Proper Waste Disposal
Robert M. Rioux and Taslima A. Zaman, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, PA
Users are responsible for the proper disposal of the waste generated during their work. Improper waste disposal may severely endanger public health and/or the environment. The handling of hazardous waste must be regulated from the moment of generation until its disposal at its offsite final destination facility. A waste management system must be devised before work begins on any laboratory activity. Users must comply with the rules and regulations of their institute's Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) office, which develops and implements proper waste management systems satisfying diverse regulations and standards, such as those imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
1. Waste Management
- Users should make an effort to keep waste to a minimum. The best way to do so is by reducing the scale of operation, which minimizes the quantity of waste generated. Whenever possible, chemicals used should be substituted with less hazardous chemicals.
- Chemical quantities should be kept to a minimum. Store only what will be used in the near term.
- Besides preventing or minimizing waste generation, chemicals should be recycled or recovered for reuse.
- When waste
In this document, a basic guideline for laboratory waste disposal is provided. Users must work and comply with their institute's EHS office to determine the proper method for waste disposal satisfying diverse regulations and standards. The laboratory user should be cognizant of what waste material is being generated and hazards present should be carefully assessed to determine proper waste disposal, which may otherwise put public health or the environment in danger. No matter how small or large a waste quantity is ha
- Occupational Health and Safety [OSHA] (Standard - 1910.1450 App A). at https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10107
- Princeton University Environmental Health Safety Empty Chemical Container Management at https://ehs.princeton.edu/environmental-programs/waste-management/empty-chemical-container-management
- US Environmental Protection Agency Table of Regulated Drinking Water Contaminants at https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/table-regulated-drinking-water-contaminants
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