At this tier it is important for laboratory personnel and environmental health and safety (EHS) staff to work cooperatively to determine the point at which the chemical becomes regulated as a waste and to ensure that requirements are met. Sanitary sewer disposal of certain aqueous liquids is considered within this tier, although there are many restrictions (see section 8.B.6.2, below). Practices that implement this strategy include purchasing only what is needed, keeping chemical inventories to prevent the purchase of duplicates, and reusing excess materials. The second strategic tier is to reuse unwanted material, redistribute surplus chemicals, and reduce hazards. Examples include reducing the scale of laboratory operations, reducing the formation of waste during laboratory operations, and substituting nonhazardous or less hazardous chemicals in chemical procedures. Clearly, the best approach to laboratory waste is preventing its generation. The first tier of this strategic hierarchy incorporates the principles of green chemistry (see Chapter 5, section 5.B): pollution prevention and source reduction. There are four tiers to waste management to reduce its environmental impact: pollution prevention and source reduction reuse or redistribution of unwanted, surplus materials treatment, reclamation, and recycling of materials within the waste and disposal through incineration, treatment, or land burial. Application of this simple principle ensures that the numerous state and federal regulatory requirements for waste handling are met and avoids unexpected difficulties, such as the generation of a form of waste (e.g., chemical, radioactive, biological) that the institution is not prepared to deal with. The overriding principle governing the prudent handling of laboratory waste is that no activity should begin unless a plan for the disposal of nonhazardous and hazardous waste has been formulated. They are responsible for evaluating hazards, providing information necessary to make an accurate waste determination, and assisting in the evaluation of appropriate strategies for management, minimization, and disposal. These individuals are in the best position to know the chemical and physical properties of the materials they have used or synthesized. The initial responsibility for implementing this hierarchy rests with trained laboratory personnel. As suggested in previous chapters, there is a strategic hierarchy for managing chemicals and waste to accomplish these objectives. The best strategy for managing laboratory waste aims to maximize safety and minimize environmental impact, and considers these objectives from the time of purchase. This chapter presents methods for the management and ultimate disposal of laboratory waste that may present chemical hazards, as well as those multihazardous wastes that contain some combination of chemical, radioactive, and biological hazards. 8.B.2.1 Characterization for Off-Site ManagementĨ.B.2.2 Identification Responsibilities of All Laboratory PersonnelĨ.B.2.4 In-Laboratory Test Procedures for UnknownsĨ.B.3.1 Definition of Characteristic WasteĨ.B.3.3 Determining the Regulatory Status of a WasteĨ.B.4.1 Accumulation of Waste at the Location of GenerationĨ.B.4.2 Accumulation of Waste in a Central AreaĨ.B.4.3 Special Regulations for Laboratories at Academic InstitutionsĨ.B.5 Disposal of Nonhazardous and Nonregulated WasteĨ.B.7 Monitoring Waste Services, Transport, and Off-Site Treatment and DisposalĨ.B.7.1 Preparation for Off-Site Treatment or Disposal of WasteĨ.B.7.2 Choice of Transporter and Disposal FacilityĨ.C.1.4 Commercial Disposal Services for Mixed WasteĨ.C.2.1 Disposal of Chemically Contaminated Animal TissueĨ.C.2.2 Sewer Disposal of Chemical–Biological Liquids
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