The EPA or other state hazardous waste regulatory agencies enforce laws concerning how hazardous waste is disposed of. The Environmental Protection Agency encourages states to handle the main responsibility for putting hazardous waste programs into place. These programs can be implemented through authorization, implementation of the regulations, or state adoption.
Title 40- Protection of the Environment has all regulations governing the EPA’s programs. The ACT (Association of Chemistry Teachers) also created a reference chart for quick disposals that is handy to keep in laboratories. The chart summarizes best practices for your hazardous waste materials on a day-to-day disposal routine.
If your facility has not performed its year-end disposal of chemical waste. Now is the time to contact Environmental Marketing Services to schedule your disposal of these waste materials, so you can begin 2022 fresh.
Environmental Concerns for Hazardous Materials
Teachers, scientists, and managers of manufacturing facilities need to consider factors to make chemistry and production as green as possible when choosing lab activity or production of products. Chemistry teachers especially have a unique problem with hazardous materials as they do not have a safe and quick method to dispose of or store these items.
Talking with the experts at Environmental Marketing Services can help you create a method of disposal and storage that will meet the criteria of the EPA regulations. One step to follow is to keep a log of the contents of your hazardous material disposal containers. This step will avoid extra costs when you schedule your pickups.
When technicians come to dispose of your hazardous materials, and know exactly what your containers hold, they will not have to perform expensive identification testing. Labeling all waste materials with the name of the contents and the percentages the container holds makes the disposal process cheaper, safer, and more efficient.
Handling of Hazardous Materials
When performing your year-end disposals, or any you do during the year, you should know how to read and interpret SDSs. SDS’s are the safety labels which are a universal system created to provide consistent communication concerning chemical hazards.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has a requirement that all laboratories have a full list of all SDSs present in all labs. This list should be printed out, and organized in a binder, and kept in your chemical storage room. This is an excellent time to check that your storage area contains this list as you head into 2022.
The SDSs are helpful when you take an inventory of your chemicals needed to be disposed of. Fire departments and emergency personnel will also ask to see this printed list if they have to respond to an emergency at your facility.
Another use of this list is for teachers to consult it for each chemical they will use in an experiment or demonstration. They should be reviewing the storage, disposal, and handling information given for all chemicals they will use.
Disposing of Chemical Waste
Not all the waste your facility generates is considered hazardous. There are some chemicals that can either be sent down the drain or placed in a trash can. To understand which waste materials these are, talk to the experts at Environmental Marketing Services. Reducing your waste disposal pickup could save your facility money.
Why Use a Hazardous Waste Management Facility?
Hazardous waste management facilities have the experience and knowledge to work with, treat, store, and dispose of dangerous chemical waste. These facilities are typically known as TSDFs (Treatment, Storage, Disposal Facility) and their activities include:
– Treatment
Through various processes, such as oxidation and incineration, they can alter the composition of hazardous materials. In some cases, the waste can be recovered and reused in other manufacturing settings.
– Storage
TSDFs can temporarily hold hazardous materials until they are able to be treated and disposed of. This process relieves your facility from having to hold on to dangerous materials awaiting the treatment and disposal process.
– Disposal
The most common form of disposal is a landfill. Hazardous materials are placed in a carefully constructed unit that will protect surface and groundwater resources.
The professionals at Environmental Marketing Services have over ninety years of combined experience in the waste disposal and recycling industry. It is our objective to develop a cost-effective solution for your waste disposal and recycling needs. If your facility has not yet scheduled a year-end cleanout of chemical waste, contact our office today. We are ready to discuss your waste removal needs and get you on a fresh start for 2022.
