Additional Chemical
Waste Categories
Mercury, Mercury Containing Compounds
and Instruments:
Environmental Health and Safety ensures the proper disposal of all mercury
and mercury containing compounds and instruments. Mercury and mercury containing
compounds and instruments should be segregated into the following six categories
and given to the EHS for disposal:
Raw Liquid Mercury - Should be
kept in a sealed, rigid, plastic or glass container
with as little debris as possible.
Mercury Contaminated Glassware and Broken Thermometers - Should be kept in
a sealed, rigid, plastic or glass container. Organic matter should not be
included with the glassware. NOTE: There should be as little free flowing
mercury as possible in the container. Free flowing mercury should be placed
in a raw liquid mercury container.
Mercury Contaminated Glassware and
Broken Thermometers - Should be kept
in a sealed, rigid, plastic or glass container. Organic
matter should not be included with the glassware. NOTE: There
should be as little free flowing mercury as possible
in the container. Free flowing mercury
should be placed in a raw liquid mercury container.
Mercury Contaminated Organic Matter
(paper, plastic, cotton, etc.) - Should be
kept in a sealed, rigid, plastic container. This
container can contain inorganic matter but should
be kept to a minimum.. NOTE: The total amount
of mercury in the debris cannot exceed 1 pound
and there must be NO free flowing mercury in
the container. Free flowing mercury should be
placed in the raw liquid mercury container.
Mercury Spill Clean up - When
cleaning up a mercury spill, use zinc based mercury
absorbent powers only. Please DO NOT use sulfur.
Explosions have been know to occur when the material
in the zinc based powder and the sulfur are mixed
together. The clean-up material should be kept in
a sealed, rigid, plastic or glass container. Do not
mix the clean-up material with any other material. EHS
can be called in to respond to a mercury spill dial
Mercury Compounds and Mercury Solutions -
Are best kept in a sealed, rigid, plastic or glass
container. If possible, do not mix with any other
material and keep each compound or solution separate
from each other.
Mercury Containing Instruments/Thermostats/Switches -
Remove the mercury containing component from the
instrument/thermostat. If the component can be reduced
to a glass constituent containing only mercury, it
can be placed directly into a Mercury Contaminated
Glassware container. Otherwise, place the component
into its own sealed, rigid plastic or glass container.
To turn-in a mercury containing compound
or containers, fill out a chemical waste removal
request form listing the quantity of mercury, or
mercury containing items, and mail or fax the form
to EHS.
Pharmaceuticals:
Any off-specification or out-of-date pharmaceuticals should be turned into
EHS for disposal. To turn-in pharmaceuticals fill out a chemical
waste removal request form listing the type and quantity of pharmaceuticals,
and mail or fax the form to EHS.
Batteries:
Many types of batteries contain heavy metals which are regulated by the EPA.
The following batteries when spent should be turned-in to EHS: lead
acid, nickel cadmium, mercuric oxide, silver oxide, and lithium. To turn-in
spent batteries fill out an online chemical waste removal request form listing
the type and quantity of batteries.
Used Oil:
Used oil whether generated by laboratory
activities or facility operations should be turned-in
to EHS for disposal. Notify EHS of any oil
that is contaminated with PCBs or chlorinated refrigerant
oil. Never mix uncontaminated oil with oil that contains
PCBs or chlorinated refrigerant oil. To turn-in used
oil fill out an chemical waste removal request form
listing the quantity of used oil.
Household Cleaning Supplies:
Many household cleaning supplies used on
campus contain active ingredients which may make
them corrosive, toxic, or flammable. To turn-in any
old, out-dated, or spent cleaning supplies fill out
an online chemical waste removal request form listing the
quantity and type of cleaning supplies.
Toner Cartridges:
Many toner cartridges can be refurbished and used again. Check with the manufacturer
of the toner cartridge to see if they will accept them back or know of
a company that specializes in re-manufacturing of the toner cartridges.
Any non-returnable toner cartridges should be turned-in EHS. To turn-in
non-returnable toner cartridges, list the quantity of toner on an online chemical
waste removal request form.
Ethidium Bromide:
Ethidium bromide gels and debris (contaminated
paper and plastic) can be place in a bio-hazard burn
box. Turn-in all solutions containing ethidium bromide.
To turn-in ethidium bromide solutions fill out an online chemical waste removal request form listing the quantity
and percentage of ethidium bromide in solution.
Photographic Chemicals:
Any photographic processing system currently not equipped with a silver recovery
unit should turn-in silver contaminated photo-fixer to EHS. To turn-in
photo-fixer fill out an online chemical waste removal request form listing the
type and quantity of photo-fixer.
Paints:
All out-dated, off-specification, or spent liquid paint and liquid paint
wastes should be turned-in to EHS for disposal.. To turn-in paint
fill out an online chemical waste removal request form listing the type and quantity
of paint.
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