Asbestos
An updated asbestos survey of any building or section of a building that is scheduled for renovation or demolition shall be conducted to identify both friable and non-friable asbestos containing materials. The survey shall be conducted under the supervision of a Florida-licensed asbestos consultant. Individuals performing asbestos surveys must be certified as EPA asbestos inspectors through a Florida-approved training provider.
A draft copy of the survey must be reviewed by the University Asbestos Coordinator for completeness. A copy of the updated survey must be kept on site until the renovation or demolition activities are completed.
Lead Paint
A lead paint survey must be provided for any building constructed prior to 1980 and for any exterior structure (i.e. painted handrails) that may be affected by a construction project, regardless of age. Materials identified as having lead paint must be further characterized to determine if they are subject to hazardous waste disposal restrictions. Lead survey information must be provided to the contractor and the contractor must comply with applicable training requirements as required by OSHA and the EPA.
PCB Caulking
Samples of caulking in buildings constructed prior to 1978 must be analyzed for the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) if the material will be impacted by renovation or demolition activities. Caulking containing concentrations of PCBs equal to or greater than 50 ppm shall be handled and disposed of as hazardous waste.
Lamp Ballasts
All ballasts (PCB and non-PCB) must be collected for disposal, containers for ballast disposal can be obtained by contacting EHS Hazardous Materials Management. Drums must be labeled and closed during accumulation. Fifty-five-gallon drums should not be filled more than two-thirds of the way due to the weight. PCB ballasts must be segregated from non-PCB ballasts.
Lamps and HID Light Bulbs
Fluorescent and high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs must be handled by EH&S HMM. Other specialty bulbs which also may contain mercury must be handled by EH&S as well. All spent lamps, or the container which they are in, must be labeled clearly with the number of bulbs in the box, the date, and the following phrase: "Universal Waste—Lamp(s)". Lamp boxes and labels are available through EH&S at no cost. Lamps must be stored in a manner to keep them from breaking and the container from degrading.
Mercury Containing Equipment
There are many types of equipment that contain elemental mercury. Before disposing of any of these types of equipment, you should verify that they do not contain mercury. Mercury containing devices should be handled with caution to prevent spillage. Devices should be handled intact, sealed, and packaged to prevent breakage.
All used mercury containing equipment must be labeled clearly with the date and the words "Universal Waste—Mercury Containing Equipment".
Batteries
Storage batteries and other batteries which contain hazardous metals such as mercury, lead, silver, or cadmium must be handled by EH&S. All used batteries must be clearly labeled with the date and the following phrase: "Universal Waste — Battery(ies)". Bagging small batteries in non conductive material will help prevent fires.
Aerosol Cans
Aerosol cans which are empty of all contents can be disposed of as “regular” trash by placing in any waste receptacle. If there are contents still in the can, the aerosol product should be placed in an appropriate outer container (e.g. fiberboard drum) with a hazardous waste label affixed to it.
Chemicals
Disposal of hazardous chemicals must be coordinated with EHS. Never dispose of chemicals onto the ground, into water bodies, or the stormwater system.
Electronics
Disposal of electronic waste should be coordinated with Asset Management.
Ionizing Smoke Detectors
Ionizing type smoke detectors contain an ionizing radiation source. These must be collected and disposed of through EH&S. It is critical that the entire smoke detector unit is collected as some designs use multiple radioactive sources located in different parts of the unit. Ionizing smoke detectors are marked with the isotope and the amount of activity present. If you have questions about identifying and or disposing of smoke detectors contact Chemical and Radioactive Waste Disposal at 352-392-8400.
