Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Procedures

Disposal of Chemical Waste

Research, Environmental Health and Safety  |  Approved May 14, 2015

Purpose

Dispose of chemical waste on University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) campus.

Applicability

Laboratory personnel at UMB with the need to dispose of chemical waste or chemical contaminated material.

To comply with applicable federal and state regulations, every hazardous waste container must be tagged or labeled properly using the Hazardous Waste Labels furnished by EHS the instant that the material inside the container is determined to be a waste. 

The segregation of Waste Chemicals should be managed according to the EHS’s Segregation of Waste Chemicals website combined with other best practices.  For more information on chemical waste see EHS’s What is a Hazardous Chemical Waste? and Additional Chemical Waste Categories website.

Instructions

1. Identify Hazardous Chemical Waste.
2. Label Chemicals. 
   1. EHS provides labels on their website.  If you do not have the Hazardous Waste labels furnished by EHS clearly label the container with the above information and the words "HAZARDOUS WASTE".
   2. Each waste container must be indelibly labeled with the following:
      1. The exact chemical contents preceded by the word "Waste" (e.g. Waste Ethanol, Waste Hydrochloric Acid, etc.) Generic identifications such as "Waste Solvents", Waste Pesticides, etc. are unacceptable. If wastes are in solution, the solvent must be identified even if the solvent is water. Labels must not contain abbreviations, chemical formulas or trade names.
      2. The estimated chemical concentrations (% by weight) of the wastes in the container. Concentrations must total 100%.The name of the Principal Investigator.
      3. Room Number and Building the waste is being removed from.
      4. A phone number for a contact person.
3. If the waste is packaged in its original container without any other wastes and the exact chemical contents are listed on the label under "Ingredients", the only additional labeling normally required will be the words "Hazardous Waste", the building and room number where the waste is to be picked up and date determined to be a waste.
4. If there is an unknown compound present see Unknown Chemical Waste procedure.
5. Segregate chemical waste containers from other chemical containers.
6. Complete Online Chemical Waste Removal Request Form.
7. Place containers awaiting pick-up in secondary containment inside of lab.  EHS can provide certain disposal containers, please contact EHS directly for additional information at 6-7055.