Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
OP-21: Hazardous Waste Management

The Hazardous Waste collection process is constantly striving to eliminate the use and disposal of harmful substances, for example most areas within NAIT are eliminating the use of mercury in their labs and have found alternative products – mercury thermometers with spirit thermometers, mercury manometers, vacuum gauges & barometers with digital equipment.

THE CONTAINERS HAVE LABELS TO IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF WASTE

Ø Condense/minimize quantities for disposal; by identifying those that can be either recovered or disposed of by normal routes (please consult if you require further clarification).

Ø A record/manifest of all waste generated by individual groups are used to keep a historical record of waste generated by NAIT, for the future planning of Hazardous Waste Management.

The Biohazardous waste generated by Programs/Groups within NAIT is collected centrally for disposal. Collection of such waste centrally is on an as and when needed basis. The Biohazardous waste collected is then transported from NAIT for disposal by an approved and licensed outside agency.

In order to keep the volumes of Biohazardous waste generated to a minimum, the following guidelines are used:

Þ Is there any Federal or Provincial legislation for Biohazardous waste disposal which is applicable to the type of waste you have generated?

Þ Is it environmentally a good practice to dispose of the Biohazardous waste through normal municipal disposal routes.

Þ Proposed changes in the future may include stricter enforcement of Biohazardous waste disposal - closer watch on such development.

Þ Some known Biohazardous waste, as long as it is rendered non-infectious may be disposed of using municipal system.

Þ Some Micro biological waste, common bacteria cultures/plates may be made safer after autoclaving for longer period, longer than 15 min.

The collection, storage and disposal of all the hazardous waste materials generated by NAIT is coordinated and processed by the Chemical Technology Program in the School of Sustainable Building & Environmental Management. The hazardous waste received are processed before they are scheduled for disposal – condensed and consolidated to reduce quantity, recycled or recovered (silver) for future use, grouped for land fill processing or sent for recycling (oil, paint, battery, etc). The hazardous waste is then collected from NAIT for disposal by an outside disposal agency (registered and licensed) at pre-arranged times during the year.

Ø All hazardous waste for disposal from various departments, both solids and liquids, are clearly identified accompanied by a completed manifest form.

Ø The liquid waste for disposal are classified, wherever possible, into the following broad categories:

Inorganic Solutions
& Corrosive Liquids - Heavy Metals: Lead, Cobalt etc.
Acids
Bases
Cyanide & Arsenic
Aqueous Phenol
Hydrofluoric Acid

Photo-chemicals
Printing Solution - Blanket Wash
Offset Fluid, etc.

Non-Halogenated Solvents (Organic)
Halogenated Solvents (Organic)
Aqueous < 20% Organic
Ether
Petroleum - Heavy Petroleum (Bitumen)
Petroleum Distillate
Oils (hydraulic, engine, etc.)
Paraffin Wax in Solvent

Paint or paint solvent with paint
Organic Acids & Bases
Formaldehyde/Formalin
Picric Acid
Dyes & Stains- Aqueous
Non-Aqueous
Contaminated Plastics - Polyurethane Resin
Fibre Glass

Ø The solid waste for disposal into the following categories:

Solids - Organic
Inorganic
Mercury Contaminants (amalgam)
Asbestos
Batteries
Elemental Mercury

ALL WASTE GENERATED MUST HAVE LABELS TO IDENTIFY ITS CONTENTS

Ø Large quantities of liquid waste are stored in their respective areas, prior to disposal, in specified containers:

Organic Flammable - red, flame arrestor safety cans
Organic Non-Flammable - red jerry cans
Organic Acids & Bases - glass winchester bottles
Ether & Petroleum - red, flame arrestor safety cans
Inorganic Solutions - glass/plastic containers

Guidelines for the Central Collection of Biohazardous waste

v All solid Biohazardous waste for disposal/incineration must contain less than 5% liquid/water - tissues in formalin.

v Containers for the storage/collection of Biohazardous waste, which are destined for incineration, must be made of non-halogenated material - produce HCl.

v Recommended containers/bags with identity labels must be used for the collection & storage of Biohazardous waste.

v It is preferable, but not necessary, that all Sharps waste (medical & micro biological) be autoclaved after collection, before they are shipped to the central location for disposal.

v All Biohazardous waste brought to the designated central location at pre-arranged times (weekly on Fridays) are accompanied with SIGNED manifest sheet.