Transcript Laboratory Safety and Hazardous Waste Management

East Tennessee State
University Hazardous Waste
Management
Significant Points
that must be covered
Every Year
Regulatory Oversight
 TOSHA
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Laboratory Standard
Personal Protective Program
Hazard Communication
 EPA
 DOT
 NFPA
What is a Hazardous Waste?
Hazardous waste is a waste with properties that make it dangerous
or potentially harmful to human health or the environment.
Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, contained gases, or
sludges.
They can be the by-products of manufacturing processes or simply
discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or
pesticides.
In regulatory terms, a RCRA hazardous waste is a waste that
appears on one of the four hazardous wastes lists (F-list, K-list,
P-list, or U-list), or exhibits at least one of four characteristics—
ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. Hazardous waste is
regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) Subtitle C.
What is a Hazardous Waste?
 Ignitability
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Can create fires under certain conditions
are spontaneously combustible, or
have a flash point less than 60 °C (140 °F)
 Corrosivity
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wastes which are acids or bases (pH less than
or equal to 2, or greater than or equal to 12.5)
that are capable of corroding metal containers
What is a Hazardous Waste?
 Reactivity
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Wastes which are unstable under "normal"
conditions
They can cause explosions, toxic fumes,
gases, or vapors when heated, compressed,
or mixed with water
Examples include lithium-sulfur batteries and
explosives
What is a Hazardous Waste?
 Toxicity
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Wastes which are harmful or fatal when
ingested or absorbed
Toxicity is defined through a laboratory
procedure called the Toxicity Characteristic
Leaching Procedure (TCLP).
Hazardous Waste
Determination
 Departments, clinics, and/or studios are
responsible for determining what hazardous
waste they generate. Assistance can be
obtained from:
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EH&S
MSDS
Other departments
Your Role
 Make the initial determination that a material
is a waste.
 Determine if it is a hazardous waste or nonhazardous waste.
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Hazardous wastes must be managed properly
until picked up by Environmental Health and
Safety.
Storage Requirements
 Containers must be…
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Capped/closed at all times (except during
transfer)
In good condition
Compatible with contents
Segregated by compatability
Labeling Requirements
 All containers must be labeled with..
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The words “Hazardous Waste”
The name of the chemical – no abbreviations
& no chemical formulas
The ETSU Hazardous Waste Tag, when used
properly, enables compliance with these
requirements.
Labeling Requirements
Storage by Generators
 Laboratories, clinics and studios can store no
more than 50 gallons in their area.
 When onsite quantities approach this amount,
please notify EH&S, 9-6028 so that a pick-up
can be scheduled. Requests may be
submitted on-line at
http://www.etsu.edu/healthsafety/Chemical_a
nd_Lab_Safety/Hazardous_Waste_Pickup_R
equest_Form.htm .
Spill Response
 Each department will be the first responder
for spills in their area.
 Determine if the spill can be safely cleanedup with existing personnel and resources.
 Contact EH&S, 9-6028 or Public Safety, 911
and notify both offices of the spill.
 Make sure everyone knows where the spill
response materials are and how use them.
Spill Response
 The following are general guidelines:
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Immediately alert area occupants and supervisor, and
evacuate the area, if necessary
If there is a fire or medical attention is needed, contact
Public Safety at 911
Attend to any people who may be contaminated.
Contaminated clothing must be removed immediately and
the skin flushed with water for no less than fifteen minutes
If a volatile, flammable material is spilled, immediately warn
everyone, control sources of ignition and ventilate the area
Don personal protective equipment appropriate to the
hazards
Spill Response
 If respiratory protection is needed and no trained personnel are
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available, call EH&S at 9-6028 or Public Safety at 911
Loose spill control materials should be distributed over the entire
spill area, working from the outside, circling to the inside. This
reduces the chance of splash or spread of the spilled chemical
POWERSORB (by 3M) products and their equivalent will handle
hydrofluoric acid. Specialized hydrofluoric acid kits also are
available. Many neutralizers for acids or bases have a color
change indicator to show when neutralization is complete
When spilled materials have been absorbed, use brush and
scoop to place materials in an appropriate container
Five gallon pails are the preferred containers for collecting the
clean-up material
Spill Response
 Complete an ETSU hazardous waste tag,
identifying the material as Spill Debris
involving XYZ Chemical, and affix onto the
container
 Decontaminate the surface where the spill
occurred using a mild detergent and water,
when appropriate
UNIVERSAL WASTE
MANAGEMENT
 Universal wastes are EPA regulated wastes,
but are not hazardous wastes if properly
recycled.
 Universal waste consists of the following:
Batteries (nickel cadmium and lead acid)
 Pesticides
 Mercury containing thermostats
 Thermometers
 Fluorescent lamps/bulb
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UNIVERSAL WASTE
MANAGEMENT
 All universal waste streams are to be
segregated and stored in a designated
satellite storage area.
 Each container must have a designated
description label attached (“Used Fluorescent
Bulbs” or “Waste Batteries”). These labels
are provided by the EHS department.
 Containers used to store universal waste
must be structurally sound, adequate to
prevent breakage and compatible with the
contents.
UNIVERSAL WASTE
MANAGEMENT
 Best practice is to use package that the
device or material was originally shipped in.
 All universal waste containers must remain
closed and be leak free.
 Universal waste must not be stored in loose
or open containers.
 All universal waste containers must have the
accumulation start date clearly marked.
 Universal waste may be stored onsite for up
to one year.
 For collection, please submit a chemical
waste pick-up request form on-line or call the
EHS Department at extension 96028.