Regulations
Hazardous waste is regulated under the federal Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and the provincial N.B. Clean Environment Act.
Policies & Procedures
Laboratory Supervisors are responsible for advising laboratory workers on how to handle all wastes generated in laboratory operations.
Also see Safety Handbook
• Hazardous Waste Disposal
• Vacating Facilities
• Disposal of Hypodermic Needles, Broken Glass, etc.
• Biohazards
• Radioactive Nuclear Substances
Hazardous Waste Disposal
The disposal of chemical waste at U.N.B. is coordinated through designated departmental staff trained and certified in the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG). Any questions regarding the disposal of chemical wastes that cannot be answered by trained staff should be directed to the Environmental Health and Safety Office.
The following waste procedures are meant to serve as a guideline for the disposal of hazardous materials. Refer further to provincial and federal regulations for specific information on handling of hazardous waste.
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Procedures:
1. Only hazardous waste generated by the University will be collected for disposal.
2. Chemical waste must not be flushed down sanitary drains as a method of disposal.
3. Hazardous materials must not be mixed with regular garbage destined for landfill.
4. Specialized procedures exist for disposal of radioactive waste and biohazardous waste. Refer to the UNB Radiation Safety Manual or the UNB "Procedures for Biohazardous Waste Disposal", respectively, both of which are available from the Safety Office.
5. The individual who produced the waste (waste generator) is required to adequately identify and label waste containers prior to acceptance for disposal.
6. If waste containers have not been adequately identified, the departmental personnel (stores manager or technical support staff) responsible for waste coordination may refuse to accept it and may consult the Safety Office.
7. Hazardous waste must be made as homogeneous as possible, i.e., avoid unnecessary mixtures if at all possible. Refer to “Liquid Chemical Waste Segregation”; consult “Chemical Code Groups” for compatibility and storage recommendations (attached).
8. Unidentified chemicals cannot be accepted for disposal. Every means possible, including contacting the individual(s) who may have taken leave from the University, should be employed.
9. The National Fire Code prohibits unnecessary accumulation of hazardous waste.
10. Faculty/staff/graduate students planning to take leave from the University must ensure that chemical wastes for which they are responsible are identified for disposal prior to leaving the University.
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Storage:
1. Waste chemicals should, if possible, be stored in a central chemical storage facility within each building.
2. If a central storage facility does not exist, chemical waste must be stored in the laboratory until arrangements can be made for disposal.
3. Generally, waste chemicals will possess the same hazards as new chemicals. All safety precautions for the handling and storage of new chemicals therefore apply to waste chemicals.
4. It is recommended that chemical waste be segregated according to “Chemical Code Groups” or by WHMIS class to avoid the creation of incompatible mixtures.
5. The National Fire Code of Canada regulates the maximum permissible quantities for storage of flammable and combustible chemicals.
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LABS:
Maximum container size in laboratories: 5L.
>5 L. volume requires metal safety cans to a maximum size of 25 L.
Maximum quantity of flammable and combustible chemicals in a lab: 300 L. total with < 50 L. of flammables
>300 L. of flammable and combustible chemicals combined, or >50 L. of flammables requires storage in ULC approved safety cabinets
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ULC APPROVED SAFETY CABINETS:
Maximum quantity of flammable and combustible chemicals per cabinet:
500 L. total with < 250 L. of flammables
Maximum 3 cabinets per fire compartment or in a fire-rated room
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CHEMICAL STORAGE ROOMS (2 hr. Fire-rated):
Maximum quantity of flammable and combustible chemicals: 10,000 L.*
Maximum density of flammable and combustible chemicals: 200 L./m2
* double this figure if room is designed with an automatic fire extinguishing system.
NOTE: 25 L. drums of solvents (flammable and/or combustible) require storage in a flammable storage cabinet or a chemical storage room designed and rated for that purpose. They must not be stored laboratories. Maximum container size in rooms or labs is 5 L.
6. Facilities for temporary storage of bulk quantities of new chemicals are available in the Chemical Storage Room (C.S.R.) at the Services Building. Administration of the CSR is the responsibility of the Department of Physical Plant Stores Manager. University departments with requirements for receiving of bulk chemicals are encouraged to make arrangements to use the C.S.R. A 'Procedures Manual' for operation and use of the C.S.R. is available from the Physical Plant Stores Manager.
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Containers:
1. All containers used for storage of chemical waste must be UN approved, compatible with the contents, properly sealed, and in good condition.
2. Any container which is not properly sealed or that is leaking will not be picked up for disposal until the leak has been contained.
3. Small containers, such as vials, must be placed in one larger container with a label applied to the outer surface. It is recommended that the contents of the vials be emptied into one larger container for disposal.
5. To minimize numbers of waste containers, partially filled containers of the same chemical or chemical mixture must be consolidated into a single container.
6. Liquid waste containers must be filled to 70-80% capacity, only, to allow for vapor expansion and to minimize the potential for spills.
7. Incompatible combinations of chemicals must not be mixed in a single container (refer to Chemical Code Groups).
8. Most empty chemical containers can be disposed of with regular garbage provided the chemical is not on the CEPA Priority Substances List. If in doubt, contact the Safety Office.
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Labels:
1. To prevent the mixing of waste that could create an incompatible combination, all chemicals must be clearly identified by the original manufacturer label (provided the contents consist only of this chemical) or a W.H.M.I.S. workplace label.
2. Chemical name, and any trade names, must be used to identify chemical waste.
3. Remove or thoroughly obliterate any old labels or chemical information that may cause confusion as to the present contents of the waste container.
4. Mixed wastes, spent wastes, and any chemicals that have been altered from their original form must be described by percentage of total volume on the label and must total 100%.
5. After waste has been segregated and labeled, list all hazardous waste containers to be picked up, including the contents of each container (by % concentration) and the container size (weight or volume) on the UNB Hazardous Waste Disposal Workorder (attached).
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Scheduling Waste Collection:
Pick-up of chemical waste is initiated by completing the Hazardous Waste Disposal
Workorder, forwarding it to the waste coordinator in your department (Stores Manager or
technical support staff who are TDG certified) for signature of approval who then
forwards it to the Safety Office for service.
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Form
Link to Hazardous Materials
• TDG
• Forms
• Hazardous Waste Disposal Workorder
Inspections
Link to Fire and Safety Inspections
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