OEH&S Other Hazardous Material

• Laboratory Clean-Out
• Chemical Waste Minimization
• Chemical Waste Disposal

Laboratory Clean-Out

A laboratory request to OEH&S to remove chemical waste that resulted from laboratory renovation, relocation, change in research project or personnel is considered a LABORATORY CLEAN-OUT.

UCSF departments requesting services submit a Project Request/Approval forms . The Request for Services form defines the scope of work and initiates the start of OEH&S involvement in a project. OEH&S involvement starts upon receipt of a completed Request for Services form that contains, specifically, the department’s account and fund numbers and the department expense authorization signature. A cost estimate is provided by OEH&S for the requested project.

Chemical Waste Minimization

The Hazardous Waste Source Reduction and Management Review Act of 1989 dictates specific levels of hazardous waste reduction to be achieved by generators. UCSF complies with the Act by minimizing waste and achieving reductions whenever possible; however, laboratory personnel should continuously examine their operations to see if other opportunities exist. Generally, reductions in waste save money and are good for the environment.

The chemical waste that UCSF generates is ultimately disposed of by incineration, re-cycling, treatment, or burial in an approved landfill; so, reductions in chemical waste also minimize occupational exposure and minimize adverse impacts on the environment. UCSF considers source reduction practices to reduce or eliminate the production of chemical waste to be an important priority. Redistribution or recycling should be considered prior to classification of a material as a chemical waste. Our goal as an institution is to minimize to the extent possible the quantity of chemical waste produced by our activities.

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A. Source Reduction:

Source Reduction is defined as any activity which causes a net reduction in the generation of chemical waste. This includes input changes (changing the input materials to reduce or avoid the production of a chemical waste); operational improvement (improving the management of an activity to reduce or eliminate the generation of a waste); process changes; and product reformulation. Implementation of these techniques are intended to reduce or eliminate the volume of waste initially produced.

An example of source reduction includes using micro glassware and micro lab techniques to the maximum extent possible. Any process modification that results in downsizing of experimental equipment or procedures generally results in smaller amounts of chemical being used and therefore chemical waste being generated.

B. Chemical Exchange Program

OEH&S operates an informal Chemical Exchange Program for laboratories. If you have a chemical that you need or a chemical that you would like to contribute, please notify OEH&S. Make sure that the chemical has not expired; that the chemical container has been unopened; and that the original label is on the container and readable. You may directly notify OEH&S waste technicians or notify your OEH&S Departmental Safety Advisor (DSA). This informal program has worked quite well and many laboratories have benefited from the exchange and redistribution.

C. Substitution

Chemical Substitution is substituting a toxic or hazardous chemical with one that is non-hazardous or less hazardous. For example, consideration should be given to using non-chromium glassware cleaning solutions for chromerge. Or, replace highly chlorinated solvents with non-chlorinated solvents. A list of potential substitute chemicals is given in Table 1.

Table 1. Potential Substitute Chemicals for Laboratories

The savings of using redistribution can be significant. For example, the cost of disposal of a chemical such as mercuric chloride far exceeds the original price ($15 for a 100 gram container is the purchase price versus $35 for disposal).

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D. Waste Minimization

Other steps that can be taken to minimize the production of chemical waste include the following:

• Avoid mixing non-hazardous and hazardous waste.
• Separate reusable constituents from the waste.
• Consolidate partly filled bottles.
• Avoid spillage and waste by first performing dry runs of new experiments.
• Order only the amount of a new chemical that is needed.
• Train staff concerning waste minimization policies.
• Order reagent chemicals in exact amounts (Laboratories sometimes order in bulk to save on per pound costs only to later dispose of a large amount of unused chemical at a high disposal cost.)
• Purchase from manufacturers that will allow the return of unused portions.
• Use a "first in, first out" policy for chemicals to minimize aging.
• Rotate chemical stock.
• Use new automated equipment over older less efficient equipment.

OEH&S practices "resource recovery" (i.e. recovering a beneficial "use" from a waste stream) in managing UCSF chemical wastes. Recycling is considered as resource recovery because it can reclaim a usable material from a waste stream. For example, photographic fixer is recycled following recovery of silver from the spent fixer. The silver is recovered and the fix is recycled. Another example includes the redistillation of mercury collected from broken thermometers and other laboratory equipment.

Practice Chemical Waste Minimization and maintain UCSF’s continued commitment to leadership and excellence in health and safety programs.

Chemical Waste Disposal

UCSF produces chemical and other hazardous wastes from laboratory research and clinical and patient care activities. The collection, processing, packaging and subsequent disposal of such wastes in a safe and effective manner involves complex procedures.

The Chemical Waste Section (CWS) of the OEH&S Hazardous Material Management Program is responsible for implementing the safe handling and the ultimate disposal of UCSF hazardous chemical waste. Chemical waste must be removed from the campus within 90 days of the Accumulation Start Date. Accumulation Start Date is the date when any amount of the chemical waste is placed in a container.

UCSF departments requesting services submit a OEH&S Chemical Waste Removal Form. The Removal Form lists the chemical waste to be picked-up from the laboratories. OEH&S involvement starts upon receipt of a properly completed Removal Form. Waste pick-up is done as follows:

1) Complete the OEH&S Chemical Waste Removal Form and mail to OEH&S. OEH&S will schedule pick-up upon receipt of the completed form. If there is a last minute problem, fax the form to 476-0581 or call 476-0544 to arrange pick-up.

2) Waste is picked-up daily in accordance with the OEH&S Chemical Waste Pick-up Schedule. OEH&S cannot accept improperly labeled and/or improperly sealed containers offered as waste. Information on chemical waste packaging, labeling, and segregation, as well as the Chemical Waste Pick-up Schedule, can be obtained from the OEH&S Chemical Safety Update titled Chemical Waste Disposal (pub #CSU8).

Packaging of waste into appropriate containers is the waste generator's responsibility. (Waste containers are not returned. Refer also to the Chemical Safety Manual for more information on chemical waste.