The Zoology department will be working with Safety and Risk Services on a chemical disposal program called the chemical amnesty program. The program is intended to support the safe removal of unused, outdated and excess hazardous products from your building and work spaces at no cost to the participants and no need to complete any paperwork for drop off and disposal. The program will only be held for 3 days this month from January 27th until January 29th, as follows:
Drop off in room 3234 Biological Sciences Building West Wing
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | |
| Monday, Jan 27 | Tuesday, Jan 28 | Thursday, Jan 30 | |
| Time | 13:30 - 14:30 | 8:45 - 10:15 | 13:30 - 15:00 |
If you are interested in disposing any chemicals, please make sure you read the following instructions as it details the requirements for chemical drop off. Also, please make sure that you book an appointment with our chemical safety officer (Peggy Paduraru) to schedule a drop off time. Peggy can also help answer any questions you may have regarding this program.
Instructions:
Safety & Risk Services in cooperation with Departments of Zoology and Botany has contracted Sumas Environmental to run a chemical amnesty program. The program is intended to support the safe removal of unused, outdated and excess hazardous products from your building and work spaces. There is no cost to the participants and no need to complete any paperwork for drop off and disposal. To ensure an efficient and safe drop process please send an email to the chemical safety advisor indicating the name of research group and the preferred day/time for drop off (see schedule below). I will confirm the day/time with you or offer you an alternative if too many labs are already scheduled that day. cannot make any of these hours contact chemical safety advisor for alternatives.
Please ensure the following:
- Products must be labelled with a readable supplier label or workplace label in English.
- For mixtures, label must list chemical name of components (“Solution A” – not acceptable)
- Containers must be in safe condition for handling and transport or if compromised or broken must be in secondary containment (e.g. clear plastic bag). Containers must be sealable: screw top caps or lids that properly close. No leaking containers, flasks or beakers.
- Products must be segregated into the following main categories (to determine categories check the SDS of the product):
- Flammable Liquid and Flammable Toxic Liquid o Flammable Solids
- Solvents (non-flammable)
- Corrosive and Corrosive Toxic
- Toxic
- Oxidizers
- Non-Regulated (check “what is not accepted” – below)
- Products must be transported safely to the drop off location in secondary containment (according to classes). No packaging is necessary
- Peroxide formers must have test strip taped to the bottle with date of testing in the last year and concentration lower than 0.1%.
- Peroxide formers that have not been tested in the last year or are higher concentration >0.1% or have crystals forming must not be touched and be left in their location. Contact the chemical safety advisor for assessment. Information on peroxide formers can be found HERE.
- Mercury inventories including elemental waste, thermometers and monometers must be confirmed with the chemical safety advisor prior to the drop of date.
Items not accepted
- Empty containers.
- Small volume solvents must be transferred to appropriate size bottles for the volume (no 4 L bottle with 20 ml solvent in it). Transferred bottle can be labeled with just the name of the chemical.
- Chemicals that are Safe to go in Garbage and down Drain – see attached forms
- Items that can be recycled (e.g. paint, batteries, bulbs)
- Lecture bottles and gas cylinders as well as unknowns won’t be taken this round but an inventory should be taken and sent to the chemical safety advisor for inclusion in a future amnesty program.
- No Explosives, Radioactive or Biohazardous materials can be taken in this program.
- No waste (chemicals that have been processed)