituted with less hazardous chemicals.
2. Chemical quantities should be kept to a minimum. Store only what will be used in the near term.
3. Besides preventing or minimizing waste generation, chemicals should be recycled or recovered for reuse.
4. When waste is generated, it must be disposed of properly. Sink disposal may not always be appropriate and may end contaminating drinking water. Alternative methods of disposal should be considered including incineration, treatment, and land disposal. The institute's EHS office should be consulted to determine the proper disposal method for different waste types.

2. Waste Collection and Storage

1. When generating or managing any chemical waste, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn, and engineering controls should be implemented as necessary.
2. Collect and store chemical waste at or near the point of generation in a designated satellite accumulation area. This accumulation area should be well marked for easy identification.
3. Chemical waste must be stored in compatible containers with closed and properly fitted caps.
4. Waste containers must be labeled mentioning chemical compositions, the accumulation start date, and hazard warnings as appropriate. The institute's EHS office typically provides these required labels.
5. Incompatible waste types should not be mixed and should be kept separate in order to avoid any reaction, heat generation, and/or gas evolution.
6. Waste containers should be stored in secondary containers in a ventilated, cool, and dry area.
7. In the central accumulation area, waste containers should be grounded to avoid fire and explosion hazards.
8. Trained laboratory researchers who are most familiar with the waste generated should work with EHS to ensure proper waste management.

3. Sharps Disposal - Syringes and Needles

1. Chemically contaminated needles, syringes, and razor blades should be disposed of inside a proper sharps container.
2. Syringes or needles must never be disposed of in a laboratory waste bin or a general waste container.

4. Glass Recycling

1. Recycling glass is friendly to the environment as it reduces pollution caused by the waste ending up in landfill sites. Every laboratory should have a separate recycling bin dedicated to glass.
2. Clean empty glass bottles and broken glassware may be recycled. To clean an empty glass bottle, it must be "triple rinsed" with water or another suitable solvent and air-dried before disposal.
3. Chemically contaminated laboratory glassware such as sample tubes, droppers, and glass wool must be disposed of as controlled waste.