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Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste must be handled according to national and local guidelines.聽No amount of hazardous waste may be thrown into the regular trash or poured down the sink.聽Please contact Environmental Health and Safety to arrange disposal of all hazardous waste.
See below for a summary of how聽to聽handle聽each hazardous waste stream at 猫咪社区app University.
Container Requirements
All hazardous waste must be properly stored in compatible containers. Containers must be in good condition and stored in secondary containment, especially聽when kept on the floor or near drains.
Environmental Health and Safety provides some waste containers upon request. You can request a container by contacting EH&S or by filling out a request form here.
Labels
Hazardous waste must be marked with a completed AU hazardous waste label. You can request labels by contacting EH&S or by filling out a request form here. Waste labels聽must聽include the following information:
- The words "Hazardous Waste"
- The contents of the container
- The hazards of the contents (e.g., flammable, corrosive, toxic)
Facilities and Maintenance Waste
Aerosol Cans
Canisters under pressure such as spray paint, WD-40, Goof-Off, etc.
Most aerosol cans, or canisters under pressure, are flammable and classified as hazardous waste. Store cans聽in a cool, dry place. Label with a hazardous waste label and contact EH&S for proper disposal.
Asbestos
Label and bag asbestos-containing waste according to all federal and local regulations. Contact EH&S for proper disposal.
If asbestos waste is generated by a contractor on university-owned property, the waste manifests must be forwarded to the EH&S office.
Heavy Metals
Lead, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, mercury, selenium, or silver containing material (e.g., lead paint).
Handle all materials containing heavy metals as hazardous waste. Store waste in appropriately labeled drum or container. Contact EH&S for proper disposal.
If heavy metal waste is generated by a contractor on university-owned property, the waste manifests must be forwarded to the EH&S office.
Paints and Solvents
Latex paint waste is non-hazardous. Allow the paint to dry and throw away in the regular waste stream. Non-rusted metal paint containers may be recycled. Contact聽2Fix at (ext.聽2349) for more information about recycling.
Oil-based paints must be disposed of as hazardous waste through EH&S.
To determine whether a paint is latex or oil-based, look at the ingredient list. If water is listed as the main solvent, then it is likely latex paint. If something other than water is listed as the main solvent or if you are unsure, contact EH&S for disposal.
Pesticides and Fertilizers
Keep containers securely closed to reduce the likelihood of accidental environmental release and/or human exposure. Label with a hazardous waste label and contact EH&S for proper disposal.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Transformers, capacitors, suspect used oil, etc.
Label known and suspect PCB-containing oil containers with a hazardous waste label provided by EH&S. Store in designated waste collection area and contact EH&S for pick-up.
Smoke Detectors
Store smoke detectors in a closed container that is labeled with the collection start date and the contents. Contact EH&S to arrange for proper disposal.
Universal Waste
Intact batteries, fluorescent, lamps, waste oil (non-PCB containing)
Universal聽waste聽is recycled by聽Facilities聽Management within聽a聽year of聽generation聽and聽must be:
- Segregated.聽No co-mingling of waste streams聽(i.e. lamps only聽with lamps, batteries only with batteries).
- Contained.聽Waste must be聽kept聽in聽closed聽containers/boxes.
- Labeled.聽Contact 2Fix for labeling guidance.
To dispose of universal waste, contact 2Fix at ext. 2349.
Leaking batteries and broken/crushed bulbs are disposed of as hazardous waste. Contact the EH&S office for proper disposal.
Waste vehicle oil is managed by Transportation Operations and Maintenance.
Research and Laboratory Waste
Animal Bedding
Soiled animal bedding generated from IACUC-approved research activities.
Soiled animal bedding that is non-infectious (Biosafety Level 1) should be double-bagged, knotted聽or taped聽closed, and聽placed聽in聽the designated聽waste bin聽to聽be聽disposed of聽via the聽regular trash. No bag should exceed 40 pounds.
Biosafety Level 2+ labs must dispose of all animal bedding waste as medical waste, with red bags and biohazard boxes. Biohazard boxes are picked up by EH&S at pre-arranged times and upon request.
Biological Waste
Experimentally cultured stocks, plates, ethidium bromide gels, (non-sharps) materials contaminated with blood or other potentially infections materials, materials contaminated with human mutagens, teratogens, carcinogens, or federal listed select agents.
Place medical waste in red bags only. When full,聽close聽bags聽and place in cardboard medical waste box provided by EH&S. Contact EH&S to schedule pick-up. Prior to a scheduled medical waste pick-up, tape boxes聽shut.
Boxes must be under 40 pounds each. Boxes exceeding 40 pounds will not be picked up.
If material can be autoclaved or otherwise treated so that it no longer presents聽a聽biological hazard, it may be disposed of as regular waste.
Chemicals
Characteristic hazardous waste chemicals (flammable, reactive, corrosive, toxic), such as solvents, acids, bases, water/air sensitive materials, and heavy metals.
Collect waste in a chemically compatible container. Ensure that the waste container is labeled appropriately with an AU hazardous waste label. When full or more than 120 days have passed (whichever comes first), securely close the container and place it in the laboratory's designated waste storage area.
Controlled Substances
Substances and chemicals controlled by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Controlled substances not dispensed and rendered irretrievable during the course of their useful life may be disposed of through Environmental Health and Safety. Contact the individual listed at the bottom of this page to schedule a controlled substance disposal.
Per DEA regulations, two employees of the registered license holder must be present to observe the handling of the controlled substance until it is rendered non-retrievable. Contact the EH&S office for more information on proper destruction and recordkeeping聽techniques.
Pathological Waste
Animal carcasses, tissues, and organs generated from IACUC-approved research activities.
Bag and store all animal carcasses in the designated freezer only.
Within 6 hours of a scheduled medical waste pick-up, pack bags in the biohazard boxes provided by EH&S and tape shut. Boxes must be under 40 pounds each. Boxes exceeding 40 pounds will not be picked up.
Radioactive Materials
All waste containing materials that emit ionizing radiation.
No amount of radioactive material may be discharged into the sewage system (including all drains and toilets) or otherwise released into the environment.
Store聽in the restricted laboratory's waste accumulation area and聽segregate by the isotope's half-life.
For isotopes with half-lives聽less than 125 days,聽the Radiation Safety Officer will transfer waste聽to the decay-in-storage area at quarterly intervals聽and upon request.
Isotopes with half-lives greater than 125 days cannot decay in storage. The Radiation Safety Officer will transfer聽waste聽to the waste storage area on a quarterly basis聽and聽upon request.
Do not mix solid/dry waste products with liquid waste regardless of the isotopes involved.
Waste containers will be provided by the University's Environmental Health and Safety office or must meet the specifications set by the Radiation Safety Officer.
Research Equipment
Any apparatus used in the laboratory for research purposes, such as liquid scintillation counters, gas chromatography instruments, refrigerators, incubators, and chemicals storage cabinets. This includes filters from biosafety cabinets, ductless fume hoods, air purifications units, etc.
Research equipment contaminated with any hazardous material聽must be decontaminated by a qualified individual prior to recycling or disposal. If the equipment cannot be decontaminated, it must be disposed of as the hazardous waste it聽contains.
Sharps
Sharps and Glass Waste
Glass Waste: Broken Glass, sharp plastic, plate glass, and Pyrex must be disposed of in a cardboard glass waste box if not contaminated with an infectious agent. When full, close it securely and bring it to the designated waste accumulation area for pick-up.
Sharps Waste: Glass pipettes, needles, syringes, scalpel blades, razor blades, glass microscope slides, and coverslips must be disposed of in a sharps container. When a container is 3/4 full, close it and place it in a medical waste box provided by EH&S. Prior to the scheduled medical waste pick-up, tape the medical waste box closed. Sharps waste and other pathological waste must be in separate boxes and may not be mixed. No box may exceed 40 pounds.
Personal Sharps Waste
Refer to the regarding proper disposal of sharps generated from personal use.
For more information, please contact:聽
Mubdee Haque
Coordinator
Environmental Health and Safety聽
Phone: 202-885-7878
Email: haque@american.edu