Appendix G. Hazardous Waste Disposal Information

1. Planning and Purchases

It is your responsibility as generators of hazardous waste to make every attempt possible to minimize the amount produced. To the extent that chemicals can be recovered, recycled, or reused safely there is obvious economic incentive to do so. In addition, materials that are recovered, recycled, or reused do not become a liability problem or a problem for the environment.

The planning of every purchase must include the consideration of the disposal of leftover starting materials and of the products and by-products that may be generated as a result of usage of a hazardous material. Questions to be considered include the following:

• Can any material be recovered, reused, or recycled?
• Will the experiment produce an acutely hazardous waste?
• Can any unusual disposal problem be anticipated?
• Are materials being acquired in only the quantities needed? Are any of the materials already on site? (in another location)
• Is there the possibility of replacing a hazardous material or solvent with one with is less hazardous or more easily disposed of?

Hazardous materials should be purchased in the smallest possible volumes to reduce the amount of unused chemicals that could end up as wastes. As the cost of chemicals and disposal continues to climb, any reduction in volume of chemicals purchased will offer benefits. Keep in mind that the perceived economy of buying in bulk is more than offset by disposal costs for the package and its residues.

2. Recovery and Recycling

The recycling process is exempt from hazardous waste regulation except that waste accumulated prior to recycling must be managed according to accumulation requirements. Distillation is an example of a viable recovery option. All residues such as still bottoms from the recycling process are regulated and must be managed as hazardous waste.

Photographic fixer solutions cannot be discharged to the sink and will be collected for silver recovery. The Environmental Health and Safety Office operates a silver recovery unit in SB-3 McGregory Hall.

Other candidates for recycling include batteries, precious metals, scrap metals, waste oil, and formaldehyde. Every effort must be made to determine if other materials can be reused, recovered, or recycled.

3. Hazardous Waste Identification

The first step in hazardous waste management comes when the two following questions must be answered:

1. Is this material a waste?
2. Is this waste a regulated hazardous waste?

The hazardous waste regulations apply to materials only when they become a waste and only if they are deemed hazardous under specific evaluation criteria.

4. Hazard Determination

Once you determine that a chemical material is a waste, it must be evaluated to determine if it is a hazardous waste. Hazardous wastes are defined by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) following Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Wastes can be hazardous in one of two ways: they are either wastes and spent materials that are hazardous by definition and contained in specific lists, or they exhibit one of four hazardous characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity.

a. Listed Wastes

Wastes that are hazardous because they appear on one of four lists are called "listed hazardous wastes". The four lists are categorized as wastes from specific sources (K-list), wastes from non-specific sources (F-list), certain discarded commercial products (U-list), and "acutely hazardous" commercial chemical products (P-list). The F and K lists apply to general processes, while the U and P lists are for reagent chemicals. The P-list category which contains wastes such as cyanides is more rigorously regulated. As a SQG, Colgate cannot generate more than 1 kg/month or store more than 1 kg of waste from the P-list. Generation of acutely hazardous waste must be closely monitored. Mixtures of hazardous and non-hazardous waste are regulated as hazardous waste. So please segregate hazardous and non-hazardous materials whenever possible.

b. Characteristic Wastes

If a waste is not on one of the lists of hazardous wastes , you must determine if the waste possesses one or more of four hazardous characteristics defined below: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. Such wastes are called "characteristic hazardous wastes". A generator may use his knowledge based on the materials or processes used or may test the waste to determine if it possesses one of the four characteristics. Personnel who generate chemical waste should have enough general knowledge of the hazardous characteristics of their waste to classify it.

Ignitability

• a liquid, other than an aqueous solution containing less than 24 percent alcohol by volume, with a flash point below 140 degrees F (60 C).
• a non-liquid, which under standard conditions is capable of causing fire through friction, absorption of moisture, or spontaneous chemical changes and when ignited, burns in a manner that creates a hazard
• an ignitible compressed gas, which includes gases that form flammable mixtures at a concentration of 13 percent or less in air
• an oxidizer, such as permanganate, inorganic peroxide, or nitrate, that readily stimulates combustion of organic materials.

Reactivity

• normally unstable and readily undergoes violent change without detonation.
• reacts violently with water.
• forms potentially explosive mixtures with water
• generates, when mixed with water, toxic gases, vapors, or fumes in a quantity sufficient to present a danger.
• is a cyanide or sulfide bearing waste that generated toxic gases, vapors, or fumes at a pH between 2 and 12.5.
• is capable of detonation or explosive reaction when subject to a strong initiating source or heated in confinement
• is readily capable of detonation, explosive decomposition, or reaction at standard temperature and pressure.
• is an explosive

Corrosivity

• is aqueous and has a pH less than or equal to 2 or greater than or equal to 12.5.
• is a liquid that corrodes steel at a rate greater than 6.35 mm per year at a test temperature of 130 degrees F (55 C).

Toxicity

• tested using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), which stimulates the leaching of materials in a landfill into the surrounding groundwater.

Good sources for assistance in hazard determination are MSDSs, chemical dictionaries, and labels.

5. Accumulation

An important step in the chemical disposal sequence involves the temporary storage of waste at or near the point of generation. Except when single chemicals are accumulated for recycling or recovery, waste accumulation generally involves bulking several materials into one container.

Please adhere to the following guidelines for safe accumulation of chemical waste:

• Label containers with words that clearly identify the contents the FIRST time waste is put into them.
• Separate incompatible wastes streams.
• Keep waste collection containers closed at ALL times during storage except when adding or removing waste. This is true for solids as well as liquids.
• Designate an area as a chemical waste accumulation area.

Some chemicals products that are not regulated as hazardous waste can be disposed of in the sanitary sewer or normal trash. The decision to use one of these methods of disposal must be made after careful consideration of the consequences.

6. Sink Disposal

Sinks and most drains on campus are connected to the local sanitary sewer system with the effluent eventually going to Hamilton's Wastewaste Treatment Facility. Materials that cannot be disposed of via the sanitary sewer are materials that interfere with the treatment systems or chemicals that may cause a danger to the system or human health. These chemicals include but are not limited to:

• Any substance that alone or by interaction with other substances can cause fire or explosion. Prohibited materials include but are not limited to: solvents and alcohols, peroxides, oxidizers, sulfides, hydrides, carbides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates, carbides, ethers, gasoline, kerosene. Generally this includes wastes that would be characterized as ignitible.
• Solid or viscous substances that may cause obstruction to the flow such as garbage, animal guts or tissues, hair, bones, feathers, sand, metal, glass, straw, plastics, wood, rags, oil, grease, or paper.
• Waste having a pH less than 5.0 or greater than 9.5. Wastewater with corrosive properties capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, or personnel at the treatment plant.
• Waste containing toxic substances in sufficient quantity to interfere with the wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, or create a toxic effect in the receiving waters.
• Any noxious or malodorous liquids, gases, or solids.
• Heavy metals.
• Waste of objectionable color such as dyes or stains.
• Waste with temperature that inhibits biological activity (exceeding 104^o F).
• Any cyanide in excess of 2 mg/l by weight as CN.

a. Sink Disposal Procedures

• Drain disposal will be only into a drain that is connected to the wastewater treatment plant, never into a storm sewer drain that flows directly to surface water.
• The quantities of chemicals disposed of in the drain must be limited generally to not more than a few hundred grams or milliliters.
• Flush with at least 100 fold excess of water at the sink.
• Supervisors must monitor disposal for adherence to guidelines on type, quantity, rate, and flushing procedures.

7. Trash Disposal

Non-hazardous solids can be disposed of in the trash (no liquid wastes are allowed in the landfill). As mentioned before, the decision to use the trash must be made after careful consideration of the consequences. Non-hazardous materials will create a hazard if solid particles are inhaled or reach the eyes. A custodian may come in contact with it when he or she empties the trash. Our grounds grew could be exposed to the material when they handle the trash and compact it in the truck. All of our solid waste goes to the Madison County Landfill and will be there essentially forever.

Do not dispose of chemicals loosely in the trash. Minimize potential for exposure by encasing non-hazardous chemicals in bags, boxes, or containers. Never dispose of large amounts of non-hazardous chemicals in the trash. Broken glass should be collected in puncture resistant containers and disposed of in such a way as to protect custodians and the grounds crew. Empty containers that once held a hazardous material will be rinsed clean to remove any residue. All residue containing hazardous waste will be managed as such.

Substances known to be toxic will not be disposed of in the trash even if they are not regulated as hazardous waste.

Last modified: April 08, 1998