Handling Wastes with Hazards

Safety Instruction Number:

Last Update:

Mon, 07/20/2009

General

Waste materials generated from OSU operations may be hazardous to both employees and others who handle waste to ultimate disposal facility
Typical examples include material that is radioactive, flammable, reactive, toxic, corrosive, infectious or sharp
OSU policy requires hazardous wastes should be segregated and placed in appropriate waste containers
Lab and shop personnel are responsible to direct their waste to the correct disposal method
Follow these guidelines in handling potentially dangerous materials for disposal

Radioactive waste material must be properly labeled, placed in special radioactive waste containers, and disposed of through EH&S
Use the web pickup request form
To prevent contamination, only laboratory workers and EH&S personnel should handle these containers
For more information contact Radiation Safety staff at 7-2227

Chemical waste should be disposed of through the program operated by EH&S.
Place empty rinsed chemical containers in a building dumpster or glass recycling bin
Hazard warning labels (e.g. flammable liquid) should be removed or completely obliterated from empty containers prior to disposal
Many laboratory chemicals are non-hazardous and can be safely disposed of in the normal trash. To avoid confusion, clearly label these containers "NON-HAZARDOUS" and put in a sealed secondary box prior to disposal.

Infectious or biohazardous waste must be incinerated, properly autoclaved, or chemically disinfected prior to disposal.
After disinfection, this material should be put in a sealed outside container and placed in the building dumpster unless it contains sharps, hazardous chemicals, or radioactive constituents
A label that clearly identifies the material as "STERILE" or "NON-INFECTIOUS" should be placed on the outside of the container or bag
Infectious waste autoclaves should be strictly monitored for correct operation

There is a distinction between "sharp objects" and "sharps"

Regulatory definition includes needles, scalpel blades, lancets, and syringes that have been removed from their original sterile containers
The definition DOES NOT exempt needles or syringes used for non-infectious materials
All sharps must be initially placed in puncture resistant "sharps" containers, and collected for incineration in a DEQ-permitted infectious waste incinerator
If needles or other sharps are found in the trash, laboratory personnel will be contacted to correct the hazard
EH&S coordinates the sharps disposal program

Other sharp objects, such as broken glass, can cause physical damage to an individual and have the potential for infection or poisoning if contaminated
Employees should watch for sharp objects and should never reach into a trash container to remove trash or compact it
Sharp objects should be placed in puncture resistant containers (cardboard box) before placing into the trash
Plastic bags full of trash should be carried away from the body