Okanagan College manages the disposal of chemical waste through the Safety Office. Any questions with respect to the disposal of chemical wastes should be directed to this department at local 4573
The following waste handling procedures are mandatory when preparing chemicals for disposal. The procedures apply to operations on all OC campuses.
RESTRICTIONS
Chemical wastes sent for disposal should not be mixed with biohazardous or radioactive wastes.
Hazardous liquids must not be flushed down drains as a method for disposal. This practice is illegal and may lead to dangerous reactions and damage to the draining system as well as create a potential hazard to trades personnel working on the system. Solid or liquid waste chemicals must not be mixed with general garbage.
In order to avoid explosions, fires or spills, incompatible combinations of chemicals must not be mixed in a single container (see Segregation of Chemical Wastes).
The waste generator bears the primary responsibility for proper packaging and labelling.
Materials requiring special handling include organic peroxides, PCBs [polychlorinated biphenyl’s] and explosives.
- Before disposing these materials, consult the Safety Office.
CONTAINERS
All containers used for storing chemical waste must be sealed and undamaged. Any container not properly sealed will not be removed. (corks or rubber stoppers are not recommended)
Liquid waste containers should only be filled to 70-80% capacity to allow for vapour expansion and to minimize the potential for spills occurring from overfilled containers.
Container material must be compatible with the stored chemical waste [eg. hydrofluoric acid cannot be stored in glass containers].
Appropriate packing materials may be obtained from the Safety Office, local 4573.
LABELS
To prevent the mixing of waste that could create an incompatible reaction, all materials must be clearly identified by means of labels
The following information must be provided:
- Specific generic names of the components in the container along with approximate percentages of each component present must be listed. No abbreviations or trade mark names are to be used. Vague categories [eg. Chemical waste] are not acceptable.
- Building name, room number and individual to contact..
If the waste is not identified, the containers will not be removed.
STORAGE
Waste chemicals should, if possible, be stored in the central waste-holding facility located at the Kelowna Campus
If this is not possible, the chemical waste should be temporarily stored in the generator's laboratory.
All safety precautions required for handling and storage of chemicals will also be observed with generated wastes.
It is recommended that waste be segregated according to compatibility groups.
SCHEDULING
The individual managing the area in which the waste is generated is responsible for scheduling collection.
Chemical waste collection is arranged through the Facilities Management Department.
Chemical waste must not be allowed to accumulate. The frequency of collection is dependent upon the type and amount of waste generated.
The Safety Office will arrange collection from the central waste holding facility at the Kelowna campus.
Waste or empty gas cylinders generally can be returned directly to the supplier. If this is not possible, contact the Facilities Management Department.
SEGREGATION OF INCOMPATIBLE CHEMICAL WASTE
Waste chemicals should be stored according to the following groupings based on chemical reactivities.
Group A - Inorganic Acids and Acid Salts
All inorganic acids (eg. sulphuric, hydrochloric)
All compounds that do not liberate a gas when acidified (eg. ferric chloride, sodium sulphate).
Inorganic solids which are inert (eg. silica).
Note: Perchloric acid, although an inorganic acid, is a powerful oxidizing agent and should be included in Group E.
Group B - Nitrogenated Bases, Caustics and Acid-Reactive Compounds
Organic and inorganic bases (eg. pyridine, amines, sodium hydroxide).
Elements and inorganic salts that may react with acids to liberate gaseous products (eg. potassium cyanide, ferric sulphide).
Group C - Neutral Organic Solids
All solid organic compounds which are neutral - no acids or bases (eg. carbon black, styrene).
Group D - Flammable Liquids, Halogenated Solvents and Organic Acids
All organic liquids excluding organic bases (eg. toluene, chloroform).
Organic acids (eg. formic acid, acetic acid).
Group E - Oxidizers
Any inorganic compound that assists fire (eg. hydrogen peroxide, lead nitrate).
Group F - Pesticides
Any compounds used to destroy or inhibit plant or animal pest such as pesticides, fungicides, insecticides etc.
Group Specials - Water and Air Reactive Materials
All chemicals which react to air and/or water, including fuming substances (eg. sodium - a water reactive, phosphorus - an air reactive, lithium aluminum hydride - both air and water reactive, thionyl chloride and phosphorus tribromide - fuming substances).
CHEMICAL INCOMPATIBILITIES
When preparing chemical waste for disposal, it is the generator's responsibility to ensure that incompatible chemicals are not stored in the same container. A few general examples are:
GROUP E MUST BE KEPT AWAY FROM GROUPS B C & D
Oxidizers [Group E] should never be mixed with reducing agents [eg water-reactive chemicals such as sodium] or organic materials [Groups B, C and D]
GROUP B MUST BE KEPT AWAY FROM GROUP A & E
Acid-reactive compounds [Group B] which liberate gaseous products when acidifies should not be mixed with any acid [Group A and E].
GROUP D MUST BE KEPT AWAY FROM GROUP A & E
Organic acids [Group D] should be segregated from inorganic acids [Group A]. Generally inorganic acids are oxidizing agents while some organic acids may be either reducing agents or combustible.
Once the waste has been classified according to the chemical groups, it must be segregated to minimize the risk of mixing incompatible groups. Further information can be obtained on the Web at http://www.orcbs.msu.edu/chemical/chemical.html
