University of California, Los Angeles
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

UCLA’s Hazardous Waste Training class encourages researchers to reduce their hazardous waste generation whenever feasible. Some of the methods we teach in the class are listed below: ordering only exact volumes to be used; being aware of any properties that may preclude long term storage (peroxide formers, degradation, etc.); using suppliers who can provide quick delivery of small quantities; checking your existing chemical inventory before ordering new chemicals; disposing of unneeded chemicals; promoting sharing among common users or returning excess chemicals to storage for use by others; and rotating chemical stock to keep chemicals from becoming outdated. In addition, researchers are instructed to employ small scale protocols whenever possible, use non-hazardous substitutes, return unused chemicals to vendor when possible, and avoid mixing hazardous and non-hazardous waste. UCLA has offered a Surplus Chemical Exchange Program for several years. EH&S collects unused chemicals and publishes an inventory of what is available on our website. Researchers can view the inventory and request chemical products, which are delivered to them free of charge. Some basic waste streams can be neutralized for drain disposal in consultation with EH&S. We review all drain disposal considerations so that they meet the requirements of DTSC Hazardous Waste regulations and our Industrial Wastewater permit with the City of LA. EH&S publishes information to the campus community through email alerts and our website on non-hazardous substitutes for research reagents. In addition, EH&S offers a free mercury thermometer exchange program. Any researcher who brings in a mercury filled thermometer will receive a free alcohol filled thermometer in return. We have removed approximately 40 pounds of mercury from campus as a result of this program.

UCLA disposes of all chemicals and other materials that meet the DTSC definition of hazardous waste in an approved and permitted TSD Facility. EH&S provides a weekly pick-up at each lab building, allowing researchers to bring their hazardous waste to our technicians at the appropriate loading dock of their building. The researchers print their own hazardous waste tags using a UC-system online tag program. The technicians scan the waste tags (using a barcode scanner), check the labels for accuracy, and then segregate the waste by hazard class, and transport it to our campus 90 day facility. Once a month our hazardous waste vendor packs and ships out our waste. All hazardous waste is shipped to facilities that are EPA approved and participate in a UC-wide audit program. Universal waste is handled primarily by the campus Recycling program in Facilities Management. They provide pick-ups upon request, label it appropriately, and bring it to their storage yard where it is picked up by OSS, their universal waste vendor, a DTSC licensed recycler. EH&S also collects small handheld electronics, batteries and fluorescent bulbs during the hazardous waste pick-up and arranges to drop them off at the campus Recycling program. UCLA also hosts the LA City Household Hazardous Waste Program. This program is open to the public and is available to campus staff and visitors to dispose of their household chemicals, electronic waste, batteries, pharmaceuticals and medical sharps. http://www.ehs.ucla.edu/pub/UCLA%20S.A.F.E.%20Center%20Flyer.pdf