Chemical Safety

Chapter 6 Chemical Waste Collection and Storage in the Lab or Work Area

Prior to creating a chemical waste, the method for disposing the waste should be determined so that the necessary equipment (containers, labels) can be obtained before the waste is created. This chapter will assist you in determining how your waste can be disposed, selecting the appropriate waste container, and storing your waste in the lab or work area.

• Determining how a chemical waste will be disposed
• Follow the steps below to determine how to handle the waste:
  
  
• Step 1. Is the waste "contaminated debris" (gloves, pads, papers, paper towels, spill clean up material, contaminated glassware and plasticware, contaminated broken glassware, oil dry and oil contaminated debris) or is it a chemical or chemical solution?
  If it is contaminated debris: Go to Step 5.
  If it is a chemical or chemical solution: Go to Step 2.
  
  
• Step 2. Is the chemical a DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) controlled substance? (A list of DEA controlled substances can be found in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign DEA Controlled Substances Guidance Document.)
  Yes: Refer to the end of this chapter for instructions how to dispose DEA controlled substances.
  No: Go to Step 3.
  
  
• Step 3. Is the chemical a solid (not liquid or gas)?
  Yes: Collect and store the waste as described in the waste container and storage guidelines listed below and dispose through the Division of Research Safety (DRS) chemical waste disposal program. (No solid chemical waste, hazardous or non-hazardous, can be placed in the regular trash.)
  No: Go to Step 4.
  
  
• Step 4. Is the chemical a liquid non-hazardous waste as listed in Chapter 4?
  Yes: The chemical may be poured down the sanitary sewer (sink drain) with copious amounts of water.
  No: Collect and store the waste as described in the waste container and storage guidelines listed below and dispose through DRS chemical waste disposal program.
  
  
• Step 5. Is the contaminated debris laboratory glassware (broken and unbroken)?
  Yes: See the Laboratory Glassware Waste Disposal section of this chapter.
  No: Go to Step 6.
  
  
• Step 6. Is the debris contaminated with a substance listed in Chapter 4 as a non-hazardous (chemical) waste?
  Yes: The contaminated debris can be disposed in the regular trash.
  No: All other contaminated debris should be collected and disposed as described in the Contaminated Debris section of this chapter.

Guidelines for choosing chemical waste containers

• Only reuse chemical containers that are in good condition (no cracks, major dents, etc.) that have a threaded cap that can seal tightly. Broken or leaking chemical waste containers will not be accepted for disposal by DRS.
• Use the chemical's original container, if appropriately sized.
• Use Nalgene® Jerricans or poly carboys for common solvents, photo-developing solutions and acid mixtures (not including hydrofluoric, nitric or perchloric acids). See the section on Jerricans for additional information on what wastes can be put in Jerricans.
• All containers must be compatible with the specific chemical waste stored in them. Example: hydrofluoric acid and solutions of sodium hydroxide must not be placed in glass bottles because they will etch through the bottle.
• Do not collect waste chemicals in plastic milk jugs, juice or soda bottles, or any other food container. These containers are not acceptable for any waste and DRS will refuse to pick up waste collected in them.
• Use a separate container for each waste chemical item or mixture. Refer to the section on Chemical Waste Segregation for additional details.
• Use an appropriate container size to match the amount of waste generated. Avoid using containers larger than 10 liters in size.
• DRS may refuse to pick up waste containers (other than drums) that are too heavy (>35lbs).
• Do not overfill waste containers. When filling containers, leave some space at the top of the container. Overfilled containers (including drums) will be refused. Jerricans are marked for the six or ten liter level; do not fill past this line.

Except in high volume situations, 55 gallon drums should not be used for accumulating waste chemicals of any kind. If drums are used, no more than one 55 gallon drum of waste should be stored in a given area. If you desire to use a drum to accumulate waste chemicals, you must first call the DRS Chemical Safety Section at (217) 333-2755. EPA regulations require wastes greater than 55 gallons to be removed from the accumulation site within 72 hours from the time the amount exceeds 55 gallons. DRS will provide you with special instructions to help meet this regulatory requirement.

Chemicals should not be collected in drums that are smaller than 55 gallons. If you do not generate enough waste to necessitate a 55 gallon drum, then use 10 liter Jerricans and request frequent chemical waste pickups.

Using Jerricans
Jerricans should be used to collect liquid high-volume (at least 10 L or more a year) waste streams that are not reactive, extremely toxic or malodorous. Solids must be filtered out before adding the waste to a Jerrican. An example of wastes that should be collected in Jerricans includes:

• Organic solvents (halogenated and non-halogenated)
• Acids or acid mixtures [ EXCEPT hydrofluoric acid (HF), or oxidizing acids such as nitric acid (HNO3) and perchloric acid (HClO4)]
• Photographic fixing/developing solutions
• Formaldehyde solutions

There are other waste streams that may be accepted in Jerricans, however you should check with the DRS Chemical Safety Section at (217) 333-2755 before using a Jerrican, to be sure your waste is one DRS can bulk. Otherwise, DRS may be unable to return your Jerrican, since it will have to be directly packed for shipment to the off-site waste treatment and disposal facility where it will be destroyed.

For labs in the Chemistry Department that are located in Roger Adams Laboratories, Jerricans can be picked up through the RAL Jerrican Pickup Program.

What wastes not to place in a Jerrican
Below is a chart that lists many of the items that SHOULD NOT be placed in a Jerrican because they are reactive when bulked with other chemicals, create odor problems or are too toxic to bulk. DRS will be unable to return your Jerrican if its contents react when tested for bulking or if any one of the items below are listed to be in the Jerrican. Chemicals known to react with solvents or are otherwise extremely toxic should never be added to a Jerrican.

Do NOT Dispose of the Following Chemicals in Jerricans:
Acetaldehyde	Hypochlorite esters	Phosphite esters
Acyl halides	Iron petnacarbonyl	Phosphite esters
Alkaline and alkaline earth hydrides and alkyls in solutions	Isocyanates	Polymer solutions
Alkyl silyl halides	Isocyanides	Poly-nitro compounds
Alkynes	Lithium aluminum hydride	Propargyl bromides
Allyl Alcohol	Mercaptans/ Thiols	Pyrocarbonate esters
Aluminum and gallium trialkyls	Mercury compounds	Pyrrole
Amines > 5% by vol.	Metal halides and oxyhalides	Silicon and germanium hydroalkyls
Anhydrides	Monomers (polymerizable)	Sodium or calcium hydride
Arsines	Nitrate esters	Sulfate esters
Aziridines	Nitric acid > 40% conc.	Sulfite esters
Boranes	Nitriles	Sulfonate esters
Bromine	Nitrite esters	Sulfones
Carbon disulfide	Nitro esters	Sulfonyl halides
Carbonyls	Nitroso esters	Sulfuric acid (conc.)
Chloroformates	Nitrosoureas	Thallium ethoxide
Chloromethylsilanes	Nitrosourethanes	Thio ketones or esters
Chloropicrin	Paint	Thiocarbonyls
Chromate esters	PCBs	Vinyls
Cyanohydrins	Perfluoroaliphatic acids	Zinc and cadmium alkyls
Dienes	Peroxides
Ethyl Ether > 5% by vol.	Phosphate esters
Hydrazines	Phosphines

Chemical waste segregation
Chemical waste segregation has several advantages:

• the prevention of unwanted or potentially dangerous reactions; the protection of personnel (including DRS) from potentially unsafe working environments
• the ease in handling and disposing of wastes
• the reduction of disposal costs, and
• the minimization of chemical waste.

The following segregation guidelines should help in generating manageable waste streams:

• Collect halogenated and non-halogenated organic solvents in separate containers.
• Separate organic wastes from metal-containing and/ or inorganic wastes.
• Do not mix solids and liquids , unless the waste is a result of a process combining them. Liquids should be strained of all solids (e.g., towels, filters, centrifuge tubes, gloves, pipet tips). These filterable items should be handled as contaminated debris.
• Separate mercury solutions and mercury compounds from other wastes as much as possible. Do not combine mercury wastes of different concentrations.
• Vacuum pump oil and other machine oil must be separated from organic solvents and other chemicals. Used oil cannot be recycled if solvents are present. When segregating oils, "flushing oil" is considered to be free of solvents. If solvents are present, make sure you choose the correct description from the Individual Chemicals and Products List (formerly Master Chemical List) (Appendix A).
• Labware and equipment obviously contaminated with acutely hazardous or toxic chemicals should be handled as contaminated debris. Such items include disposables such as gloves, benchtop coverings and aprons. See Chapter 9 for decontamination procedures for glassware (not broken).
• Separate radioactive waste from chemical waste.
• Separate non-hazardous chemical wastes from hazardous chemical waste.
• Keep highly toxic wastes (such as cyanides) separate from all other wastes.

Suggested hazard class groupings for chemical storage
Store chemicals in the following compatibility groups separate from each other:

• Air reactive
• Water reactive
• Cyanides and sulfides
• Acids
• Bases
• Oxidizers
• Flammables
• Miscellaneous

NOTE: Additional categories are possible. Should you feel that the above groups do not allow for suitable segregation of incompatible chemicals in your laboratory, or you do not know how to categorize certain chemicals, call the DRS Chemical Safety Specialists ((217) 333-2755) for assistance in developing a classification scheme appropriate for your lab or work area.

Illinois EPA chemical waste storage requirements

• Keep all chemical waste containers closed at all times, except when waste is being actively added to the container.
• All containers must be identified and labeled with the name of the contents and with the word "Waste." Examples: "Waste Acetone" or "Waste Hydrochloric Acid, Chromium and Lead." A generic label such as "Waste Halogenated Solvents" may be used, but a list of the contents must be kept nearby.
• Chemical waste containers must be labeled with the complete chemical names. Abbreviations and chemical formulas are not permitted.
• Label chemical waste containers before or at the time the first drop of waste is added to the container.
• Unused or outdated chemicals in their original containers with labels identifying the contents do not need the word "Waste" written on the labels. If the label appears faded or illegible, affix a new label to the bottle. Reattach labels that are coming loose.
• Store incompatible wastes in separate areas (see suggestion in the section above).
• Do not store glass containers on the floor where they can be easily broken, nor on the edge of counters/shelves where they can be knocked over. If glass containers must be stored on the floor, place them in secondary containment, i.e. a plastic tub.

Specific instructions for selected wastes

Laboratory glassware waste disposal
Laboratory glassware waste is any disposable item that is not defined as a sharp. The following are examples of laboratory glassware waste:

• Intact or broken laboratory containers such as flasks, beakers, bottles, etc.;
• Small glass containers, ampoules, test tubes, vials;
• Plastic pipettes and micropipette tips (Glass pipettes are considered a sharp);
• Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates, watchglasses.

Laboratory glassware waste is not to be disposed of directly into the normal trash.

The disposal method for laboratory glassware waste depends on whether the item for disposal is contaminated with a hazardous material and the type of contaminate(s) and whether or not the glassware can be sufficiently decontaminated.

The Division of Research Safety will collect laboratory glassware if it cannot be decontaminated. If at all possible glassware should be decontaminated as directed in Chapter 9 and collected and disposed of as non-contaminated laboratory glassware waste.

See Chapter 9 for the decontamination and disposal procedures for empty containers.

For disposal purposes, there are four kinds of laboratory glassware wastes:

• Non-contaminated
• Biohazardous (infectious agents) contamination
• Chemical contamination
• Radioactive contamination

Non-contaminated laboratory glassware waste (broken or unbroken)
Non-contaminated laboratory glassware must be placed in a sturdy cardboard box, lined with a plastic bag, and labeled with the words "Clean Laboratory Glass - Trash." The box should be securely sealed shut with tape before disposal. Any cardboard box may be used, provided it is sturdy and of a size that will not weigh more than 40 pounds (18 kg) when full. Commercially available broken glassware disposal boxes may be used. When full, a properly labeled and sealed box may then be placed into the dumpster.

The laboratory glassware must be free of liquids and solids.

Do not use a bag displaying the biohazard symbol “” or the radiation hazard symbol “” to line the cardboard box.

Biohazardous (infectious agents) contaminated laboratory glassware waste
See the Biosafety Facts - Handling and Disposal of Laboratory Sharps for disposal procedures.

Chemically contaminated laboratory glassware waste (broken or unbroken)
Laboratory glassware that is contaminated with a chemical listed on the Acute Discarded Waste List should be discarded through the DRS chemical waste disposal program.

Contact DRS (via e-mail or (217) 333-2755) for instructions on the collection and disposal of lab glassware contaminated with an acutely toxic chemical.

Laboratory glassware that is not contaminated with a chemical listed on the Acute Discarded Waste List may be disposed of by collecting the waste glassware in a sturdy cardboard box, lined with a plastic bag, and labeled with the words "Laboratory Glass - Trash." The box should be securely sealed shut with tape before disposal. Any cardboard box may be used, provided it is sturdy and of a size that will not weigh more than 40 pounds (18 kg) when full. Commercially available broken glassware disposal boxes may be used. The box must be free of any visible signs of chemical contamination. There should be no free liquids in the box and there must be no odor emanating from the box. Do not use a bag displaying the biohazard symbol “” or the radiation hazard symbol “” to line the cardboard box. There must be no sharps placed in the box. When full, a properly labeled and sealed box may then be placed into the dumpster.

Radioactive contaminated laboratory glassware waste
See the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Radioactive Waste Management guideline Liquid Scintillation Vials, Glassware, and Plastic Containers.

Contaminated debris
Contaminated debris includes material that has come in contact with a chemical or is potentially contaminated with a chemical that is a toxic (chemical) waste or a hazardous (chemical) waste as defined in Chapter 3. Examples of contaminated debris include gloves, pads, papers, paper towels, spill clean up materials, oil dry and oil contaminated debris. There should be no free liquids or solid chemicals in your debris waste, only residues.

In general, debris that is contaminated with a poison, carcinogen, mutagen or teratogen should be collected for disposal through the DRS chemical waste disposal program. For example, solid debris contaminated with concentrated ethidium bromide (a mutagen) or phenol (a poison) should be collected as contaminated debris. Debris contaminated with dilute concentrations of toxic chemicals does not need to be collected through the DRS chemical waste disposal program. If you have questions about the disposal of contaminated debris contact the DRS Chemical Safety Section, call (217) 333-2755 or via e-mail.

If your debris is not contaminated with a chemical that is a toxic (chemical) waste or a hazardous (chemical) waste, as defined in Chapter 3, it is not considered a contaminated debris and may be disposed in the regular trash.

Collect contaminated debris in sturdy plastic bags and close securely. Debris contaminated with a chemical that has a strong odor must be collected in plastic bottles that have a threaded cap that can seal tightly. The outside of the bags or bottles should be labeled with the name of the primary chemical constituent that have contaminated the debris, plus the words “Contaminated Debris” or in the case of spill cleanup materials, “Spill Cleanup Debris.”

For the proper chemical name to use on the ChemTrak form CWM-TRK-01, refer to the Contaminated Items List (Appendix D). If you do not find an exact match, please contact the DRS Chemical Safety Section at (217) 333-2755 or via e-mail.

If you do not find an exact match, please contact the DRS Chemical Safety Section at (217) 333-2755 or via e-mail.

There should be no free liquids or solid chemicals in your debris waste, only residues. Do not use a bag displaying the biohazard symbol “” or the radiation hazard symbol “” for chemical waste or chemical contaminated debris (e.g., ethidium bromide waste is a chemical waste, not a biohazardous waste).

Paint and paint thinner
Separate solid paint sludge from paint thinners by pouring off thinners into a separate waste container. Do NOT put brushes, rollers, paper or other debris in paint wastes. Keep water and water-based paint wastes separate from oil-based paint wastes. Rinsate from water-based paint cleanup is non-hazardous and can be disposed down the sanitary sewer.

For the proper chemical name to use on the ChemTrak form CWM-TRK-01, refer to the paint waste entries below, or the Individual Chemicals and Products List (formerly Master Chemical List) (Appendix A).

paint thinner-UI# 543
paint contaminated debris-UI# 50029
latex paint-UI# 2975
paint sludge (oil-based)-UI# 7803
paint/stain (oil-based)-UI# 3051
varnish-UI# 3182

Silica gel
Collect spent silica gel in wide mouthed containers or plastic bags. Limit the weight of each container and/or bag to 7 kg. If bags are used, each bag must be placed inside a cardboard box or reusable plastic tub. Do not mix silica gel with liquid wastes. List the primary constituents that have contaminated the silica gel, plus the words “Waste Silica Gel” on the outside of the container.

For the proper chemical name to use on the ChemTrak form CWM-TRK-01, refer to the silica waste entries below or in the Individual Chemicals and Products List (formerly Master Chemical List) (Appendix A).

Silica gel (unused)-UI# 293
Silica gel (used-mercury present)-UI# 7778
Silica gel (used-no mercury)-UI# 7776

DEA controlled substances
When a DEA registrant has controlled substances that are expired or unwanted the registrant should draft a letter to the DEA prior to destruction (disposal) with the following information:

1. Name, address of the facility wishing to dispose of the controlled substance
2. Name, address and DEA registration number
3. DEA Form-41, listing:
   1. Inventory of drugs to be destroyed
   2. Name of drug with strength
   3. Quantity of drug
   4. Technical name of controlled substance
   5. Signature of DEA notification

Upon receipt of the DEA Form-41 back from the DEA, the registrant or their authorized personnel must contact DRS to arrange for the destruction of the drugs and for the disposal to be witnessed by at least two persons who are either licensed physicians, pharmacists or nurses, or State or local law enforcement officers or any combination thereof.

The date of disposal and the names and occupation of the persons witnessing destruction (disposal) must be clearly stated on the DEA Form-41. A copy of the completed DEA Form-41 must be returned to the DEA.

For additional information please see the UIUC DEA Controlled Substances Guidance Document at: http://www.drs.uiuc.edu/css/guidesplans/dea/index.aspx?tbID=gp