Liquid Hazardous Waste
General Rules for Managing Liquid Hazardous Wastes
- Containers must be closed at all times except when physically adding waste
- Containers must be labelled with all chemical constituents (and their approximate % by volume), including water
- Segregate liquid waste from solid wastes
- Store small (<1 gal) containers in a secondary containment (tray or tub)
- Glass bottles on the floor must be stored in a secondary containment (tray or tub)
- Leave adequate headspace in liquid containers (~1” is sufficient for a 4L container; leave more or less depending on the size of your waste container)
- Accumulate any Mercury-containing liquids or compounds in their own container
- 4-liter glass bottles, 10- and 20-liter plastic carboys, and 20-liter metal cans are available at no charge from EH&S by calling 392-8400
Flammable Liquids and Solvent Wastes
- Segregate from oxidizers within SAA (separate secondary containment)
- Do not mix halogenated solvent waste with non-halogenated waste
- For small quantities (<5 gallons), accumulate in glass bottles
- For larger quantities (>5 gallons), accumulate in metal cans
- Ensure installed grounding straps are attached when pouring into waste containers
- Ensure area free of heat or open flame
Corrosive Liquid Wastes
- Segregate acidic wastes from alkaline wastes within SAA (separate secondary containment)
- For small quantities (<5 gallons), accumulate in glass bottles
- For larger quantities (>5 gallons), accumulate in plastic carboys
- Never accumulate corrosive liquids in a metal container
Always accumulate hydrofluoric acid (“HF”) in a plastic container; NEVER USE GLASS FOR HYDROFLUORIC ACID