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How to Request a Hazardous Waste Collection

Learn how to request a hazardous waste collection at UC San Diego.

Updated Waste Collection Schedule (PDF) for your area.


The EH&S Environmental Management Facility collects, processes, and disposes of chemical, radioactive, chemical-radioactive, and universal hazardous waste generated by UC San Diego facilities.

drums for haz waste

For biohazardous and medical waste disposal, see How to Package and Dispose of Biohazardous and Medical Waste.

Note: For non-hazardous waste, such as office trash and recycling, see Waste Pickup Schedule: Non-hazardous Recycling and Trash

Special pickups

Request special pickup for the following items:

  • Large volumes or numerous items
  • Large items such as refrigerators

Please contact your RAP Specialist if you have a lab cleanout or a special project that will result in large volumes of hazardous waste for removal.

Equipment that may have come in contact with radioactive, biohazardous, or chemical materials must be decontaminated before it is collected for disposal. Clean equipment and request a decontamination clearance if required.

Hazardous waste collection schedule

How to request a hazardous waste collection

The UC San Diego Online Waste Tag Program (OTP) is used to manage hazardous waste. It allows waste generators to create and print hazardous waste tags as well as request a waste pickup. This program also allows users to view a history of collected waste.

To ensure timely and efficient hazardous waste collections, pick-up requests must be submitted the day before your building's scheduled collection day. Same-day requests submitted on your building's collection day will be picked up on your next scheduled building collection day.

Same-day requests are not visible to our technicians until the following day, which will result in your waste will be added to the pickup schedule one day after it is submitted.

Learn more about how the OTP makes hazardous waste management

For more information, contact the EH&S Environmental Management Facility, (858) 534-2753.
Notice: Disposal of hazardous waste using sinks, intentional evaporation, or as regular trash is against the law. Campus laboratories must abide by strict state and federal waste disposal requirements. You may be held liable for violations of applicable laws.