Pollution Prevention Storm Water and UBC.EMS Advisory Sanitary Sewer Committee.ENV.Procedure.002 Procedure Date of Issue: 14.06.26 Background Discharges to the storm sewer must comply with the following regulations and guidelines: • Fisheries Act • BC Hazardous Waste Regulation, Schedule 1.2 “Standard for discharges to the Environment or to Storm Sewers” • BC Contaminated Sites Regulations, Schedule 6 “Generic Numerical Water Standards” • CCME Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life • BC Water Quality Guidelines (Criteria) • Metro Vancouver’s Municipal Water Use Guidelines Discharges of hazardous materials to the sanitary sewer can compromise the health and safety of staff managing the drain system; these and other materials, such as oil and grease, may also damage the operation of the sewers and sewage facilities, and adversely impact the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the waste water treatment. Discharges to sanitary sewers are regulated by the following: • Metro Vancouver Sewer Use Bylaw No. 299 Consolidated • BC Hazardous Waste Regulations • Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations • Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Metro Vancouver’s Sewer Use Bylaw No. 299 specifically regulates pollutants that are discharged into sewers. This bylaw aims to protect the environment as well as human health and safety. It specifies prohibited and restricted discharges and includes monitoring and permits requirements with respect to non-domestic discharges. Additional information can be found under the following links: • UBC Sewer Use Bylaw Guidelines • RMS Hazardous Waste Management • RMS Waste Disposal Guide Purpose The purpose of this procedure is to prevent the pollution of UBC’s storm and sanitary sewer systems and the environment, by routine and planned discharges from research, operations, and maintenance activities. Following this procedure will also facilitate compliance with the applicable environmental requirements and guideline. Scope and Applicability This procedure applies to planned and routine discharges to the storm or sanitary sewers from research, operations and maintenance activities in UBC Point Grey campus. It does not address construction projects and activities, which are covered by C&CP Development Permit process and the related Erosion and Sediment Control Plan requirements. Revision of: “NEW” page 1 of 8 Created By: Noga Levit EMS Advisory Committee Risk Management Services Pollution Prevention Storm Water and UBC.EMS Advisory Sanitary Sewer Committee.ENV.Procedure.002 Procedure Date of Issue: 14.06.26 Definitions Domestic Waste means waste produced on residential premises, or sanitary waste and wastewater from showers and restroom washbasins produced on non-residential property Non-Domestic Waste means all wastewater except domestic waste, sanitary waste, storm water, uncontaminated Water, and septic tank waste; Storm Water means drainage water resulting from rainfall or other natural precipitation from the atmosphere and includes, but not limited to, water from melting snow or naturally occurring ice Responsibilities & Procedural Steps Discharges form operation and maintenance activities: Examples: pipes cleaning, surface cleaning, water main disinfection, neutralization and dilution tanks etc. Generators planning to discharge non- domestic waste water to the sanitary sewer system and or any effluent other than storm water to the storm sewer must apply for approval to discharge from RMS Environmental Services by completing the “UBC Planned Discharge to the Sanitary or Storm Sewer from Operation and Maintenance Activities” (Appendix 1). RMS Environmental Services will assess the waste stream for its fitness for storm sewer, or sanitary sewer discharge, or will determine that the effluent needs to be disposed as hazardous waste. RMS may require that the effluent will be tested as part of the assessment (testing costs are generator responsibility). The generator will have to provide RMS Environmental Services no less than seven working days prior to the anticipated discharge information regarding: • Total expected volume of effluent • Proposed discharge location • Any chemicals additives contained in the discharge; their nature and concentration. • MSDS for any material(s) to be mixed with the effluent including material’s concentration • Frequency of generation and discharge (for planned routine discharges) Discharges from laboratory research operations Small amounts of waste solutions that are not regulated because they do not exhibit any of the hazardous characteristics (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity) as defined by BC Hazardous Waste Regulations, 2009, and is not restricted or prohibited by the Metro Vancouver Sewer Use By-law can be disposed of via the sewer. 1. Lab personnel must review the online non-hazardous chemicals list. All listed materials which are not controlled by WHMIS and with NFPA designation in all related hazards of 0 or 1 can be disposed of safely via the sewer. Revision of: “NEW” page 2 of 8 Created By: Noga Levit EMS Advisory Committee Risk Management Services Pollution Prevention Storm Water and UBC.EMS Advisory Sanitary Sewer Committee.ENV.Procedure.002 Procedure Date of Issue: 14.06.26 2. If the waste is not in the above list, generator must complete the aqueous waste profile in Appendix 2 and RMS will help determine if the waste can be disposed of via sanitary sewers. 3. Corrosive waste that does not exhibit any other hazards must be neutralized to an acceptable pH range (5.5-10.5) before going down the drain. 4. Concentrated acids and bases need to be neutralized before drain disposal. 5. Bleach solutions can be quite damaging to plumbing if used in excess or if inappropriately disposed of. Bleach has a very high pH (12-14) and must be neutralized prior to sink disposal. a. A common tissue culture protocol requires decontamination of cells prior to disposal using 10% fresh bleach added to the culture and media. In general, culture media exhibits a buffering effect on bleach and the resulting pH is in the range of 6-8. However, this depends on the media and the pH must be tested for each new experimental set-up. b. There are several options for bleach neutralizers: sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), sodium metabisulphite (Na2S2O5), sodium bisulphite (NaHSO3), sodium sulphite (Na2SO3), sodium thiosulphate (Na2S2O3), 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The use of ¼ to 1 teaspoon of solid neutralizer is sufficient to neutralize 1-4L of volume of 10% bleach solution Revision of: “NEW” page 3 of 8 Created By: Noga Levit EMS Advisory Committee Risk Management Services Pollution Prevention Storm Water and UBC.EMS Advisory Sanitary Sewer Committee.ENV.Procedure.002 Procedure Date of Issue: 14.06.26 Appendix 1: UBC Planned Discharge to the Sanitary or Storm Sewer from Operation and Maintenance and Construction Activities Please complete this form and e-mail to RMS Environmental Services Advisor at [email protected]; expect a response within 7 working days. Requester/Discharger: • Name • Phone Number Date Discharge Request Submitted: Date(s) of Expected Discharge: Discharge Details Type of liquid to be discharged Proposed discharge location Purpose of discharge Approximate volume Expected duration of discharge The discharge is capable of obstructing the flow or causing interference (yes/no) ; if yes describe Examples: earth, sand, ash, glass, tar, asphalt, plastic, wood, waste portions of animals, fish or fowl, solidified fat, etc. The discharge has a temperature of 65 degrees Centigrade or more (if yes provide temperature) The discharge contains conventional contaminants, such as: • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) • Total suspended solids (TSS) • Oil and Grease (if yes, provide details and concentration in mg/L) The discharge contains large particles (>0.5 cm) The discharge contains chemicals/contaminants (if yes) • Provide product MSDS • Provide quantity of chemical in use • Provide dilution factor of chemical in use • Provide pH of chemical The discharge contains biological agents (if yes describe) Revision of: “NEW” page 4 of 8 Created By: Noga Levit EMS Advisory Committee Risk Management Services Pollution Prevention Storm Water and UBC.EMS Advisory Committee.ENV.Procedure.002 Sanitary Sewer Procedure Date of Issue: 14.06.26 Appendix 2: Drain Disposal Assessment Tool for Laboratory - Summary of Aqueous Waste Profile Aqueous Waste Profile Drain Disposal Assessment Tool: Certain laboratory liquid waste streams which are not hazardous (i.e. not toxic, corrosive, flammable, or reactive), may fit drain disposal under certain conditions. Complete the following waste profile to allow RMS Environmental Services to determine if the waste stream of concern can be disposed via sanitary sewers. Refer to summary of Excel worksheet below. Contact Information Chemical Name(s) Contaminants Conc Volume Freq pH LD50 Health hazards, MSDS (per HWR+Bylaw+WHMIS) % Marine pollutant Corrosive Toxic Phenols, BETX (benzene, toluene, xylene), PAH’s (naphthalene), etc Flammable Oxidizing Dangerously Reactive Oil & Grease Metals (As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Ag, Zn, etc) Other (cyanide, sulphide, etc) Large particles NOTE: Dilution of waste for the purpose of meeting concentration limits is NOT ALLOWED. Revision of: “NEW” page 5 of 8 Created By: Noga Levit EMS Advisory Committee Risk Management Services Pollution Prevention Storm Water and UBC.EMS Advisory Sanitary Sewer Committee.ENV.Procedure.002 Procedure Date of Issue: 14.06.26 Appendix 3: Definitions based