How to Store and Dispose of Extremely Hazardous Chemical Waste

Guidelines are different for "hazardous" and "extremely hazardous" chemical waste.

• Check the list of Known Hazardous and Extremely Hazardous Wastes for your material.
• If your material is listed as extremely hazardous, use the guidelines on this page.
• If your material is listed as hazardous — not extremely hazardous — proceed to How to Store and Dispose of Hazardous Chemical Waste.

• Select an area that is:
  • Near where the waste is generated
  • Under the control of lab personnel
  • Out of the way of normal lab activities
• Label the area with a "Danger – Hazardous Waste" sign. Request signs from the EH&S Environmental Management Facility, (858) 534-2753.
• Make the area easily accessible and recognizable to EH&S waste technicians.
• Note: Fume hoods may be used to temporarily store small quantities of waste materials, but should not serve as designated waste storage areas.

• Chemical compatibility:
  • Choose a container chemically compatible with the material it will hold. Chemicals must not react with, weaken, or dissolve the container or lid.
  • Follow these basic compatibility guidelines:
    • Acids or bases: Do not store in metal.
    • Hydrofluoric acid: Do not store in glass.
    • Gasoline (solvents): Do not store or transport in lightweight polyethylene containers such as milk jugs.
  • Read Chemical Compatibility Guidelines for more detailed information.
• Caps and closure:
  • Use waste containers with leak-proof, screw-on caps so contents can't leak if a container tips over. Corks, parafilm, and beakers are not acceptable.
  • If necessary, transfer waste material to a container that can be securely closed. Label the new container.
  • Keep waste containers closed except when adding waste.
  • Wipe down containers prior to your scheduled collection date.
• Size:
  • Choose appropriately sized containers. Store smaller quantities in smaller containers. It's not cost effective to dispose of 50 milliliters of material in a 4-liter container.
• Secondary containment:
  • Always place your container in a secondary container to:
    • Capture spills and leaks from the primary container
    • Segregate incompatible hazardous wastes, such as acids and bases
  • A secondary container must be chemically compatible and able to hold 110% of the volume of waste stored in the primary container(s). Lab trays and dishpans are frequently used for secondary containment.
  • EH&S provides free secondary containers for 20-liter (5-gallon) waste containers. Request these secondary containers from the EH&S Environmental Management Facility, (858) 534-2753.

• Attach a completed hazardous waste tag to the container before you begin using the container to accumulate and store waste.
• Cross out all other labels on the container. (Don't obliterate the original product label; waste technicians need to see what the container held before it was designated as a waste receptacle.)

• Do not overfill liquid waste containers. Leave a sizable amount of head space in the container to allow for expansion and safe transportation — 10% head space is a good rule of thumb.
• Do not mix solids with liquid waste. Containers found to contain solids during processing by EH&S hazardous waste technicians will be returned to the generator for separation. See guidelines for solid chemical waste below.
• Liquid-filled small containers such as vials and Eppendorf tubes:
  • Double-bag containers in clear plastic bags to allow visual inspection by EH&S waste technicians.
  • Containers bagged together must contain liquids or liquid mixtures with the same chemical constituents.
  • Seal each bag individually.
  • Accurately list the bag's contents and chemical constituents on the hazardous waste tag.
• Organic solvents:
  • Halogenated and non-halogenated organic solvents may be mixed together in the same waste container. Contact the EH&S Environmental Management Facility, (858) 534-2753, if you want to pour other chemical constituents in the same waste container.
  • Do not combine organic solvents with toxic metal waste!
  • Contact the EH&S Environmental Management Facility, (858) 534-2753, if you're using toxic metal compounds. Examples of metals include arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, copper, nickel, and zinc.

Chemically contaminated solid waste includes 3 categories that are packaged differently for disposal: lab trash, dry chemicals, and sharps.

• Lab trash: Examples include absorbent paper products, Kim Wipes, gloves, benchcoats, and other lab supplies. Follow these guidelines:
  • Double-bag the waste in clear plastic bags to allow visual inspection by EH&S waste technicians. If contents cannot be visually inspected, EH&S cannot collect the bag.
  • Seal each bag individually.
  • Accurately list the bag's contents and chemical constituents on the hazardous waste tag.
• Dry chemicals:
  • Dispose of solid reagent chemicals in the manufacturer's container.
  • Label the container with a hazardous waste tag.
• Sharps: Sharps are items capable of puncturing, piercing, or tearing regular waste bags. Examples include pipettes, pipette tips, needles, scalpels, razor blades, and broken glass. Sharps require special packaging.
  • Read How to Dispose of Sharps for details.

Empty containers that once held extremely hazardous waste must be labeled with a hazardous waste tag and collected by EH&S for disposal.

• Read How to Dispose of Empty Hazardous Materials Containers for details.

Storage time and quantity limits for "extremely hazardous" chemical waste are very strict. Keep UCSD in compliance. Request a hazardous waste collection before time or quantity limits are reached.

• Time: All extremely hazardous waste must be collected within 90 days from when waste is first put into containers.
• Quantity: Up to 1 quart of extremely hazardous waste may be accumulated before it must be collected.
  • When 1 quart or more of extremely hazardous waste accumulates, the waste must be collected within 3 days.
• Read How to Request a Hazardous Waste Collection for details.