Hazardous Waste
Management
June 19, 2014
Rob Provost
Manager, Environmental Protection
Environmental Protection Services
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Objectives
 Minimize amounts of waste produced for disposal
 To be able to SAFELY handle chemical, radioactive
and biological wastes produced as a result of
research and teaching activities
 Know who Environmental Protection Services (EPS)
are
 To know where to get the information you need on
hazardous waste disposal
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Waste Minimization
In 2013 U of T produced :
138,000 Kg of Chemical waste, costing $ 377,000 to
disposal of.
22 m3 (~25,000 kg) of Radioactive waste, costing $
175,000 to disposal of.
36,000 Kg of Biological waste , costing $ 141,000 to
disposal of.
How can you help?
 Purchasing practices
 Process modification [less chemicals used or even
eliminated]
 Not mixing with hazardous wastes
 Substitution - less hazardous alternatives ?
E.g. mercury thermometers replaced with alcohol or electronic
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Regulations
 All Chemical Waste generation is controlled
by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE)
 The University has around 64 different
generator registrations and each have
different waste classes registered
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Waste Generators
 Each waste generators site has a Waste
Generator number (eg. ON0179424)
 Waste Classes (eg. 263A, 252L, 331I)
 Is specific to an address and site description
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
What Waste
is in your area?
 Do you have Chemical waste
produced in your area? What
types?
 Do you have Radiation waste
produced in your area? What
types?
 Do you have Biological waste
produced in your area? What
types?
 Do you know how your waste is
handled?
 Do you know who to contact for it?
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
U of T
General Requirements
Waste handling has the following
requirements:
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Packaging
Labelling
Storage
Disposal
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Typical Chemical Lab Hazards
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Flammable
Corrosive
Toxic
Reactives
At U of T the most common composition in the research labs is:
75% solvents
(most common hazard encountered in labs)
10% acids
15% others such as toxins, bases, oxidiziers etc.
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Packaging
 Never mix incompatible materials
Fire/Explosion
Spill
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Packaging
 Sealed containers
 Reuse old chemical
containers
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Packaging
 Liquid Waste containers
should only be fill to 75% of
capacity to allow for
expansion
 Don’t use yellow Biowaste
pails or the Orange pails
from caretaking for
collection of chemical waste
call for info 978-4821
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Labelling
 EPS supplies these
labels to the
University
 Either dropped off in
labs or supplies in
central waste rooms
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Storage - Local Conditions
Some chemicals can become problems by
degrading and producing hazardous byproducts with:
 long storage (e.g. ethers degrade to from
unstable organic peroxides)
 exposure to water or air (e.g. sodium metal is
a solid and stable but when immersed in
water produces very flammable hydrogen
gas)
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Storage
 Waste should be segregated
according to compatibility
 dispose of ageing containers
promptly
 DON’T use Bio bags or
Radiation bags to collect
spill materials or leaking
containers!!
 Unknowns??
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Storage
FUMEHOODS
They are a safety device
for the protection of
laboratory personnel
and not as storage
areas
Defeats the purpose of
having a fumehood
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Storage - Local Conditions
Each building on campus handles waste storage
differently….
 Some have designated storage rooms where
waste can be move to
 Other have to keep in lab to be pickup by Chem
Tech
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Disposal
Lab staff are responsible for removing chemical
waste to their buildings storage room!
Make sure container are secure and check for
leaks in storage area
Illegal to dispose of hazardous chemicals in the
sink (Toronto Sewer By-law Chapter 681)
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Storage
MSB 5376
ESC 1011
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
What happens to my Chemicals??
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Segregated
Labpacked
TDGA Labels
Loaded
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Disposal – Lab Pickups
 Plan ahead!!
 Collection done on a firstcome-first serve basis
 Call-in required for p/u from
individual lab
 Contractor only on campus 3
days a week so pickups can be
delayed up to 2 weeks
depending on waste and
location!
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Disposal – Lab Cleanout
Lab Closures (includes moving or renos) require
several weeks to properly deal with potentially
hazardous materials. Scheduling Contractors
and packaging of the hazardous materials also
requires time.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Radioactive- Radiation Protection Services (416-978-2028) to
arrange for proper decommissioning.
Biological- Biosafety Office (416-978-3981) so that the hazard
potential may be assessed.
Chemical- Environmental Protection Services (416-978-7000) to
arrange for the proper disposal of chemicals.
Furniture and Room Clean Out- U of T Moving (416-978-0955) to
initiate the removal of all remaining equipment and materials.
www.ehs.utoronto.ca/services/environmental/labdecom.htm
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste
Disposal – Lab Cleanout
Removal of Chemicals for a lab cleanout should be
requested at least 2 week in advance!
Chemical Technician will visit the site to review
 what NEEDS to be removed
 What supplies are need to DO the pickup
 check that NO OTHER HAZARDS will affect the
pickup
Eg. Debris obstructing access to waste
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Contaminated Glass and Tips
Where do I take contaminated solids?
•Contaminated
Glass including
broken
•Contaminated
Plastic including
tips
•Bench cover
•NO Chemical
Solids
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Waste Handling
Personal Protective Equipment
 The same precautions for handling
hazardous chemicals are applied to chemical
wastes
 eye protection
 lab coats
 gloves
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Special Cases
Gas Cylinders
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Treat as high energy sources
Use smallest size required to do work
Try to use local suppliers
Use returnable cylinders
(check before buying)
 If supplier unable to accept
contact EPS office
www.ehs.utoronto.ca/services/environmental/gascyldispl.htm
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Special Case
Chemically-contaminated sharps
 Chemicals in trace amounts are to
be collected in U of T approved
yellow sharps containers
 chemicals drained from sharps
prior
 significant amount of chemical
contamination, first deactivated in
accordance with MSDS
 Contact Biowaste for pickup and
disposal 946-3473
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
 At U of T, researchers working with any
radioactive material, require an internal
permit approved by UTRPA, BEFORE work
begins.
 Only approved permit holders are able to
order radioactive materials and must be
knowledgeable in University procedures for
disposal.
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
Definition
Includes:
– surplus radioactive material
– materials that has come into contact with
radioactive materials (e.g. gloves, flasks)
– used in decontamination (e.g., sponges)
– contaminated equipment that cannot be
cleaned
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radiation Waste Minimization
 Process modification - new less toxic
absorbent material used
 Not mixing non hazardous with radioactive
wastes
 developed a delay and decay program for
short-lived isotopes
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
 Short-lived wastes (< 90 days half life) are
allowed to decay in a secure University facility
until no longer radioactive then disposed as non
radioactive waste.
 Long-lived wastes (> 90 day half life) are sent for
disposal to permitted facilities.
Wastes are removed & packaged by 2 University
technicians.
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
Packaging
 Liquid and solid waste MUST be segregated
 containers provided by EPS
 Liquid container should be filled to full capacity
to maximize absorbent’s potential
 Waste packaged in containers that improperly ID
other existing hazards
 Do not place non rad waste with rad waste
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
Labelling
Waste not properly labelled will not
be
removed!!
Labels provided free by EPS
* Type of label depends on type of waste.
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
Labelling - Solid
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
Labelling - Liquid
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
Labelling - Liquid
SEGREGATED BY HALF-LIFE OF ISOTOPE
Green label < 30 days
(e.g. P-32, P-33, I131, Cr-51)
Blue label 30> Half
life< 90 days
(e.g. S-35, I-60)
Yellow label > 90
days
(e.g. C-14, H-3)
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
Storage
 Each lab should establish
one clearly identified
location for waste,
preferable close to work
done with radioactive
materials.
 Waste should not be stored
underneath any working
area or near vicinity of
people who do not work
with radioactive materials.
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
Collection Schedule
Collection is done on a call-in basis or
according to schedule below:
 Tuesday: ESC, Pharmacy, MSB 6th & 7th
floors, Zoology
 Wednesday: Banting, Best, Fitzgerald
 Thursday: rest of MSB
 all others when requested
call 978-2050
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
Special Cases
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Animal Carcasses
Gas Chromatographs
Gaseous Radioactive Waste
Liquid Scintillation Counting Vials (Separate Glass and
plastic)
Liquid Scintillation Counters
Fridges, freezers or other equipment
Sealed sources
Shipping materials
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Radioactive Waste Management
Special Cases
Needles and Blades
 for trace amounts, disposed into special yellow
plastic containers approved by U of T and CSA for
the disposal of such waste
 liquids drained into appropriate colour-coded jars
and separately treated as radioactive waste
 sharps with significant quantities of an isotope must
be disposed as RADIOACTIVE WASTE into
separate jars.
 These are collect by the Rad Techs (978-2050)
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Biowaste Management
Service provided to Biosafety certified Containment
Level 2 & 3 Labs
 Supply Biowaste 20L Pails, BioTotes, Tags, pickup
and information
 Biowaste includes biohazardous material,
contaminated solids, glass, blades, needles and tips
 Pails CANNOT be autoclaved under any
circumstances
Wastes are removed by 4 University technicians.
NOTE: Some other labs will need Needle pickups
without a Biosafety Certificate
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
We Take Bags!
The University is committed to being environmentally
friendly, but we need your help. This will reduce contractor
trips and the amount of plastic going to landfills.
DO put in the bags:
 Soft items: eg. Gloves,
wipes, filter paper
 Non-sharp plasticware: eg.
eppendorf tubes, tissue
culture bottles, petri dishes
DON’T put in bags:
 Glassware
 Pipettes
 Tips
 Or anything else that could
break or leak from the bag –
put these items directly into
the biohazard pails.
To prevent spills all bags must be double bagged and tied
shut. For identification purposes, please write your
Biosafety certificate number on each bag with a marker.
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Biowaste Management
Labelling
Waste not properly labelled will not be removed!!
Labels provided free by EPS
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Biowaste Management
Packaging
Needles and Blades
 disposed into special yellow
plastic containers approved
by U of T and CSA for the
disposal of such waste
 Fill only to indicated fill-line
 Put lid on before offering for
disposal
 Place with the Biowaste
pails for collection
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Biowaste Management
Collection
Labs in most buildings
are services every
week, others are on a
on-call basis
(946-3473)
Contractor pickup at
our storage areas
three days a week
Building
Scheduled
Banting*
Call-in Basis
Best*
Call-in Basis
CCBR*
Tuesday / Thursday
Dentistry*
Wednesday
Earth Sciences*
Call-in Basis
FitzGerald
Monday
Galbraith
Call-in Basis
Gage
Call-in Basis
Leslie Dan Pharmacy* Monday
Medical Sciences* Tuesday / Thursday
Mining
Friday
Ramsay Wright*
Wednesday
Rosebrugh
Friday
Tanz
Monday
Wallberg
Call-in Basis
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Biowaste Management
Biosafety certified Containment
Level 1 Labs :
 Waste can go directly to Regular
garbage
 Should the lab staff wish to
autoclave before disposal use the
clear unlabelled autoclave bags
from Medstores
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Biowaste Management
Biosafety certified Containment Level 1 Labs :
 Glass and plastic that would puncture a garbage bag
should go into the recycling Totes supplied by
Recycling ( www.fs.utoronto.ca/recycle/Nonhazardous_Lab_GlassandPlastics.htm )
 Needles and blades should be collected in the
appropriate containers and call Biowaste for collection
946-3473
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
More Info
U of T - Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Laboratory Hazardous Waste Management Manual
www.ehs.utoronto.ca/Resources/wmindex.htm
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
-for specific chemical
(especially for incompatible mixtures)
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Enviromental Protection Services
Contact List
email:
hazwaste@ehs.utoronto.ca
phone:
(416) 978-7000 for Information
(416) 978-4821 for Chem Pickup
(416) 978-2050 for Rad Pickup
(416) 946-3473 for Bio Pickup
fax:
(416) 971-1361
Office of Environmental Health and Safety