Environmental Health & Safety

What is Hazardous Waste Management?

Hazardous waste management is the collection, transport, processing, recycling or disposal of waste materials. Our Waste Management program help you manage hazardous chemical, radioactive, biohazardous, and universal waste safely and legally. We provide Waste Pickup Services where you can request pickup of hazardous, biohazardous, radioactive and universal waste online.

For more information, contact Waste Management or call (951) 827-5528.

Federal and State regulations define hazardous wastes as a substance which poses a hazard to human health or the environment when improperly managed. A chemical waste is considered hazardous if it is either listed on one of the lists found in Federal or State regulations or if it exhibits one or more of the four following characteristics:

Toxic - a chemical that poses a hazard to health or the environment (this can be a gray area).

Reactive - reactive wastes are those wastes that are unstable, explosive, capable of detonation or react violently with water.

Ignitable - ignitable wastes generally are liquids with a flash point below 60°C or 140°F (however, just because a material has a higher flash point, it still cannot be drain disposed).

Corrosive - corrosive wastes are generally aqueous wastes with a pH less than or equal to two (2) or greater than or equal to 12.5 (although UCLA policy includes any waste that is not neutral).

What are the guidelines for handling hazardous chemical waste?

The proper management of hazardous waste is essential to protect the health and safety of the University community and to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. 

Make sure that no hazardous materials are placed into regular solid waste containers, flushed down the drain or otherwise inappropriately disposed. If there is any doubt, contact EH&S Hazardous Waste Operations at (951) 827-5528

 

Waste Determination and Waste Disposal Requirements

We are pleased to offer WASTe online waste pickup request services through our integrated Waste Management program. To use these services it is important that you properly determine the type of waste and review waste disposal requirements.

Description
Option of having laboratory generated Biohazard Waste (red bags, and sharps containers) collected on a weekly basis is now available. The collection will occur once a week, the day will be determined by the location of the generated waste. The goal is to reduce the use of autoclaves for biohazard waste processing.

Benefits to the Campus

  • No cost to laboratories
  • No need to create WASTe Labels for biohazard bags
  • No need to autoclave Biohazard waste before disposing of biohazard bags into barrels
  • Reduce cost of maintaining Autoclaves
  • No spore testing for autoclaves
  • No air quality issues due to biohazard autoclaving
  • Assurance that labs are in compliance with Medical Waste Management Act storage requirements

Request Service

Please contact UCR Environmental Health and Safety Hazardous Waste Management for a walk-through to determine location of accumulation area and discuss specific lab needs. During the walk-through lab requirements, scheduling and volume of waste generated will be discussed. Please contact  radiobiowastepickup@ucr.edu (951)827-5528.

Packaging and Labeling

  • Before placing waste into biohazard bags, the bags require the PI's Name and location clearly written on them.
  • Biohazard bags must be double bagged and closed with either autoclave tape or zip ties.
  • No WASTe label is required for biohazard bags.
  • Biohazard Sharps containers will require to be closed and have a WASTe label before placing directly in red barrels.
  • Place red biohazard bags in a rigid, leak proof red barrels with a tight-fitting lid.oThese red barrels will be provided by EHS.
  • Please do not overfill bags or red bins.

 

Storage

Red biohazard barrels can be stored within laboratories or in designated secure accumulation areas, depending on the specific needs and space availability of each lab. These barrels are equipped with wheels for easy mobility.

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) will collect the full bins and replace them with empty ones on the scheduled collection days.

 

Designated Waste Accumulation Areas
Shall be secured so as to deny access to unauthorized persons and shall be markedwith warning signs.

“CAUTION – BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE STORAGE AREA – UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS KEEP OUT” and

“CUIDADO – ZONA DE RESIDUOS – BIOLOGICOS PELIGROSOS – PROHIBIDA LA ENTRADA A PERSONAS NO AUTORIZADAS”

The biohazardous and medical waste storage area must be either locked or under direct supervision or surveillance, and remain closed to prevent unauthorized access.

 

Contact EH&S Waste Pickup Services at radiobiowastepickup@ucr.edu to request new sharps containers or visit EH&S office during business hours.

 

If you are using autoclaves to disinfect your biohazardous waste please contact EH&S @ ehs@uc.redu or call (951) 827-5528

 

What are autoclave requirements for biohazard and medical waste treatment?

 

 

  1. The autoclave must be spore-tested monthly and all test results must be kept on file at the department for three (3) years. For guidance, contact EH&S Biosafety at 951-827-5528.
  2. The autoclave must have a chart recorder. All charts must be dated and kept by the department for three (3) years.
  3. All waste treatment runs must be listed on the autoclave log and the logs must be kept by the department for three (3)years.
Waste Accumulation Storage Tracking electronically (WASTe)

What is it?

Waste Accumulation Storage Tracking electronically or WASTe is a web based system that facilitates regulatory compliant labeling, tracking, collection and shipping of hazardous chemical, radioactive, and biohazardous wastes. The UC Risk & Safety Solutions application provides an interface between Principal Investigators, lab staff and other generators of regulated wastes and the UCR waste management staff.

This quick and easy-to-use system allows users to create tags for hazardous chemical, radioactive, or biohazardous waste in less than one minute. WASTe supports creation of tags for five types of waste: Chemical, Mixed, Radiological, Biological, and Universal. Lab & Facility staff can share created tag profiles, and administrators can create profiles for a single lab or for all users on campus. The system notifies Environmental Health and Safety staff when waste is ready for pickup. WASTe will enable researches and staff to dispose of hazardous waste in accordance with all state and federal regulations.

Anyone with a UCR NetID will be able to access the system at https://ehs.ucop.edu/waste/#/

For more information please contact EH&S at (951) 827-5528.

Resources:

WASTe Fact Sheet

WASTe User Guide: Roles & Workflow

WASTe User Guide: Admin & Waste Yard Staff Tutorial

WASTe Tutorial 

WASTe Pick Up Tutorial

Hazardous Materials & Waste Management

Introduction to proper determination and management of hazardous waste. Topics include labeling, storing, treating, and disposal of hazardous waste. Discussion includes physically hazardous, chemical, biohazardous, radioactive, and mixed waste. 

Copyright: 2019     Time: 40 min     Type: eCourse (online training)

Find this course and others in the UC Learning Center

Label your chemical, radioactive and biological waste.

Properly segregate incompatible chemicals and appropriate storage of hazardous waste.

Manage your empty containers.

Empty containers that had been used to store hazardous chemical materials must be specially handled in order to ensure safety and protect the environment. These containers can only be discarded in trash receptacles if they have been completely cleared of hazardous chemical waste.

  • Step 1: Empty the container

    Follow these steps based on whether your container held a liquid, solid, or gas (aerosol can or compressed gas cylinder):

    Liquid containers

    First, ensure no liquid can drain from container when tilted in any direction. If the liquid was an acute or extremely hazardous chemical, then you must dispose of the container as hazardous waste.
    Solid containers

    Scrape interior clean so that no build-up remains. Examples include powder, sludge, grease, thick resin, and crystals.

    Gas containers (aerosol cans or compressed gas cylinders)

    Use up or empty the contents of aerosol cans as completely as possible.

    Compressed gas cylinders should be returned to the supplier whenever possible.

  • Step 2: Deface the label

    Cross out label information with a large dark marker, or otherwise deface the label. It must be obvious that the container does not hold the original material.

  • Step 3. Dispose of the container

    Reuse empty glass or plastic containers whenever possible, but never reuse pesticide containers, and do not reuse metal cans for hazardous waste accumulation and storage.

     

    Glass or plastic containers (equal to or less than 5 gal / 20 L). Place in a trash dumpster. NOTE: Pesticide containers should be destroyed so that they are not reusable. Afterward, they may be placed in a trash dumpster.

    Metal containers (greater than 5 gal / 20 L). After defacing the label, mark with the date emptied, and take to the scrap metal collection bin at Materiel Managementfor recycling.
    Metal containers (less than or equal to 5 gal / 20 L).  These do not need to be marked with the date emptied, and can either be recycled or placed in a trash dumpster.

    Empty aerosol cans.  Aerosol cans that are completely empty can be placed in a trash dumpster.

    Containers that held acutely hazardous or extremely hazardous chemicals, or that contain residual solids, or gas containers (aerosol cans or compressed gas cylinders) that are not completely empty. Submit a hazardous waste pickup request for the container using the Online Tag Program.

       

     

     

Special Requirements for Pesticide Containers

Never reuse a container that has contained pesticides. Read the manufacturer's labeling to see if there are any special precautions that you must take concerning disposal. If you cannot read the label or it is missing, contact Environmental Health & Safety (951) 827-5528. Never dispose of pesticides in any manner other than listed in the directions for use on the labeling. Inappropriate release of pesticides into the environment can cause human health problems, or problems for other animals and plants.

Additional Information

See the California Department of Toxic Substances Control Empty Containers Fact Sheet for more detailed information on empty container management.

  • Wear your Personal Protective Equipment when you working around chemicals.
  • Always review the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for all materials before you begin to use the substances.
  • Review the Summary of Waste Disposal Requirements.
Radioactive Waste

Please use WASTe for all Radioactive waste.

For questions, please call (951) 827-5528

Universal Waste

Our office accepts to following types of Universal Waste.

Batteries 

Standard AAA, AA, C, D, ect.  Computer batteries, cell phone batteries, etc.

recycled batteries

 

Bulbs

Light bulbs of all kinds.

recycle bulbs

 

You can request pick up of your Universal Waste using WASTe.

You can also bring your waste to EH&S during business hours, please call ahead if quantities are large.

Campus Business Services accepts other waste, such as electronic waste, shredding and surplus items.  

If you have questions on what is and is not Universal Waste, please contact EH&S (951) 827-5528.

Waste Containers (free of charge):
  • RCRA Chemical Sharp Containers
  • Biohazard Sharp Containers
  • 5 Gallon Buckets for solid waste

Resources:

Biohazard Waste Collection
Biohazardous and Medical Waste Disposal Requirements
Chemical Recycling ChemCycle Program
Containers: Closing containers
Containers: Empty container management
DTSC Empty Containers Fact Sheet
GHS Hazard Labels Infographic
Hazardous Waste Disposal Requirements poster
Hazardous Waste Determination Guidance
Hazardous Chemicals list
No Sharp in Trash sign
Radioactive Waste Management (Radiation Safety Manual)
UCR Empty Containers Fact Sheet
WASTe Instruction Manual

Videos

Check out these videos from King County in Washington State

Regulations:

California Hazardous Waste Treatment allowance regulation: http://www.ehs.ucsb.edu/units/hw/hwrsc/hwpdf/ab_966_bill_19980915_chapte.pdf 

For more information, contact us at (951) 827-5528 or radiobiowastepickup@ucr.edu.

 

WASTe Log In
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous Waste Determination Guide