Procedure for Disposal of Chemical and Solvent Waste

Safety Department Imperial College London

Southside Building South Kensington Campus London SW7 2AZ, UK Tel: +44 (0) 20 7594 9423 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7594 9424

[email protected] www.imperial.ac.uk

Guidance Note GN 037 Procedure for Disposal of Chemical and Solvent Waste January 2003

1. General Information

This guidance is chiefly aimed at those wishing to effect periodic clearance of unwanted laboratory chemicals.

Hazardous laboratory chemicals which appear on the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 1994 (as amended) - Approved Supply List are subject to the Special Waste Regulations 1996 and must be disposed via a licensed contractor. Chemicals commonly used in the College which fall into this category are those listed as: oxidising; flammable or highly flammable; toxic or very toxic; harmful; corrosive; irritant; sensitising; carcinogenic and mutagenic. If you require advice on the disposal of specific substances please contact the Safety Unit.

Please note: this Guidance Note does not provide advice on disposal of radioactive substances.

2. Procedure

1. Contact the Estates Division Helpdesk on 48000. You will be asked to provide the following information:

 Your name.  Your Faculty / Division / Department / Campus.  Name and contact details of your Departmental Safety Officer.  A brief description of the waste (solvents, lab smalls etc.).  GL code (grant number) for re-charging.

The Helpdesk will log the information and allocate a unique reference number. This information will be forwarded to Estates Environmental.

2. Estates Environmental will contact the department to request further information including:

 A detailed list of the waste chemicals including any ‘unknowns’.

First Prepared 1st. Review 2nd. Review 3rd. Review 4th. Review

January 2003

John Luke Page 1 of 3  The current location of the chemicals and the final collection point (this will be the central waste chemical store for those sites, which possess one).

Packing Waste Chemicals

The waste chemical contractors will usually package the chemicals in drums containing a suitable absorbent material for final transportation and will normally provide all relevant hazard signage.

For those College sites that possess a central chemical waste store, the chemicals will need to be safely transported from the department to the store:

Pack ‘laboratory smalls’ (bottles containing less than 1 kg solid or 1L liquid) into Plastic lidded crates. Segregate chemicals as best as possible:

 flammables - different flammable substances may be packed together but keep apart from substances listed below.

 organic peroxides / oxidising agents - pack separately.

 toxic and corrosive substances - may be packed together.

Substances that are unidentifiable (e.g. which have no labels or illegible labels) should be packed separately. An attempt should be made to describe the appearance (e.g. white powder, clear liquid etc.) and the approximate quantity should be estimated. The contractors will normally receive ‘unknowns’ though the charge for disposal is likely to exceed the charges for clearly identifiable substances.

Ensure that a list of the chemicals contained within each crate accompanies the crate. Large bottles such as ‘Winchesters’ may either be packed into crates or transported to the store in some other secure manner e.g. in ‘Winchester’ carriers – preferably the enclosed plastic type with lid. The contractors will either pack them individually or decant the contents into drums for disposal. Drums of solvent will be removed as single items.

1. Estates Environmental will make an application to the appropriate waste collection company for a disposal quotation. Upon receipt of the quotation, Estates Environmental will advise the waste producer of the cost.

2. Estates Environmental will place an official purchase order on ICIS.

3. A consignment note will be raised from the Environment Agency via the collecting company.

4. Collection of the waste will be co-ordinated with the waste producer.

5. The Helpdesk will be advised of the proposed collection date and also when the

of 3 collection has been completed.

6. The consignment note will be archived.

7. The invoice from the waste company will be passed for payment by Estates Environmental.

8. Estates Environmental will calculate the re-charge figure and forward to Helpdesk.

9. The Helpdesk will re-charge the waste producing department via ICIS.