Section 3 Waste Management And Safety; Waste Management; Waste Minimization; Regulatory Overview - Hach DR/850 Procedures Manual

SECTION 3

Waste Management

Waste Minimization

Regulatory Overview

WASTE MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY
This section provides guidelines for laboratory waste management. It
should assist you in complying with USEPA regulations governing waste
management. It summarizes basic requirements, but does not contain all
USEPA regulations. It does not relieve people from complying with all
regulations contained in the Code of Federal Regulations. Regulations
change regularly and additional state and local laws may apply to your
waste. Each waste generator is responsible for knowing and obeying the
laws that apply to them.
Waste minimization is the foundation of good waste management.
Minimizing waste greatly reduces the disposal problems and expense. If
possible, try to generate less waste rather than recycle or re-use it. For
laboratories, ways to reduce waste include:
•
Use the smallest sample size possible.
•
Choose methods that use non-hazardous or "less" hazardous reagents
when possible.
•
Buy chemicals in small quantities which will be used before they
expire. This eliminates disposal of outdated materials.
•
Clean glassware and laboratory apparatus with non-hazardous soaps
when possible, rather than solvents or acids which may be hazardous.
Federal waste disposal regulations were issued in accordance with the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). They are given in
Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 260. The Act controls all
forms of solid waste disposal and encourages recycling and alternative
energy sources. The major emphasis is controlling hazardous waste
disposal. The regulations create a system to identify wastes and track
waste generation, transport, and ultimate disposal. Each facility involved
in managing hazardous waste must be registered with the USEPA. This
includes the generator, transporters, and treatment, storage, and disposal
facilities (TSDF).
Under federal regulations, there are three categories of generators with
increasingly more strict regulation for larger quantity generators. The
categories are based on the amount of hazardous waste generated in any
given month.
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