Laboratory Chemical Waste Clean Out Guidelines For Reagent Chemicals

EH&S' Chemical Waste Management Team can perform "Laboratory Chemical Waste Clean Outs" for select materials under special circumstances. Laboratory Chemical Waste Clean Outs are designed to help laboratories that have a large number of reagent chemicals that they no longer need. It does not apply to samples, unknown materials, waste mixtures, biohazardous or radioactive materials. This service provides a convenient way for laboratories to manage materials that are regulated as "surplus materials" rather than as Hazardous Waste.

Laboratory Chemical Waste Clean Out Guidelines

This procedure is applicable ONLY to reagent chemicals in non-leaking and intact containers that have an original manufacturer's label. These materials are considered surplus chemicals and may be candidates for our chemical redistribution program.

Make sure to maintain proper segregation of chemicals. Do not combine incompatible materials in boxes or trays.

Clean outs are scheduled as time allows. Please allow at least one week for the work to be scheduled.

Laboratories must have at least 100 chemicals to be considered for a clean out.

Generators must provide a general description of the materials to be removed prior to a clean out. The "Laboratory Chemical Waste Clean Out Chemical Inventory Form" can be found here. The form is interactive, and you can submit it online.

This inventory must include the following information:

• Description of the contents of the containers; (E.g., assorted buffers, non-halogenated solvents, toxic solids, flammable liquids, acids, mercury containing materials).
  
• General condition of the containers
  
• Number of chemical containers
  
• Hazard Categories
  

The hazardous waste program cannot accept unknown materials. If you have materials that are unlabeled or otherwise unknown, you must make all reasonable efforts to identify them. If you cannot identify a material, our chemist will arrange to collect a sample for analysis.

If you have any questions please call Tony Freitas at 723-5075.

The clean out will be scheduled and the requesting party will be notified when the work will be done.

Costs will be recovered from non-research operations such as Housing, O&M, Utilities, and Facilities projects. In order to schedule a clean out for non-research operations, the generator must provide an account number and the name of an authorized approver on the account.

Back to Environmental Programs Home Page