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environmental services/hazardous waste
Recycling or Disposal of Chemical Wastes
POLICY
University personnel must manage chemical wastes in accordance with local, state, and federal regulatory
requirements. Compliance is necessary to protect the health and safety of University employees, students and
visitors and to meet local, state, and federal regulatory requirements.
Legal Requirements
Violations
Violations of local, state, or federal law may result in fines and/or imprisonment for University personnel,
supervisors, and administrative officers.
Related Procedures
Sections S70.40 and S70.42
provide procedures for identification and storage of chemical wastes.
Applicability
Chemical Wastes
Policies and procedures in S70.40-42 apply only to the management of chemical wastes which are
regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington State Department of Ecology.
Radioactive Wastes
These procedures do not apply to radioactive wastes. The Radiation Safety Office manages radioactive
chemicals. Telephone 335-8916 for assistance or refer to S90.80.
Biohazardous Waste
These procedures do not apply to biohazardous wastes. Facilities Operations manages biohazardous waste.
Telephone 335-9000 for assistance or refer to S80.12.
Generator Responsibilities
Waste Identification
The waste generator is responsible for determining whether chemical wastes meet Washington's definitions of
dangerous waste. Wastes identified as dangerous waste must be packaged, stored, transported, and disposed of in
a safe and legal manner.
Generators may identify which wastes must be managed as dangerous waste by referring to procedures in
S70.42.
As an alternative, generators may report all wastes by submitting a Chemical Collection Request Form
(see below), and EH&S will determine the proper management method. Examples of dangerous wastes include
laboratory chemicals, photographic processing chemicals, leftover paint, automobile fluids, and other
maintenance materials.
Storage
Each department is responsible for properly labeling, preparing, and safely storing such chemical wastes they
generate. Refer to S70.42
for complete procedures.
Minimizing Waste
Each department is responsible for minimizing chemical waste generation through prudent purchasing practices,
product substitution, recycling or reducing the amount of chemicals used by the department.
Providing Hazard Data
To facilitate safe and legal management of hazardous materials, each department is responsible for providing
hazard information (i.e., a Material Safety Data Sheet) to Environmental Health and Safety upon request. See
also S80.62.
PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS
The waste generator is responsible for properly packaging their chemical waste.
Place each chemical waste in a separate, leak-proof container which does not react with the substance. Usually this
is the original container.
The generator supplies containers for disposal or recycling of chemical wastes.
Do not combine different wastes in the same container.
Segregate containers of potentially reactive chemicals (e.g. acids/bases or oxidizers/flammables)
Provide secondary containment (e.g., a plastic tub) for any primary container that may leak or rupture. (See
S70.45 for chemical spill procedures)
LABELING REQUIREMENTS
The waste generator is responsible for properly labeling chemical waste containers.
Containers must be labeled upon first adding waste
Label each container with the name of each constituent, the percentages/amounts of each constituent, the hazards the waste
presents (e.g., flammable, corrosive, toxic) and the name of the responsible individual. Print or type the words "DANGEROUS
WASTE" in front of the chemical name on the label
Account for 100% of the waste constituents on the container label, including water. Do not use chemical formulae
or abbreviations
Date the label at the time the container becomes full. Use a pen or marker that leaves a permanent impression
The CCR # can be found in the upper right corner of the Chemical Collection Request Form (see Figure 2)
A properly completed Dangerous Waste label
REPORTING WASTES
Chemical Collection Request Form
Use a Chemical Collection Request Form to report substances for disposal or recycling. The form is available
online at www.ehs.wsu.edu/ccr/ccr.asp. Hard copies may also be obtained from Central Stores. Request
item number 47860. Contact EH&S for alternative reporting options if more than 25 forms are required at any
one time.
General Instructions for Online CCR form
Complete a separate Chemical Collection Request Form (CCR) for each waste. One form may be used for
multiple containers of identical waste (i.e., same waste composition).
When submitting forms online, enter all of the information available, then continue to the next page, where you
must review and submit the information. Your browser will then return a Dangerous Waste label and CCR
number (described above). You may either print this page and attach it to the waste container(s), or transfer the
information to the Dangerous Waste label already
on the container.
Name
Enter the name of the responsible person who can answer questions about the waste.
Mailstop or Gen ID
Enter your department mailstop number. Check with your department office if you do not know this number.
Phone
Enter the number at which the responsible person can be reached.
Building and Room
Specify the building name and room number where the waste is to be collected.
Constituents and %
Enter the complete chemical name (IUPAC) for each of the waste constituents. Do not use chemical formulae or
abbreviations. Also record the percentages of each constituent. Be sure that listed constituents account for
100% of the container contents (including water).
Unknown Chemicals
If chemical wastes cannot be identified, fill out a Chemical Collection Request Form as completely as possible.
Write the term "Unknown" in the Constituents section of the form and add any information available concerning
the waste (i.e., known constituents, manufacturer's name and address, physical appearance). Generators of
unknowns should make every effort, including contacting eparted faculty or staff, to determine a container's
contents.
Properties
Indicate liquid, solid, and/or gas. If it is a combination of physical states, mark each physical state present in the
container.
Number of Containers
Indicate the number of containers.
Size
Indicate the size of the container(s), e.g., 4 liters, 250 milligrams.
General Instructions for traditional (paper) CCR form
All information on the paper form is the same as that on the online form. Detailed instructions for filling out
the CCR are provided on the back of the form. When filling out the CCR, write information only in the unshaded
areas. Type or clearly print all information requested on the form.
Figure 2 -- A properly completed Chemical
Collection Request FormForm Distribution
Enter the CCR# on the Dangerous Waste label
Place the yellow copy of the form in the files
of the generating department/laboratory.
Send the white copy to EHS at mail stop 1172.
EH&S RESPONSIBILITIES
Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) assists departments by collecting, designating, recycling, and
disposing of chemical wastes.
EH&S provides departments with information on waste minimization and with directions for preparing
chemical wastes for recycling or disposal.
Contact EH&S at 335-3041 for assistance in managing chemical wastes.
COLLECTION
After receiving the completed form, EH&S personnel determine the appropriate management method, and assign
all applicable waste codes. EH&S collects chemical wastes, and coordinates and contracts for transportation,
recycling or disposal of waste chemicals.
NOTE: EH&S response to departmental requests for disposal of certain uncommon chemicals may be delayed
until a disposal facility is found to accept the wastes.
EH&S reviews all wastes for recycling alternatives. A stock of unused chemicals available for recycling to
University personnel is maintained on campus. The list of chemicals appears on the EH&S website. To request
free delivery of a chemical on the recycling database, e-mail EH&S from the website or call 335-3041.
If you have surplus chemicals in your lab or work area that you would like to have recycled to another user,
submit them to EH&S using the waste reporting process described above. EH&S will collect these
chemicals and determine whether they are acceptable for recycling.
INAPPROPRIATE DISPOSAL METHODS
Drains, Trash, Evaporation
Disposal of chemical wastes by drain-dumping, evaporation, or by placement in the regular trash
system is a serious violation of local, state, and federal law, punishable by fines and imprisonment.
When a generator of dangerous wastes illegally or inappropriately dumps such waste in the trash contaminating
common refuse (trash, paper, etc.), the entire mixture may become a "dangerous waste." This practice
may result in very costly disposal. The University may require generators who create these disposal problems to pay
for disposal.
DO NOT DISPOSE OF CHEMICALS IN DRAINS, TRASH, OR BY EVAPORATION WITHOUT PRIOR EH&S APPROVAL
Dilution
A hazardous chemical waste cannot be rendered nonhazardous by dilution with water or solvent.
Exceptions
Under unusual circumstances, and with prior approval, disposal by one of the above methods may be legal and
appropriate. Contact EH&S at 335-3041 for more information.
CHEMICAL SPILLS
Laboratory Spills
If a spill occurs in a laboratory, refer to the WSU Laboratory Safety Manual and your lab's spill response and
emergency plan for spill management directions.
Refer to S70.45 for chemical spill management procedures.
Non-laboratory Spills
Refer to S70.45 for chemical spill management procedures.
Assistance
Call 911 if involved personnel are uncertain about the nature of the spill or require assistance with spill management.
URL: http://www.ehs.wsu.edu/hazwaste/disposal.asp
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Revised
03/09/01
Reviewed
07/24/07
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