Biohazardous Waste
Biohazardous wastes are human, animal or plant tissue or fluids that are contaminated with pathogenic organisms.
All biohazardous wastes must be clearly marked with the universal biohazard label (see below). If biohazardous waste also contains hazardous or radioactive material, it must be identified as containing both materials; this type of waste should not be generated if at all possible. Materials that contain viable organisms and require incineration should be placed in leak-proof sealed biohazard Red Bags. Materials that are to be sterilized and rendered non-pathogenic are to be placed in orange biohazard waste bags. All sharps materials (needles, syringes, scalpels, etc.) must be placed in marked biohazard sharps buckets. Biohazardous waste is picked up by EM every two weeks. For specific guidelines on handling and disposing of biohazardous waste, please refer to the University's Biosafety Manual.
UNIVERSAL BIOHAZARD SYMBOL
Mixed (Chemical and Radioactive) Wastes
Mixed waste is both a hazardous waste as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (see Chapter 2) and a radioactive waste as defined by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The most common type of mixed waste is scintillation vials that contain flammable (toluene-based) scintillation cocktail and a small amount of radioactive isotope. The creation of mixed waste that contains toxic or corrosive materials, transuranic elements, or high levels of radioactivity is strongly discouraged.
Generators of mixed waste must follow the guidelines established for radioactive waste and hazardous waste. For pickup of mixed waste, fill out a radioactive waste disposal ticket (provided by the Radiation Safety office). Mail the top copy to the Radiation Safety office where it will be reviewed by the RSO and forwarded to the EM office for pickup. If it is a scintillation vial container, the generator of the mixed waste must also have a completed "waste scintillation drum" form filled out and attached to the drum or vial container. For other types of mixed waste, the completed radioactive disposal ticket will suffice. The EM department will provide containers for scintillation vials. Please call the Radiation Safety office with questions or for a copy of the mixed waste guidelines. Please call the EM office with questions about having waste picked up.
Radioactive Wastes
The disposal of radioactive wastes, other than those classified above as mixed radioactive, will be handled exclusively by the Radiation Safety office. Any questions should be directed to the Radiation Safety office.
Asbestos and PCB Materials
Research projects creating wastes with either of these materials will be managed by the EM department. Disposal of asbestos waste generated during building renovation and demolition is typically the responsibility of the Physical Plant Division in charge of Lexington Campus or Medical Center or the University's asbestos abatement contractor. Under no circumstances should suspect asbestos containing material be disposed of in domestic waste or with construction debris.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a highly regulated material and disposal is very difficult and costly. PCBs in concentrations of less than 50 parts per million will be managed by EM as hazardous waste. Any waste over 50 ppm is regulated as a "PCB waste" and will require special handling and disposal; please contact EM for instructions on handling this material. Any gloves or materials that are used with PCBs will also require disposal as a hazardous waste. The use of PCBs in concentrations over 50 ppm in research should be carefully reviewed. PCB disposal by the University could be restricted at any time due to changes in federal regulation. Used light ballasts from fluorescent light fixtures that were manufactured prior to 1978 or that are not clearly labeled as being non-PCB are managed by EM as hazardous waste.
Gas Cylinders
Rental and return of gas cylinders to gas vendors is the recommended practice for the management of cylinders. This eliminates the creation of a hazardous waste. The purchase of lecture bottles or other non-returnable pressurized gas cylinders is strongly discouraged because of the difficulty and cost of disposing of the empty containers. Disposal of empty or partially filled cylinders is handled by the EM department.
Waste Oils and Lubricants
Waste oils and petroleum lubricants are not classified as hazardous waste by EPA. However, the University has chosen to manage these products in an environmentally-conscious manner. For proper disposal, fill out a hazardous waste disposal ticket. A representative of the EM department will pick up the waste lubricants as part of their routine pickup schedule.
Broken Glassware
Broken glassware should be placed into an appropriate broken glassware container. Since they will be picked up by the custodial staff these containers should be labeled with the words "Broken Glass." Do not place broken glassware, pipettes or other sharp-edged materials of any type into the regular trash.
Empty Containers
Containers that have held hazardous materials should have their labels defaced, should be triple rinsed with water or a suitable solvent to remove any residue, and then should be disposed of in the regular trash.