STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM012
Version: 1.0
Date:
19/07/2010
Revise by: 19/07/2011
Page 1 of 5
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
William A. McMaster
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne
DISPOSAL OF CHEMICAL, GLASS AND SHARPS WASTES
1.
Introduction
This SOP discusses the procedure and safety guidelines for the storage and disposal of
chemical (water soluble and water insoluble), glass and sharps wastes in the Advanced
Porous Materials Laboratory.
2.
Scope
All personnel of the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory who generate chemical
(water soluble or water insoluble), glass or sharps wastes share the responsibility for safe
storage of waste within the laboratory and disposal of these wastes from time-to-time. In
the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, sharps include razor and scalpel blades,
syringes and needles. Further information about disposal of these wastes may be obtained
from the School of Chemistry Safety Manual.
Procedures for the disposal of waste oils; surplus, unwanted, or other waste chemicals
(excluding water soluble and water insoluble); hazardous solid waste (e.g. contaminated
gloves, centrifuge tubes, etc.); batteries; plant or equipment (including electrical
equipment and furniture); and, computers, should be referred to the School of Chemistry
Safety Manual.
3.
Safety
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4.
Lab coat, safety glasses, and gloves should be worn when moving waste containers.
Safety glasses must be worn when emptying the glass waste bin into the outside glass
wheelie bins, due to the possibility of glass shattering and flying up.
The 20 L waste drums may be heavy to lift.
 Assistance from another laboratory member should be sought, if a waste container
is too heavy or bulky to safely handle alone.
 A grey, flattop trolley should be borrowed from the Chemistry Store for moving
drums.
Licences and Permits
N/A
5.
Training and Competency
Training of a new member of the laboratory for the disposal of waste can be handled by
any experienced member of the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory. A roster is
posted above the chemical waste drums indicating which member(s) has the next turn to
dispose of the waste.
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM012
Page 2 of 5
Version: 1.0
Date:
19/07/2010
Revise by: 19/07/2011
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
William A. McMaster
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne
Assessment of competency: N/A.
Persons found to be inappropriately storing wastes, not taking their turn at disposal, or
failing to keep the waste storage area clean may be excluded from the laboratory.
6.
Risk Assessments
Refer to the “Use and Disposal of Sharps” and “Waste Solvent Disposal” risk
assessments in the Safety Folder for specific details. For convenience, copies of links to
these risk assessments are provided in section 11.
7.
Equipment and Maintenance / Handling and Storage / Labelling
Chemical waste:
This applies to all 2.5, 10 and 20 L drums used for the storage and disposal of water
soluble and water insoluble waste.
 Drums for chemical waste are located on the floor along the west side of the
laboratory.
 Only high density polyethylene containers are to be used. Waste in glass bottles
will not be accepted by the Chemistry Store.
 Each drum must have an appropriate, and completed, waste sticker attached to it.
 Waste stickers are kept in the Laboratory Chemical Inventory, Inventory Update
Form, Chemical Borrowing Form, and Hazard / Warning Labels folder.
 Extra waste stickers can be obtained upon request at the Chemistry Store.
 Drums must be kept in bunded containers, capable of holding the total volume of
liquid in the event of a spill.
 The 20 L waste drums may be heavy to lift.
 Assistance from another laboratory member should be sought, if a waste container
is too heavy or bulky to safely handle alone.
 A grey, flattop trolley should be borrowed from the Chemistry Store for moving
drums.
Glass waste:
The glass waste bin is located on the floor along the west side of the laboratory. Glass
bottles should be placed next to the glass bin.
Sharps waste:
The sharps waste container is usually located on the shelf above the south island bench in
the laboratory.
8.
Operating Procedures
Chemical waste:
This applies to all 2.5, 10 and 20 L drums used for the storage and disposal of waste.
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM012
Page 3 of 5
Version: 1.0
Date:
19/07/2010
Revise by: 19/07/2011
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
William A. McMaster
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne
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Chemical waste in the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory usually falls into either
of two categories: water soluble, and water insoluble.
Before pouring waste into any of the available drums, a laboratory user must know to
which category the waste belongs.
 Where appropriate, the waste should be treated or processed to reduce the level of
hazard.
Waste drums must be labelled appropriately and kept in bunded containers (see
section 7 for more details).
Waste drums must be kept closed with a screw cap when not in immediate use in
order to minimise evaporation.
The neck and outside of waste containers must be free of residue before they are
taken to the outside storage bays.
 Any spills on or around these containers, when waste is being transferred into the
container must be cleaned up.
 This is the responsibility of the person generating the waste.
Waste drums must not be filled more than 95 %, in order to prevent spillage.
When the waste drums are full, the next listed member(s) on the roster should be
asked to dispose of the waste.
The waste drum is to be taken down to the Chemistry Store.
 Refer to sections 3 and 7 for information on how to do this safely.
 The Chemistry Store will ask the laboratory member to fill in the waste disposal
sheet.
 The drums should then be taken outside and placed in the appropriate waste
storage bays.
 If required, the Chemistry Store should be requested for replacement empty
drums.
Glass waste:
Glass bottles
 Before disposal, the bottle must be empty, decontaminated, and have any and all
labels completely removed or defaced.
 Bottles are not to be disposed of with caps still on.
 Empty bottles may be stored next to the glass waste bin.
 Bottles are to be disposed of into the glass wheelie bins at the rear of the Chemistry
Building.
Broken glassware, pipettes, slides, vials, etc.
 Any glass must be rendered safe before being placed into the glass waste bin.
 The glass waste bin must not be allowed to become overfilled.
 Glass waste is to disposed of into the glass wheelie bins at the rear of the Chemistry
Building.
 For contaminated broken glassware that cannot be made safe, the Safety Officer
should be notified.
 This will be disposed of with the non-standard chemical waste.
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM012
Page 4 of 5
Version: 1.0
Date:
19/07/2010
Revise by: 19/07/2011
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
William A. McMaster
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne
Sharps waste:
 Razor blades, scalpel blades, syringes and needles must be placed into the laboratory
sharps waste container when finished using.
 Blades, needles, etc., should not be held onto for use at a future time.
 The laboratory sharps container is the only acceptable container for sharps waste.
 This container must meet Australian Standard AS4031.
 Empty chemical containers, plastic containers, glass vials, etc. must not be used
for sharps waste.
 The sharps container must not be filled past the line.
 When the sharps waste container is full, the lid must be affixed.
 The lid should be taped down for added security.
 Write the Chemistry department code (610) on the lid, and the total mass (in kg)
on the container.
 The sharps waste container is to be taken down to the Chemistry Store.
 The Chemistry Store will ask the laboratory member to fill in the waste disposal
sheet.
 The container should be taken outside and placed in the appropriate waste storage
bay.
 The group member responsible for purchasing should be requested to order a new
sharps waste container from the Chemistry Store.
9.
Controls and Calibrations
N/A
10.
Waste Disposal
That is what this SOP is about.
11.
Relevant Documents / References
School of Chemistry Safety Manual:
http://safety.chemistry.unimelb.edu.au/pdf/safman.pdf
Waste Disposal Procedures:
http://safety.chemistry.unimelb.edu.au/waste.php
Use and Disposal of Sharps (risk assessment):
http://safety.chemistry.unimelb.edu.au/pdf/Use%20of%20Sharps.pdf
Waste Solvent Disposal (risk assessment):
http://safety.chemistry.unimelb.edu.au/pdf/Solvent%20Waste%20Disposal%20main%20
campus.pdf
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM012
Page 5 of 5
Version: 1.0
Date:
19/07/2010
Revise by: 19/07/2011
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne
12.
Signage / Summaries / Templates
N/A
13.
Appended Material
N/A
William A. McMaster