Hazardous Waste Disposal

            When it comes to Hazardous Chemical Waste Storage and Disposal on Ohio University’s campus, there’s a process that must be followed. Generally there are two situations in which chemicals are required to be picked up on OU’s campus. The first being hazardous laboratory chemical waste and the other being unwanted chemicals.

            Storage of the hazardous laboratory chemical waste may sound like a lengthy process, but in fact in only involves a small number of steps. The first step is to identify the waste stream, which is done by determining if the chemical is hazardous or non-hazardous as defined by the E.P.A. This can usually be determined by looking at the MSDS or SDS for the chemical.  Selecting a container for waste collection does this and ensuring the waste does not weaken or destroy the container. The container must also have a sealable lid. This container is then placed in a secondary containment device, such as a tray or dish to collect spills. This secondary container must be able to contain the volume of the primary container. The next crucial step is to prevent the mix of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.

Steps 4, 5, and 6 are the steps that require the hazardous material to be placed in the primary and secondary containment, labeled correctly with the provided hazardous waste labels, then correctly placed in a location for the EHS Hazardous Materials Manager or his student workers (myself and one other) to be picked up and moved to the Hazardous Waste Storage Area. Steps 8 and 9 are the steps taken to have the Hazardous Materials Manager or his student workers to come and pick up the chemical waste. During Step 8, a Chemical Waste Disposal form will have to be filled out and sent directly to the HMM, or through the campus mail to Hazardous Materials Manager, EHS, University Service Center. Step 9 is done to help the Hazardous Materials Manager identify the characteristics of the waste for proper storage and eventual pickup by a contractor for disposal. If there were to be any problems during the steps, the person with the waste is given the number for the Hazardous Materials Manager for assistance.

            So then what happens when the chemical is unwanted? The same process takes place. Identify the hazards in the chemical by using the MSDS or SDS, label the chemical correctly, fill out a Chemical Waste Disposal form and send it in, and then finally the Hazardous Materials Manager will come and pick up the chemical. If the chemical is a hazardous waste, it will be placed in the correct storage area on campus and stored there until a contractor comes and picks up the chemical to be disposed of properly. If the chemical is not a hazardous waste, it will be disposed of based on the physical state of the chemical. Liquids will be poured down the sink with copious amounts of water to dilute it and solids will be thrown away in the trash and go to the landfill.  

https://www.ohio.edu/riskandsafety/ehs/environmental/hazmat/chemical.htm