Hazardous Waste Management & Waste Minimization Training

1. Hazardous Waste Management & Waste Minimization Training April Case Sr. Environmental Specialist Environmental Health and Safety Phone #: 974-5084 acase3@utk.edu

2. Learning Objectives • Individuals who generate or handle hazardous waste will be able to: • Identify hazardous waste • Ensure it is properly managed

3. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) require documented training for individuals who handle and/or generate hazardous waste. • There is initial training, followed by annual refresher training. • Please contact EHS for training information. Training Requirements

4. Proper Waste management is Essential: • Maintain Healthy Work Environment • Ensure compliance • Reduced costs (proper I.D., generation reduction, and disposal procedures) • Promotes efficiency in research • Sets good example for community Proper Waste Management

5. Definition: Hazardous Waste • Hazardous Waste is defined by the EPA as: • A material that no longer has an intended value. • Exhibits properties that make it dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment. • Can be in the form of liquid, solid, gas or sludge.

6. Definition: Hazardous Waste • Hazardous Waste can be the by-products of manufacturing processes or simply discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides.

7. Sources of Hazardous Waste in Laboratories: • Spent solvents and non-empty solvent containers. • Testing Samples • Unused Reagents • Reaction Products • Absorbents and spill cleanup • Contaminated materials (i.e. glassware, gloves; pipet tips) • Used Chromatography vials • Gas Cylinders

8. Hazardous Waste Exclusions • The following categories of waste are not considered hazardous waste for this program: • Sewage • Regular trash • Universal waste (fluorescent bulbs, batteries) • Radioactive and biohazard

9. Improper Disposal Methods Hazardous waste must not be discarded by: • Sanitary Sewer • Storm Sewer • Regular Trash • Mixed with Biohazard • Evaporation (a container without a lid implies evaporation for volatile substances) • Mixing With Non-hazardous Waste

10. It is listed as a hazardous waste in the Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), which is enforced by the EPA. • It exhibits one or more of the characteristics described on the next slide. Waste is Hazardous if…

11. 4 Categories of Hazardous Waste: • Corrosive(pH less than 2.0 or greater than 12.5) • Ignitable – also known as flammable; oxidizers • Reactive (i.e. shock sensitive, water reactive) • Toxic – very broad category; includes metals (Mercury), organics (Methylene Chloride)

12. 4 Categories of Hazardous Waste: Corrosives • Corrosive(pH less than 2.0 or greater than 12.5) • Examples include: Hydrochloric acid, Sulfuric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

13. 4 Categories of Hazardous Waste: Ignitables • Ignitable – also known as flammables; Examples include: Acetone, Toluene, Xylene • Any waste material with a flashpoint < 140° F. • Includes oxidizers (Sodium nitrate, potassium permanganate)

14. 4 Categories of Hazardous Waste: Reactives • Reactive: Includes shock sensitive (lithium and sodium, water reactive (calcium carbide, spontaneously combustible, peroxide-forming (ethyl ether) and potentially explosive chemicals (dry picric acid).

15. 4 Categories of Hazardous Waste: Toxics • Toxic – very broad category; • Includes metals, such as mercury, lead and compounds such as Methylene Chloride, Chloroform. • Includes acutely toxic chemicals, which are very dangerous (i.e. Sodium Azide, arsenic and cyanide compounds. See EHS web-site for list of acutely toxic hazardous waste chemicals.

16. The burden of proof is on the generator, not the disposal contractor. • The material safety data sheet (MSDS) or original container labeling are good starting points. • Unlabeled containers present a number of problems • When in doubt, assume worst case and manage as a hazardous waste. • Contact EHS for guidance. How do you know if a material is considered a hazardous waste?

17. Containers must be labeled to include all hazardous components, as soon as waste is added to the container. • Labels are available from EHS. Tags are also available for small containers. • Do not complete the accumulation start date section of the label – this will be done when the waste is brought to the waste room. Proper Labeling

18. When labeling, do not use abbreviations • Do not use general terms or nomenclature such as: • Waste • Solvent • Formula • Trade names • Containers must be labeled to include all hazardous components. Proper Labeling

19. Example of Completed UT Hazardous Waste Label:

20. Bad Example: Do not use formulas, or draw molecular structure of the chemical. Make sure the label is legible and easy to read.

21. When labeling, do not use chemical formulas. • Write out the chemical name in its entirety on the label. Bad Example:

23. Hazardous Waste

24. Hazardous Waste

25. Hazardous Waste

26. HPLC Waste Bottles Several TDEC violations were cited for HPLC bottles as “open containers” on campus. Make sure to use secondary containment.

27. Unknowns cost up to 10x more to dispose than the original purchase price of the chemical. • In 2001, UT Knoxville spent over $70,000 to identify unknowns (does not include disposal costs). Unknowns:

28. Containers • Contents must be compatible with container material • Problems: • Certain solvents placed in plastic containers • Hydrofluoric acid in glass containers

29. Containers-Adding Waste • When adding hazardous waste to a container, only add the constituents that are specifically listed on the waste label. • Be careful not to mix incompatibles • Minimize void space in containers by assuring that collection containers should be filled to capacity (with a little head room for expansion) before requesting disposal or combining two containers of identical material into one.

30. Containers • For container selection - look at original container material • The container must be closed • Must be in good condition (no cracks or rust) • Clean on outside • Must be leakproof

31. Containers • Maximum amount that can accumulate in the lab is 55 gallons of hazardous waste or 1 kilogram of acutely toxic waste. • If you accumulate more than the maximum amount, the waste needs to be removed from your lab no later than 3 days after these maximum amounts are reached.

34. PROBLEM: • Open Waste Container. • Waste stored in readily recognizable food container. • No UT hazardous waste label. SOLUTION: • Place in appropriate waste container that is closed and properly labeled.

35. Dry Solids • Bags are ok for dry solids, as long as the bags are sealed closed and labeled properly and there are no free-flowing liquids. • Sharps (needles) must go in puncture-resistant containers. • Do not place dry solids cont. with chemicals in red or orange biohaz bags. • If the waste is both chemically and biologically contaminated, please contact EHS or Office of Biosafety with questions.

36. Bad Example: • Make sure dry waste is stored in a closed waste container. • This was discovered by TDEC and was written as an NOV (Notice of Violation).

37. Waste Sharps • Two Types of Sharps: • Biohazard • Chemical • Biohazard sharps: • You must supply your own containers (red boxes) • Bring Containers to Waste Room for collection

38. Waste Sharps Chemical sharps: • No biohazard symbols or red boxes for these sharps, or biohazard bags • All hazardous waste labeling requirements are applicable for the chemicals contaminating these sharps (keep compatible)

39. Good Example: • These chemically contaminated sharps are labeled properly and being stored in an appropriate waste container.

40. Ethidium Bromide Gels • EPA does not consider ethidium bromide hazardous waste, but UTK handles as special waste. • UTK requires Ethidium Bromide waste to be labeled with UT waste label. • Ethidium Bromide waste can be stored in bags as long as there are no free flowing liquids. • You can dry gels in fume hood before bringing to waste room.

41. Ethidium Bromide Gels • Best container for storage and disposal of Ethidium Bromide gel waste: Sealable plastic containers • Next best option: • Large mouth containers

42. Ethidium Bromide Liquids • Dilute aqueous solutions containing <0.5 mg/ml ethidium bromide can be filtered or deactivated using either charcoal filtration (EHS preferred method), or chemical deactivation. Please see EHS web-site for more guidance. • Concentrated solutions (>0.5 mg/ml) should be collected for disposal as hazardous waste.  • Any solutions that also contain heavy metals, organics, cyanides or sulfides should be collected and disposed of as hazardous waste.

43. Waste Segregation • Segregate by Hazard Categories: • Flammables • Oxidizers • Acids • Bases • Toxic • Combination (i.e. Nitric Acid; Glacial Acetic Acid)

44. Waste Segregation: Common Examples • Cyanide salts and acid • Hydrogen Cyanide and Sulfuric Acid • Flammables and Oxidizers: • Acetone and Sodium Nitrate • Acids and Bases • Hydrochloric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide • Mercury and mercury compounds • Unstable just from long shelf life • Ethers, Sodium Azide, Picric Acid • Check EHS web-site for partial list of incompatible hazardous chemicals.

45. Waste Segregation: • Segregate • Use Cabinets • This is ideal-flammable and corrosive waste. • Use Dish pans or Tubs • Space is premium, so in the event of spills this prevents reaction and allows time to clean it

46. Waste Segregation: • What NOT to do: • Separate by shelf one on top of the other • Opposite side of fume hood without catch basin • Alphabetical chemical storage systems • It is best to segregate, then alphabetize.

47. Items of Concern: • What NOT to do: • Separate by shelf one on top of the other • Opposite side of fume hood without catch basin • Alphabetical chemical storage systems • Segregate then alphabetize

48. Ether All Ethers MUST be dated when opened Use within 1 year • Ether is one of the “dirty dozen” responsible for more than it’s share of accidents, due to extreme flammability. • Handle in fume hood, and pay attention to heat and flame sources.

49. List of Chemicals with Peroxide Hazards