1.0 Introduction
It is University responsibility to limit the amount of hazardous waste production through its activities, insofar as is reasonably and economically practicable. This is to be achieved by careful consideration of the disposal implications of all purchases and donations.
Where the production of hazardous waste is unavoidable it is the University ’s responsibility to ensure the safe segregation, handling, disposal of waste and that all persons handling any such waste will exercise care to avoid injury or risk of harm to themselves or others, including the general public. It is the producers’ responsibility to ensure that all waste is disposed of in the correct manner.
This procedure covers all hazardous waste produced in the University, namely
Biological/Clinical waste, Chemical, WEEE and fluorescent tubes
2.0 Hazardous Waste Regulations
Under the hazardous waste Regulations the University is required to register all sites generating hazardous waste with the Environment Agency. The table below lists the hazardous waste codes for the University. A copy of these codes is provided to the main hazardous waste contractors. Where special consignments are being made reference to these codes must be made to the contractor.
Implicit in the above regulations is the general duty to dispose of all waste in such a manner, as to protect anyone working with, or near, or handling articles or substances which are wastes and which constitute a reasonably foreseeable risk of injury, or may cause ill health.
Given the special risks associated with the handling of waste, any accidents/injuries involving waste must be reported immediately in accordance with the University’s procedures for the reporting of accidents and untoward incidents.
2.1 Hazardous waste codes
Hazardous waste code School / Directorate
Main Building
Queens Building
Aberconway Building
Talybont
Senghennydd Court
University Hall
McKenzie House
Denbigh House
AAH562
AAH560
NIQ018
ADR575
NIQ015
ADR572
NIQ017
AAH559

Academic Centre - Llandough AAH563
Cartwright Court NIQ019
Optometry and Vision Sciences NIQ020
3.0 Identification, Description and Segregation of Waste
3.1 Description of Waste
The producer of waste must be able to describe the waste for disposal. The description should include: a. The name of the hazardous waste. e.g. Clinical; Chemical, freezer, fluorescent tube etc. b. Where did the waste arise?
e.g. The location
– ENGIN, BIOSCIENCES etc.
Where waste is identified as problematica l, it is the producer’s duty to establish what special precautions for handling and transporting of that waste are required, and to ensure that the waste is bagged securely, tied with the appropriate tie and labelled clearly with the place of origin.
3.2 Segregation of Waste
The following hazardous waste streams require specific safe segregation: -
3.2.1 Clinical / Biological
Waste Stream Waste Container
Yellow bag
Yellow Sharps box
All laboratory / clinical waste
Needles, scalpels, sharp items originating from laboratory / healthcare areas
Yellow rigid container Animal By-products /Carcasses / human tissue, items that are likely to leak
Producers of clinical and biological waste must also read the University guidance on
Autoclaving and waste disposal
CU Autoclaving and Waste Disposal
3.2.2 Chemical
Chemical waste must be segregated according to packing group and class.
Chemical waste will not be removed unless the pro forma containing the correct

information including UN numbers have been provided 3 days prior to the collection.
Chemical Disposal Form
CU Drum labeling sheet
UN numbers guidance
4.0 Storage of Hazardous Waste
All hazardous wastes must be stored securely prior to collection for disposal. It is considered best practice for all hazardous waste to be stored in adequate secure
(locked) facilities within the School / department. It is not acceptable to store waste in unsecure locations. Where hazardous wastes are stored outside they must be protected from the weather i.e. clinical waste should be stored in lockable yellow trolleys.
5.0 Collection
5.1 Clinical / Biological
Clinical / biological Laboratory waste in yellow bags and sharps boxes are collected weekly from departmental storage areas by a specialist disposal contractor. Waste should be brought to the collection area at the agreed time of the collection . It is not acceptable to leave hazardous clinical waste unattended.
The disposal contractor is entitled to refuse any waste which they deem to be inadequately or improperly packed. It is a legal duty of any person producing hazardous wastes to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that any subsequent handler of that waste is not put at risk and this “duty of care” continues right up to the final disposal or destruction of the waste.
The OSHE Unit will advise on any waste problems.
DISPOSAL OF HUMAN TISSUE MUST BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HUMAN
TISSUE AUTHORITY CODE OF PRACTICE – THE REMOVAL, STORAGE AND
DISPOSAL OF HUMAN ORGANS AND TISSUE http://www.hta.gov.uk/_db/_documents/2006-07-04_Approved_by_Parliament_-
_Code_of_Practice_5_-_Removal.pdf
5.2 Chemical
Chemical waste collections are arranged approximately every 6-8 weeks by OSHEU.
Departments needing to dispose of Chemical waste must e-mail the completed pro forma to environment@cf.ac.uk
.
5.3 WEEE

WEEE related waste including all IT waste are collected and disposed of via
Wastechnique. Prior to collection, it is the department’s responsibility to contact the company and provide information on the items to be disposed. The School / department will be invoiced directly for the disposal of this waste.
All WEEE waste must be decontaminated before disposal.
WEEE Disposal Guidelines
5.4 Fridges / freezers
Waste fridges and freezers are disposed of via the estates department. Prior to collection, it is the department’s responsibility to contact Estates and provide information on the items to be disposed. The School / department will be invoiced for the disposal of this waste.
5.5 Fluorescent tubes
Fluorescent tube waste is disposed of via the Estates department. This waste stream is funded centrally by Estates.
6.0 Consignment notes
All hazardous waste consigned to the specialist waste contractor must be signed for before the waste leaves Cardiff University property. The School must retain a copy of the consignment note. For the clinical waste a copy of this must then be forwarded to OSHEU for compliance records. Records must be kept for a minimum of 2 years.
7.0
Duty of Care Visits
As part of the compliance process, duty of care visits must be carried out on the hazardous waste produced within the University following from the point of production to the ultimate disposal. It is recognised that this may not always be practicable, particularly where wastes are bulked up prior to disposal i.e. Chemical waste. It is therefore University procedure to as a minimum standard visit all sites where University waste is taken as a transfer site and in addition visit the final destruction site. Duty of care visits will be carried out where reasonably practical on an annual basis. It is the responsibility of the department managing the hazardous waste stream to undertake the duty of care audit: -
Hazardous Waste Stream Department undertaking Duty of care

Clinical / Biological
Chemical
WEEE
Fridges / freezers
OSHEU
OSHEU
OSHEU
Estates
Estates Fluorescent tubes
8.0 Further information
For further clarification on any of the waste streams identified in this guidance, please contact OSHEU

Appendix 1 Hazardous Waste disposal
Waste Stream
Clinical / biological
Lead Department Managing contractor
OSHEU
Chemical
WEEE
Fridges / freezers
Fluroescent tubes
OSHEU
OSHEU
Estates
Estates
Contractor
STG
Biffa
Wastechnique
TAP
Lampcare
Collection frequency
Weekly – Thursday
Bimonthly
On request
On request
On request