Environmental Health & Safety Properly Labeling Dangerous Waste

Properly Labeling Dangerous Waste

 

Note: The small yellow waste labels that EHS has always provided can now only be used on containers that are one gallon (four liters) or smaller. Any container larger than that must have an 8.5” x 11” waste label that is now available through EHS. The procedure for filling them out will be identical.

CCR#: This will be the number provided on the Chemical Collection Request webpage (online CCR form) when a collection request is submitted. Please write this number on the label in order to help waste management employees identify which containers to pick up.

Phone: This can be the phone number for the lab where the waste was generated, or the office phone or cell phone for someone who will take responsibility for the waste if waste management employees have any questions or issues.

Bldg/Room: The building name and room number where the waste was generated.

Major Hazard: A major hazard must be selected for all chemical waste. The ‘other’ field can be used in case of an oxidizer, a water or air reactive chemical, explosive, etc.

Constituents: All constituents must be spelled out with no abbreviations or formulae. Percentages must be included and add up to 100%. In the case of a trace chemical that will account for less than 1% it is acceptable to list the chemical as 0%, but it still should be listed. In order to be compliant with regulations, constituents and percentages must be filled out the moment one drop of waste is in the container. It may be necessary to make a guess and then change the percentages when the container is full.

CWAA Date: This will only be filled out if the waste has been moved into a Centralized Waste Accumulation Area operated by EH&S. If the waste is to be picked up directly from the generator’s lab or shop, this date should not be filled in.

Environmental Health and Safety provides labels like the one shown above free of charge, as well as the 8.5”x11” waste labels required for containers larger than one gallon. A waste label must include the following to be compliant.

  • The words “Dangerous Waste”
  • The major hazard
  • All constituents adding up to 100% (including water)

See WAC 173-303-630(3)