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Before collecting chemical waste, consult with your EHS Lab Safety Coordinator by emailing safety@uvm.edu. Coordinators can help you plan and make recommendations for proper waste collection. This helps EHS to stay safe and more easily manage it!

Things to consider before collecting lab waste:

• How much waste will you generate in 1 month? or in 6 months? This determines the SIZE of the waste container.
• What will be in the waste? This helps to determine what type of container (glass, plastic, etc.) you should collect it in.
• Solid wastes must be collected separately from liquid wastes. Will your waste have both liquids and solids? Can you separate them or not?
• What will the exact composition be? Percentages of each chemical do matter!
• Is it possible to separate wastes by hazard or must the chemical waste be mixture?

You must list the estimated or exact percentages of the chemicals in your waste on the waste accumulation label and on the laboratory waste tag.  It is required that you list exact percentages for the following chemicals:

• Nitric acid
• Hydrogen Peroxide

These chemicals are regulated differently at different concentrations. Some can also be more reactive at a higher concentration. 

Most lab chemical solutions cannot go down the lab drain. Anything poured down a ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë drain goes directly to Burlington's wastewater treatment facility and eventually discharge into Lake Champlain. To protect this area resource, and per EPA and Burlington Public Works Department requirements, lab personnel are prohibited from drain disposing of the following materials:

• Flammable liquids (flash point = or < 140 F)
• Reactive or explosive materials
• Liquids with pH = or < 4.5
• Liquids with pH = or > 9.5
• Highly viscous materials (e.g. oils) capable of causing an obstruction in the wastewater system
• Radioactive materials
• Materials that have or create a strong odor (e.g. H2S, CS2, NH3, BME, SO2, etc.)
• Materials capable of significantly raising the temperature of the system
• Grease or oils according to the following guidelines:
  • Petroleum > 15 mg/L,
  • Animal or vegetable > 100 mg/L,
  • Non-emulsified or "floatable" oils or grease
• Pharmaceuticals or endocrine disruptors
• Dyes or solutions with dyes.

Only materials that have been approved for sink disposal by EHS Compliance Manager may go down the drain at ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë. Many non-hazardous salt and sugar solutions have been approved for drain disposal, but please err on the side of caution. 

Small amounts of chemical solutions should be tagged as lab waste. Only submit an online if you are generating a large amount of a solution that you believe is non-hazardous but is not yet on the approved sink disposal list. Indicate 100% of the constituents in the solution, even if the solvent is water.

Solvents used to rinse clean glassware (acetone, ethanol, Nochromix, etc.) are required to be collected as hazardous waste and disposed of through ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë's waste disposal procedures. These materials are regulated and cannot go down the drain.

Evaporation of hazardous materials inside of a chemical fume hood for the purpose of disposal is prohibited.

Chemical fume hoods are used to keep chemical vapors from the user's breathing zone during experimental processes. A fume hood can also increase the evaporation rate of certain chemicals due to the amount of airflow.  To minimize the potential for air pollution as a result of chemical fume hood, close caps tightly when a chemical is not in use, and never store chemicals, including chemical wastes, inside of the fume hood.  Clutter and extra materials stored on the fume hood work surface prevents the proper movement of airflow in the hood.

The yellow Lab Waste Accumulation label must be filled out completely as soon as any waste is added to the container. As part of the required ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë monthly laboratory self-inspection, visibly inspect waste containers and their labels. If the information written on a waste label is unreadable (has faded over time or chemicals have dripped on to the label), replace it. A properly filled out laboratory waste accumulation label includes the following:

• Full English names to list all of the contents,
• The date that the waste began being collected, and
• Circles around the appropriate hazard(s) of the contents.

Waste container labels MUST be visible and readable at all times.

Double labeling causes confusion. Never place an orange or green label AND a yellow waste accumulation label on the same container. Only use one or the other. If a label is still visible after placing a waste accumulation label, make sure to fully de-face the one that is no longer useful.

Waste accumulation container labels and laboratory waste tags are available from several locations on campus or by contacting safety@uvm.edu.

View supporting diagrams (double labels)

For items that are not identified specifically as chemical, biological, or radioactive waste, refer to the ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë Recycling Guide for details about how other items (e.g. batteries, light bulbs, and old lab equipment) are collected on campus.

Since the management and disposal of mixed wastes is more complex and costly, please contact safety@uvm.edu before you generate any mixed lab waste such as the combination wastes described below.  

• Chemical and biological waste,
• Chemical and radioactive waste, or
• Biological and radioactive waste.

Mixed waste combinations should only be collected with prior approval. 

"Unknowns" are chemicals that are found in the lab either with an illegible label or no label at all that lab workers no longer know the contents. We cannot guess at what these wastes are. There is a strict and expensive protocol that Safety staff are required to follow in order to manage this type of waste. Please inspect your chemicals monthly as required by the Lab Safety Program to eliminate or minimize unknown chemicals in your lab.

If you find an unknown in your lab, please tag it for pickup with as much information as possible. If you have multiple unknowns, each container needs individual tags.

Batteries are generally collected throughout campus in brown battery buckets. If you have a bag of batteries in your lab, this can be tagged as waste for pickup. Please estimate the amount in pounds.

NOTE: Large lead acid batteries, or any battery that is swollen and/or leaking, should be tagged immediately for disposal.

Biologically contaminated sharps also contaminated with the residues of hazardous chemicals can be managed in the same red, puncture-proof container as all other sharps in the lab. There is NO need to manage these as a separate waste stream. Please do not label the container with a lab waste accumulation sticker.  Seal, lock, and place full sharps box inside of a biohazard box when full.

If you do not have a biobox, sharps, and their containers, can be handled like other chemical wastes. Use an accumulation label to identify the residues (e.g. solvents, etc.) that contaminate the sharps. Once full, tag for waste pickup.

Containers of highly hazardous or reactive chemicals (PDF) are required to be securely closed and tagged for waste disposal. Never re-use these types of containers to collect waste.

Debris that is contaminated with hazardous chemicals should be collected in a clear bag or in a cardboard box lined with a clear plastic bag and tagged as chemical waste for disposal. Never use a red biohazard bag to collect chemically contaminated glassware or debris.

Glassware contaminated with infectious material should be placed in a puncture-proof container and then placed in a biohazard box. For information about biological waste please follow this link to the biowaste management.

Glassware contaminated with radioactive contaminants should be decontaminated and Radiation Safety staff should be notified. For information pertaining to radioactive waste management follow this link to the Radiation Safety Office (RSO) website.

Burned out fluorescent lights, compact light bulbs, UV light bulbs, etc. are considered Universal Waste in the State of Vermont and should be removed from the fixture and carefully placed back inside of the cardboard box that they came in to prevent breakage. Email safety@uvm.edu, call , or submit a waste tag for intact light bulb pickup.

Broken light bulbs are considered hazardous waste and should be collected in a clear bag that can be sealed inside of a cardboard box. Fill out a lab waste tag and enter tag online for pickup.

Old lab equipment needs to be checked by ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë ITS to have hazardous components removed prior to safe disposal as scrap metal or electronic waste. Labs are required to use the Surplus Disposal Form for any equipment to be disposed appropriately.

Disposal of Surplus Lab Equipment Page

Used oil, and oil-contaminated rags/debris, is regulated in Vermont. This means the oil and debris must be collected, labeled, and disposed as hazardous waste. Here are a couple examples:

• Vacuum pump and silicon oils;
• Vehicle crankcase oils, transmission fluids, and power steering fluids;
• Hydraulic, compressor, and straight cutting oils;
• Tramp oil and oil drained from evaporators.

Chemical spills of one liter or less can be cleaned up by lab personnel using the Chemical Spill Kit that is provided by Risk Management and Safety to every lab on campus. 

Debris, such as contaminated gloves, cardboard, bench pads, glassware, etc. should be collected in a CLEAR plastic bag and tagged immediately with a . Safety staff are always available to consult with lab personnel about a spill or to assist or perform the spill cleanup. Page Safety staff by calling ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë Service Operations at 802-656-2560, press 1 to speak to dispatcher.

For any lab group that is looking to dispose of a large number of research samples with similar hazards, completing a Research Sample Disposal Form may be the simplest way to complete this task. Complete one form for each set of samples that have different hazards, characteristics, and states.

Fill out the form completely before tagging the form under one waste tag. Make sure all of the information is accurate and that you have included a good contact person to answer any questions that may arise during or after pick up. For the "yes" or "no" questions, make sure to explain the reasoning behind any "yes" answers.

For instance: "Is the material an oxidizer risk?" If "yes," explain the cause for the potential oxidation. Writing as much information as possible will make it easier to dispose of the materials appropriately.

Unknown chemicals present serious safety and compliance issues. An "unknown" is defined as a chemical in an unlabeled container for which the identity is unknown. Federal, state, and local regulations specifically prohibit the transportation, storage, or disposal of wastes of unknown identity. Unknowns can be dangerous for lab personnel and anyone who has to manage the material for disposal after it leaves the lab. Hazardous waste disposal companies will not accept unknowns without analysis.

Never open or handle an unknown in your lab if the container is bloated or you suspect that it may react adversely or even detonate.

Unknown Testing is Required before Disposal

The process for identifying an unknown chemical is dictated by the end-disposal company who contracts with ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë to receive and manage the final destruction of the waste. Risk Management and Safety manages this tedious and expensive process. In 2021, ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë labs generated about 30 unknowns!
Unknown chemicals must be tested for several properties before they can be identified as what they are not. Yes, you heard that correctly! A specific testing criterion helps RM&S determine the hazard class (corrosive, ignitable, oxidizer, reactive, toxic, and radioactive) before proper waste management and disposal can take place. For this reason, every effort should be made by laboratory personnel to prevent and identify unknown chemicals but never guess when it comes to unknowns. Never open, sniff, taste, or try to react an unknown to make an identification. Avoid consolidate multiple unknowns into one container.

If you have any information that can help narrow down the possibilities, please let us know!

Before students graduate and move on, help them properly label and dispose of their samples before they leave ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë. If a lab is closing or a PI is retiring or leaving ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë, contact RM&S 2-3 weeks beforehand to meet in the lab and review all leftover materials.

• LABEL all chemical solutions when they are created! This including beakers, samples, test tubes, and flasks, even if they are created for temporary use.
• INSPECT all chemical containers and their labels as you conduct the required monthly lab self-inspection. Immediately replace labels that have fallen off, faded, or become damaged.
• ENSURE container labels have full chemical names. Never use abbreviations, chemical structures, or formulas. Include the user's initials and a date on the container for easier identification later.
• SUBMIT lab waste tags frequently. Dispose of spent materials and chemicals with no foreseeable use promptly.
• PURGE archived samples annually. Bins containing multiple and identical vials must be clearly labeled on the outside of the secondary bin with the user's name, chemical constituents, and the date.

If you are unable to identify the unknown chemical, it must be tagged with its own individual lab waste tag. The description of the unknown should include the word "Unknown" and a general description (color, liquid or solid, etc). Refer to the image on this page to better understand how to complete a lab waste tag for each unknown material.

NOTE: Unknowns are picked up from campus labs 1x per month to accommodate the time it takes to conduct lengthy testing and to categorize and pack the waste safely for proper disposal.

• Never use food-grade containers to store chemicals
• Never store corrosives in metal containers

• Never place two orange or green waste lab label on a container
• Use one or the other

• This label must be filled out and placed on the waste container as soon as one drop of liquid (or solid contaminated debris) is added to the container.