University of Maryland Baltimore
University of Maryland, Baltimore

home > disposal procedures > segregation of waste chemicals
Environmental Health and Safety
EHS Building


Related:
Hazardous Waste
  Labels
Training
Spill Response
Waste Removal
  Request Forms
Information Notices
Waste Mgmt. Disposal
  Procedures

Contact:
Environmental Health
  and Safety
714 W. Lombard Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-706-7055
Fax 410-706-8212

 
umblogo.jpg (11175 bytes)

UMB ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES
NO. 5 TITLE: Segregation of Waste Chemicals

PAGE 1 OF 1 PAGE(S)

PURPOSE: To assure safe storage and segregation or waste chemicals
DATE OF ISSUANCE: 2/28/97 DATE OF REVISION: 1/4/99

The proper segregation of waste chemicals is essential to promote safe storage of those chemicals as well as to facilitate the economical disposal of the chemicals. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a list of potentially incompatible wastes, waste components, and material along with the harmful consequences of mixing those materials together. This list does not include every possible hazardous chemical reaction, but should be used as a guide in packaging and storing these materials. The list indicates the potential consequences of the mixing of a Group A material with a Group B material. These compatibility listings should not be the only information used when packaging or accumulating waste chemicals. Pay close attention to any waste characterization data you receive on material reactivity and compatibility. Material Safety Data Sheets contain a section devoted to chemical reactivity and incompatibility. The following lists of chemicals in Groups A should be kept separate from those chemicals in Groups B:

Group 1-A
Bases

Potential consequences:  Heat generation; violent reaction

Group 1-B
Acids

Group 2-A
Aluminum

Beryllium

Calcium

Lithium

Magnesium

Potassium

Sodium

Zinc powder

Other reactive metals and metal hydrides

Potential consequences: Fire, Explosion, or generation of flammable hydrogen gas.

Group 2-B
Any Acid or Bases

Group 3-A

Alcohols

Water

 

 

 

Potential consequences: Fire, Explosion, or heat generation: generation of flammable or toxic gases.

 Group 3-B

Any Concentrated Acids or Bases

Calcium

Lithium

Magnesium

Sodium

Zinc Powder

Any Reactive Metals and Metal Hydrides

Potassium

Sulfonyl chloride

Thionyl chloride

Phosphorus trichloride

Methyl trichloride

Methyl trichlorosilane

Other water-reactive waste

Group 4-A

Alcohols

Aldehydes

Halogenated hydrocarbons

Nitrated hydrocarbons

Unsaturated hydrocarbons

Other organic compounds and solvents

 

Potential consequences:  Fire, Explosion, or violent reaction.

Group 4-B

Any Concentrated Acids or Basses

Reactive Metals and Metal Hydrides

Group 5-A

Cyanide's and sulfide's

 

Potential consequences:  Generation of toxic hydrogen cyanide or hydrogen sulfide gas.

Group 5-B

Any Acids

 

 

Group 6-A

Chlorates

Chlorine

Chlorites

chromic acid

Hypochlorites

Nitrates

Nitric acid, fuming

Perchlorates

Permanganates

Peroxides

Other strong oxidizers

Potential consequences:  Fire, Explosion, or violent reaction.

Group 6-B

Acetic acid and other organic acids

Concentrated mineral acids

Reactive Metals and Metal Hydrides

Organic Compounds and Solvents

Other flammable and combustible chemicals

 

The following two groups are added to facilitate the economical disposal of the wastes.  They are not necessarily reactive.

Group 7-A

Heavy metal Compounds containing arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, selenium, silver

Polychorlinated biphenyls (PCBs) Dioxins

Mercury Containing Compounds

Group 7-B

Flammable Liquids

Group 8-A

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Dioxins

Mercury Containing Compounds

Group 8-B

All other chemicals and each other

 

 

top