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Waste Disposal Guidance

An alphabetical list highlighting the procedures and guidelines for the accumulation, storage and disposal of specific hazardous waste at UC San Diego.

Aerosols

Animal carcasses

Asbestos and lead

Important: Only EH&S Environmental Management Facility (EMF) personnel are authorized to sign hazardous waste manifests for removal or disposal of asbestos or lead-containing materials from UC San Diego facilities.

Learn more:

Contact ehsasbestos@ucsd.edu if you have questions about asbestos or lead-containing materials disposal.

Batteries

Biohazardous and medical waste

Chemical waste

Important – Learn about the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). GHS-compliant labels that include a harmonized signal word, pictogram, and hazard and precaution statements for each hazard class and category will begin to appear in our chemical inventories soon.

Controlled substances

While controlled substances (CS) are not "hazardous" waste, disposal of CS is strictly regulated by federal law.

Note: See Pharmaceuticals Disposal if you need to dispose of a non-CS pharmaceutical.

Drain disposal

Do not dispose of personal waste pharmaceuticals (medications) down the drain or down the toilet. This includes any prescription or nonprescription substances intended to be swallowed, inhaled, injected, applied to the skin or eyes, or otherwise absorbed.

Empty research containers

Extremely hazardous chemical waste

Household hazardous waste

Latex paint

Over-the-counter medicines

Disposing of over-the-counter medicine (OTC) is easy. Many community-based pharmacy “take-back” programs offer the best option; otherwise, almost all OTC medicines can be disposed of in the household trash. Consumers should take precautions, however, by reading the label to ensure OTC medicines can be disposed of in the trash. Follow these guidelines:

Note: Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove pharmaceuticals and studies show exposure to even low levels of drugs has negative effects on fish and other aquatic species, and also may negatively affect human health. Households are advised to not dispose of waste medication down the drain or down the toilet. This includes any prescription or nonprescription substances intended to be swallowed, inhaled, injected, applied to the skin or eyes, or otherwise absorbed.

Pharmaceuticals

Dispose of UC San Diego-generated medicinal drugs that are not controlled substances:

Note: For personal medications, see Household Hazardous Waste Medication Waste Disposal, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.

Plastic tissue culture pipettes

Radioactive waste

Recycling

Refrigerators and freezers

All unwanted UC San Diego refrigerators, mini-fridges and freezers are picked up and recycled through Surplus Sales.

Research Locations

Unwanted refrigerators and freezers from research labs and shops will need to have the following steps completed for the removal of your item:

Non-Research Locations

Refrigerators and freezers that are not located in a research or shop area and did not contain hazardous materials can be sent for recycling by following the instructions on How to Send Material and Equipment to Surplus Sales to create a Surplus Sales Transfer Request.

For more information, contact the EH&S Environmental Management Facility, (858) 534-2753.

Scrap metal

Sharps

For UC San Diego-generated sharps:

For personal medical self-injection devices and lancets, see:

Storage time limits

Hazard waste has a maximum accumulation duration. See Storage Time Limits for Waste for specific details and days of accumulation. 

Universal | Electronics

X-ray and photo processing waste

For more information, contact the EH&S Environmental Management Facility, (858) 534-2753.
Note: This page has a friendly link that's easy to remember: http://blink.ucsd.edu/go/menu/hazwaste