Prudent Practices for Disposal of Chemicals from Laboratories

297 Pages·1983·6.01 MB·English

by  National Research Council, Committee on Hazardous Substances in the Laboratory, Mathema Commission on Physical Sciences

of Chemicals from
laboraiores

Contents

Overview and Recommendations

1_A Waste Management System for Laboratories 5
2. Identification, Classification, and Segregation of Laboratory
Waste
3. Storage of Laboratory Waste 2
4 Recovery, Recycling, and Reuse of Laboratory Chemicals 44
Disposal of Chemicals in the Sanitary Sewer System x

6_Procedures for Laboratory Destruction of Hazardous Chemicals 56

7_ Disposal of Explosives from Laboratories wi

8. Transportation of Hazardous Chemicals ws

Incineeat x

10_Disposal of Hazardous Chemicals in Landfills 126

xi
at Contents
AL Disposal of Chemically Contaminated Waste fram Life Sconce

Taborstores 135
Appeatines
A EPA RCRA Regulation Perdnent to Generston of

Laboratory Want Py
State Hazardour-Waste Agencics and Regulation on

‘Swall Guantty Generator Exemption 14
© Regulations on Storage of Laborstory Wane 16
Regulations on Transportation of Hazardous Chemicals 219
incompatible Chemicals 22
F Potentolly Explosive Chemicls und Reogeot Combinations 256
Water Reucive Chemicals 2
A Pyrophore Chemis 20
1 Peroxide Firming Chemicals 22
4 pH Ranges for Presipitatiog Myrorides of Cations a
1 Guideines for Disposal of Chemical ia the Sanitary

Sewer System 230
1 eciseraion Equipment 283

(M_ Soutves of laformation on Hazardous-Waste Regultions 267
Glossary of Abbreviations and Selected Ters m

Index a
Prudlent Practices
Disposal

of Chemicals from

Laboratories
Overview and
Recommendations

INTRODUCTION

‘Alt uboratory work with chemiculseveatualy produces chemical waste,
‘und those who generate such waste have moral ad legal abigtions to
see that the waste i handled and disposed of a ways that pose minimum,
potential harm, Doth shor term and long ter, fo health aud the ex»
‘ironment, The legal obligations beyan on 19 November 1980 when the
SS, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pul into effet federal
regulaions on a Hazardous Waste Managemeat System,” under the
nthalty of the Resource Conservation ang Recovery Act (RCRA) of
1976, as amended, These regulations ate deslened 0 establish “eradle-
torgrave” system for the management of Razatdous wastes from all

‘The objectives ofthis report ere Lo presemt guidelines for nboraories
in establishing a waste management system, 10 give specific recommen.
ations to laboratory managers for the dsposal of chemicals, and 10
make recommendations for coustucive changes in regulations for
fosal of chemicals from Inbormores,

For the purposes ofthis report, a laboratory is defined asa building
oF ares. af a building used by sciences or engineers, or by soudenn oF
technicians und ticie supercon, for the folowing purposes: inves
‘gation of physical, chemical, or biological properdcs of substances:

:
2 DISPOGAL. OF CHEMICALS FROM LABORATORIES

development of ues or improved chemical processes, products, or ap-
plications; analysis testing, or qual contol orinseucton and practice
‘na natural sience orn engineering. These operations are characterized
by fhe use of a eelacvey lange sad variable numberof chemicals on a
scale in which the containers used for reactions, transfers, and other
handling of chemicals are normally small enough the asily and rately
manipulated by one person,

‘Broadly, a hazardous chemicat isa chemical Ghat poses « danger ©
human health oF the enviroment i improperly handled. The EPA
CRA regulations deftac hazardous waste, fOr regulatory Purposes, in
terme of spose hazard characterises and by Hing pectic chemicals
tnd residues from chemical operations, Even though many of the cho
icals synthesized or used in faboratries da nol mect any of the EPA
regulatory sviteria, they mast be considered hazardous because of ur-
known toxieity. This report is soucerned with all aboratery chemicals
‘at mast be handled and disposed uf as hazardous regardless of whether
they are covered by government regulations. Biological waste generated
by iite-sience laboratories is covered anfy to the extent thatthe bio-
fogical waste i contaminated with chemicals, for example, waste gea-
tuted in uximal or mrobiologcal tests of toxcty or mode of action
ff chemicals, Tis report does ol cover sate Units regulated by other
ugencies under other laws, forexampe,radiostive waste bythe Nuclear
Regulatory Commission,

“The principal direction of tbe EPA RCRA regulations ie toward i
dustry, which generates the prepoaderance of huzandous waste ia the
United Staes. However, the regulations apply equaly to laborers,
sihich are esiated by EPA (o generate ouly D.1-1% of the (tal US,
Razardous waste. Although the hazard inherent in a small yuaalily of
2 chemical fromm Iaboratony is the sume as The hazaedinberene in 2
‘much lager quantiey of the sune chemical from another source, the
‘vera potential for hase to heslth oF the easitocanent i fess ftom the
former because ofthe small quantity. A ange fraction of Ixboracory
waste comprises small amounts of many kinds af chemical such waste
ig generally sont to secure lanl, sometimes hundeeds of ries rom
the laboratory, because mary operators of commercial incinerators do
not ancept these lowrahime, chemically verse wastes, Because of
these constraints on cispostl, and the associated extensive reeordeep-
ing required, many of the nation’s laboratories ate having prablems in

setting up etfocve systems for handing thir hazardous waste an, in
ome oases, in lading legal and sale ways tr dsposing of it
‘Many of the recontmendations made inthis report are based on the
‘Quervew ant Recommendations 2

‘mented effective chemical waste managemest progzars, The recom:
mendations are based on succesful applieaon of seanifc concepts
‘that coduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts of lzborsiory
‘wate disposal. Many of these concepts have been Kowa and wtlied
for yeats prior tothe hazardoue-warte regulations. However, some af
‘them may not be strictly fm assord with curent regulations, and iit
[portant that everyone comply wth al regulations i force at any given
time. These recommendations ave presented with he objective of con
‘eying concepts and methodologies that wor.

OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY

“The primary purpose of ths report ito give guidance to the laboratory
ransger, seats, eagineer,studeat, und technician on prudent prac
thoes for dispusal of chemicals

Chapter 1 outlines the cheroceratios und requiremeals of a waste
smuanogement system. It enphasaes the need for executive commitment
tothe prograay, or writen procedures, ad for wssigued responsibilities,

Flgue 1 presents a guide o the various aethods of chemical dspunal
izeused in this report The advent ofthe EPA RCRA regulations has
stimulated reseatch sad development on methods of eheanical disposal
other than incineration or lading, Thece newer processes, such as
chemical destruction in snpercrtcal water or alten salt baths, ave oot
dliseused in dis report becaise they have nor yet been developed to
(he point of offering pratieat options (© Isboracrls for disposal of
laboratory chemicals,

‘A laboratory worker faced with uaneeded mateval must provide i+
formation onthe properties of the nateril to guide waste management
Personnel in selecting the method of disposal. The fist option that
Should be considered is whether the matetisl can be revsed, recycled,
fr recovered far reas: these aguions are discussed In Chaplet 4.

iti decided that the material isa sas, ic must be deteraiued
‘Whether it a regulate hazardous wast, acing the cfiteria oulied ia
(Chapuer2. Even iit isnot a regulated hazardous wate, «decision ens
bbe made asto whether tobandic cas hazardous, and its rate of dispel
sould be gowemed by ir characteristics according to te ie claret in
Figure 1—eombustble, noncombustible, biclagea, explosive, or radio.
active. (Thi report does not deal with radioactive wastes seo Chapter
4 for pertioem refereoces.) The hazardous wast must then be properly
labeled and segregated. These topics ar also dealt with ia Chapter 2

CGhopter 3 covers the storage of laboratory waste. The physial prob
tems of storage—protection aginst the clemenis, fre, and eakage—as
FIGURE 1 Dessoa to for deel of chick rm berate. See hap?

swell as the management aspectt—iospecton, recordkeeping, and con-
tingency planning are discussed

‘After wee has been properly dassifed and segregated, itmust even
fully be disposed of in some ecologically pradeat manaer. Ifthe waste
ja nopkezardous it ean be incinerated (Chapter 9); sent 16 a municipal
Tacit (Chapter 10}; or, under certain cicumstences, put inthe sanitary
‘Overview sid Recommendations 5

sower (Chapter 5). Modest quantities of mmy common chemicals can
be safely and acceptably Uisposed of down he drain if Ge precautions
givenin Chapter § ure folloved. The specialized probleme involving tbe
spon of chemically comtaminwted waste from hiesciene laboratories
‘xe discated in Chapter 11, The hatdling and disponal of explosives
are dironeed in Chapter 7.

‘Most huzurdous waste will fl into the clases defined as combustible
cor oonvombustibie, Within these categories winte material ean raage
frum acuely hazardous o mildly hazardous, Naturally much more care
and money ate needed (0 slore, tsnaport, and dispse of acwely ha
‘andous material. A trained profesiona can greatly reduce or completely
destroy the hazaed characteristic of many hazards chemical wastes by
chemical reaction in the laboratory. The longest chapter in this book.
(Chapter 6) gives detailed procedures forthe desttacon of Mboratory
‘quaotties of cman classes of hazardous organic and inorganie chen
[cals particularly those hat eanot be pot ina andl becanse of the
sharacteriti of restisiy

TE the ste it not destroyed in the nboratary or should aot be dis-
posed of iy the sewer, it must be either incinerated or buried. Since
fost ldhorstores are not equipped to cary out these operation, the
‘waste mast umuly be transported 1o an sppropriate inciaerator or land
‘A. Chapter 8 outlines the packaging and loading of waste and the any
EPA and U.S. Department of Trassportstioa (DOT) regulations gor"
cerning the ramport of waste,

“Although incheration deatroys most hazardous waste, many com
mercial incinerator operator will not actept laboratory waste Becane
‘of te nal quantity and chemical diversity. Commercial incineration i
more cosy Dian land disposal ‘The costs of equipmest, preliminary
‘esting required by regulations, aod operation preclude most labors
‘ores from inetaling their own incineration equipment, Chapter 9 dis
ceases the use and operation of on- and offsite incinerators as well
the postblily of burning combustible waste in & power or steamgea-
sting plan,

‘At present, a sigalicat fraction of laboratory wabte goes to ld
‘Although seme laboratories make theie awa arangemeats for trans
portion aad offsite disposal of chemicals, others find il more eco"
‘Bones to employ commercial ms that wl pack laboratory chemicals
‘nd aorange for their traesportacion and disper. Chapters @ and 10
provide guidance om the selection of a contract waste-dixposal it,
‘Chaprar 10 Fist se types of chenvcas that can go vo a siaiary lead,
regilacions regarding secure landfills, andthe preparation of waste des-
teed for land