Hazardous Chemical Waste

Collection requests What is hazardous? Accumulation rules Minimization Cleanouts Contact List

Chemical Collection Requests

Request a one-time pickup of your waste with a Chemical Collection Request (PDF). Fill out all information completely and fax or snail mail (contact information is on the form.)

Wastes that are generated on a regular basis may be set up as Routines. To do this, fill out a New Routine Collection Request (PDF). Your chemical waste is assigned a routine number, and we know the composition of your waste and where you are located. If you already have a Routine number and want a pickup, fill out the online Routine Chemical Collection Request with the number and amount of waste. If you have questions about whether a waste qualifies for routine collection, email chmwaste@u.washington.edu or call 206.616.5835.

List of all collection request forms:

• Chemical Collection Request (PDF)
• Sample Chemical Collection Request (PDF)
• New Routine Collection Request (PDF)
• Sample New Routine Collection Request (PDF)
• Routine Chemical Collection Request

What is Hazardous Waste?

Chemicals that are corrosive, flammable, toxic, or explosive are "hazardous". Some additional chemicals are handled as hazardous waste because they are carcinogenic, persistent in the environment, or are not allowed in the trash because they generate dusts. For more information, refer to Section 3 of the Laboratory Safety Manual (PDF), take our online Hazardous Waste Training, or call 206.616.5835. Also refer to our webpages that outline when and how you can place non-hazardous chemicals trash or pour them down the sink.

If you are unwilling or unable to determine if your chemical or chemical mixture is hazardous, send us a Waste Evaluation Request and we will send you the answer.

Waste Accumulation Rules

Follow the below Hazardous Waste Accumulation Rules. Violations of these rules can cost the University money and may be unsafe.

1. Accumulate waste in a compatible container with a screw top lid. Containers that were designed for solid chemicals should not be used for liquids.
2. Label all containers with a completed and securely affixed UW Hazardous Waste Label.
3. Leave some headspace in the container for temperature and vapor pressure changes.
4. Store waste in secondary containment to avoid spills into sinks and floor drains.
5. Make sure the the waste accumulation location is under your control (i.e. not in hallways.)
6. Stay under maximum accumulation limits (54 gallons for most chemical waste, 1 quart for extremely hazardous waste).
7. Do not accumulate the same type of waste into two containers at the same time.

If your waste is accumulated improperly, we will discuss the problem with you if you are present. We will not pick up your waste until the problem has been corrected. If you have any questions, please contact the hazardous waste technologist collecting in your area.

See the Self Audit Checklist for waste generators, which includes the top ten waste management violations found in colleges and universities. See also our Online Hazardous Waste Training, which covers hazardous waste definitions, labeling, storage, and disposal and should take only ten to twenty minutes to complete.

Waste minimization

On average, EH&S collects about 200,000 kg of hazardous chemical waste a year. About 60% of this waste is destroyed in a high temperature hazardous waste incinerator. For the last five years, we reused, recycled, or treated about 40% of our chemical waste. Read more about our programs for waste elimination, product substitution, reuse, recycling and treatment.

Cleanouts

If you are relocating or cleaning out your workplace and have a large volume of chemical waste, here are some guidelines.

• If you think you will have more than 100 containers of waste, call 206.616.5835 to arrange for a cleanout appointment at least one month in advance of your move.
• Fill out copies of the Chemical Collection Request (PDF) and fax or mail them to us. Any waste not in its original container must have a completed UW Hazardous Waste label. We will pick up the waste in two to four weeks after you request collection.
• Consider the Chemical Exchange for your unwanted but useable chemicals (unexpired and preferably unopened, unless it is a commonly used chemical).
• Finally, remember to update your chemical inventory with MyChem.

Contact List

The below numbers are for the hazardous waste technologists that collect in each of the five zones.