# Chemical and Hazardous Waste ## Summary How to manage, store, and dispose of chemical and hazardous waste. ## Who is this for? - Building and operations management. - Harvard construction project managers. - Labs and research. ## Chemical and hazardous waste at Harvard All hazardous waste, including hazardous chemical waste, must be properly managed to protect people and the environment. Hazardous waste meets either of these criteria: - The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) defines the specific chemical as hazardous waste. - The waste exhibits certain characteristics defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and MassDEP. These characteristics include corrosivity, ignitability, reactivity, and toxicity. Hazardous waste is subject to strict regulations and must follow specific management and handling practices. This includes: - Correctly identifying waste. - Properly storing waste and following storage time limits. - Performing [weekly inspections](/resource/satellite-accumulation-area-inspections "Satellite Accumulation Area Inspections"). A material is subject to hazardous waste regulations once it will no longer be used for its intended purpose. ## Common chemical and hazardous waste Open all sections Close all sections ### Buildings, operations, and construction expand\_more Common hazardous and chemical waste at Harvard includes: - Lead paint. - Miscellaneous materials like contaminated rags and wipes and broken mercury-containing (fluorescent) lamps. - PCBs. - Used coolants like ethylene glycol. - Used solvents from processes like cleaning and painting. - Waste oil and lubricants from operations like elevators, motor vehicles, and plant maintenance. It also includes unused hazardous materials and chemicals like aerosol cans, paint, pesticides, and strong acids and bases that you cannot use anymore for reasons like: - Contaminated materials. - You do not need the materials anymore. - The materials do not meet specifications. - The materials are past their storage expiration date. ### Labs expand\_more Common hazardous and chemical waste in labs includes: - Miscellaneous materials like broken mercury thermometers, heavy-metal salts, and poisons. - Spent solvents, acids, bases, and oxidizers used in processes like extractions and cleaning. - Waste oil. It also includes unused reagents and chemicals that the lab cannot use anymore for reasons like: - Contaminated materials. - The lab does not need the materials anymore. - The materials do not meet specifications. - The materials are past their storage expiration date. ## Required training You must complete training before generating, handling, inspecting, or managing hazardous waste. EHS conducts hazardous waste training online through the Harvard Training Portal (HTP). Certain EHS general safety courses also include hazardous waste training. After your first training, you must complete follow-up training each year. Ensure your facility or lab staff complete sufficient training and have training records. ## Waste reduction Always use waste minimization techniques to limit and reduce the volume and toxicity of hazardous waste. This includes: - Modifying or adjusting your equipment and processes. - Recycling. - Segregating and separating waste. - Substituting toxic materials. ## Waste storage and disposal Satellite accumulation areas (SAA) are locations where you collect hazardous waste. Each SAA must: - Be under the control of only the person or people generating the waste. - Be located at or near where those people generate the waste. - Have an appropriate sign posted near the waste collection area. - Use appropriate containers for waste collection and storage. - Be [inspected every week](/resource/satellite-accumulation-area-inspections "Satellite Accumulation Area Inspections"). Main accumulation areas (MAA) are designated waste storage areas with longer term storage time limitations than SAAs and additional requirements. Open all sections Close all sections ### Waste containers expand\_more - **Store only one container of each waste chemical or waste mixture in a SAA at a time.** Do not duplicate waste streams by creating more than one undated waste container for the same chemical. - Ensure containers and lids are in good condition and do not have issues that could cause leaks, such as severe rusting, cracks, or dents. - Use containers that are compatible with the waste material. For example, do not use metal containers for corrosive waste. - If you are unsure if a container is compatible with waste, use the material’s original shipping container. Keep containers closed unless you are adding or removing waste: - Close lids securely so the container does not leak if overturned. - Do not leave open-top funnels in the container opening. - Shut and latch eco-funnel lids (always snap each funnel closed). ### Containment and segregation expand\_more - Store all containers in containment trays, such as plastic bins or tubs. - Segregate containers of incompatible waste using containment like trays or bins. - Use secondary containment, such as a containment bin or spill pallet, for liquid waste containers. - Store stock (virgin) chemicals separately from waste chemicals. Do not store virgin chemicals and waste chemicals in the same plastic tub. ### Waste labels expand\_more Lab or facilities staff typically generate waste into containers. Label each waste container with a Harvard standardized hazardous waste label. Harvard labels meet federal and local regulatory requirements. To label waste containers: 1. Affix a Harvard hazardous waste label to the container as soon as you add the first drop of hazardous waste to the container. Place the label where it is clearly visible for inspection. 2. Complete the label with: - Full chemical name of each primary hazardous constituent, including all chemicals in each waste mixture. Write out each chemical name in words and do not use chemical formulas, abbreviations, or symbols. - The words “Hazardous Waste.” - Waste type, such as spent non-halogenated solvents or waste oil. 3. Use the hazard designation boxes on the label to indicate at least one chemical hazard for each container: - **Corrosive:** pH less than 2 or greater than 12.5. - **Ignitable:** Flash point less than 140°F. - **Reactive:** Typically unstable, capable of detonating at standard temperature and pressure, reacts violently with water, or contains cyanide or sulfur. - **Toxic:** Contains substances harmful to people or the environment if mismanaged. Request waste labels by [submitting a chemical waste service request](/resource/waste-pickups-and-supplies "Waste Pickups and Supplies") or contacting EHS. [Search for hazard designations by chemical](/resource/chemical-waste-hazard-and-sink-disposal-tool "Chemical Waste Hazard and Sink Disposal Tool") as needed. ### Waste disposal expand\_more When a waste container is full: 1. Label the container: - Write the date you filled the container (usually today’s date) or the date it became ready for disposal. - List the approximate percentage of each primary constituent in the container. 2. Ensure the container is closed and stored in a designated SAA or MAA. 3. If the container is in a SAA, transfer it to a MAA or [submit a waste pickup request](/resource/waste-pickups-and-supplies "Waste Pickups and Supplies") to ship it offsite for disposal. A Harvard hazardous waste vendor must remove the container from the SAA within three days of the date on the label. Only licensed facilities can dispose of hazardous waste. Never pour hazardous or chemical waste down a sink drain. [Search for sink disposal requirements by chemical](/resource/chemical-waste-hazard-and-sink-disposal-tool "Chemical Waste Hazard and Sink Disposal Tool") as needed. ## Waste shipping and transportation You need a permit to [transport hazardous waste on public roads](/shipping-and-transportation "Shipping and Transportation"). ## Related resources Find documents and online tools to manage hazardous and chemical waste. [### 10% Bleach Solution Labels ](/resource/10-bleach-solution-labels)Printable labels for 10% bleach solutions [### Chemical Hygiene Plan ](/resource/chemical-hygiene-plan)Chemical safety requirements and guidelines for labs, including lab chemical standard operating procedures (SOP) [### Chemical Sink Disposal Poster ](/resource/chemical-sink-disposal-poster)Printable poster to check if you can pour chemical waste into a sink drain [### Chemical Waste Hazard and Sink Disposal Tool ](/resource/chemical-waste-hazard-and-sink-disposal-tool)Common chemical waste hazard designations and sink disposal requirements [### Construction EHS Exhibit: Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Waste Management ](/resource/construction-ehs-exhibit-hazardous-materials-and-hazardous-waste-management)Construction hazardous materials and hazardous waste management requirements [### Construction Standard Specification: Miscellaneous Hazardous Materials Removal ](/resource/construction-standard-specification-miscellaneous-hazardous-materials-removal)Construction Safety Standard Specification (Section 026000) to remove miscellaneous hazardous materials [### Lab Chemical Storage ](/resource/lab-chemical-storage)Lab chemical storage guidelines, groups, and locations [### Satellite Accumulation Area Inspections ](/resource/satellite-accumulation-area-inspections)Weekly hazardous waste storage satellite accumulation area (SAA) inspections [### Sink Disposal ](/resource/sink-disposal)Dispose of waste by pouring it into sinks and drains [### Sink Disposal and Wastewater Discharge Poster ](/resource/sink-disposal-and-wastewater-discharge-poster)Printable poster about wastewater discharge and sink disposal requirements [### Waste Disposal Facilities ](/resource/waste-disposal-facilities)Harvard-approved waste disposal facilities [### Waste Pickups and Supplies ](/resource/waste-pickups-and-supplies)Request waste pickups and supplies ## EHS support [Contact EHS](/contact-us "Contact Us") for more information about chemical and hazardous waste, including: - Identifying, managing, storing, shipping, and transporting waste. - Chemical waste storage compatibility. - Harvard EPA and MassDEP chemical and hazardous waste identification numbers. - Hazardous waste disposal vendors and facilities approved by Harvard. - SAA posters. Contact [lab\_safety@harvard.edu](mailto:lab_safety@harvard.edu) or your [Lab Safety Advisor (LSA)](/resource/ehs-safety-officers "EHS Safety Officers") for more information about waste in labs. See also:- [ Chemicals and Hazardous Materials ](/topic-areas/chemicals-and-hazardous-materials) - [ Waste Management and Disposal ](/topic-areas/waste-management-and-disposal) - [ Chemical and Hazardous Waste ](/topic-areas/chemical-and-hazardous-waste) - [ Building and Operations Managers ](/audience/building-and-operations-managers) - [ Construction Project Managers ](/audience/construction-project-managers) - [ Labs and Research ](/audience/labs-and-research)