Indiana University Environmental Health and Safety (IUEHS) developed this Guide based on local, state and federal regulations applicable to a broad variety of waste generated at the University. In addition, this Guide supplements Program requirements for the IUEHS Waste Management Program. Read and follow this Guide carefully. Indiana University employees play a vital role in the proper management of waste through their daily activities.
This Guide serves as a resource for IU employees who participate in activities that generate waste from various campus operations. The primary focus is on chemical waste. Several key concepts are covered, including: an overview of waste regulations; waste minimization and recycling; IU waste collection programs; disposal of specific waste streams; and handling chemical spills. Hyperlinks throughout the text provide direct navigation to additional information as needed. This Guide does not address detailed procedures for managing radioactive or biological wastes. For more information, refer to the Radiation Safety Program or IU Biosafety Manual as appropriate.
Each IU campus has unique infrastructure that requires certain procedures remain campus-specific. Therefore, some protocols are provided in campus-specific sections of this document.
Accumulation – Continuous addition of waste into container(s); also refers to the time-period over which waste is collected and stored (e.g. “accumulation start date” on a waste label).
Accumulation Container – A container used to collect waste in a satellite accumulation area.
Biohazard – Biological material that contains, or may contain pathogens that can cause disease in humans or animals, or that poses any other risk requiring inactivation or disinfection before final disposal.
Controlled Substance –A drug or chemical whose manufacture, possession or use is regulated by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Consolidate/Consolidation – Mixing similar wastes together, generally from smaller containers into larger accumulation containers.
Cylinder – A container used to store pressurized liquid or gas.
General Refuse – Items that can be discarded in campus trashcans, dumpsters or compactors because they do not pose hazards that require treatment, special handling or disposal.
Generator – A person or entity that creates hazardous waste.
Hazardous Waste – Materials defined as hazardous by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) due to hazards they pose to human health or the environment; includes listed and characteristic wastes (see Regulatory Overview).
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Garment or equipment that employees wear to protect themselves against chemical exposure hazards. Examples include safety glasses, gloves, and lab coats.
Satellite Accumulation Area (SAA) – Any area where hazardous waste is generated and stored until containers are full, up to 55 gallons total for all waste (See Regulatory Overview). SAAs must be at or near the point of waste generation, within the same room.
Universal Waste – Classification of hazardous waste managed under a special exemption to encourage recycling of certain materials. These wastes are still subject to certain regulatory requirements. Materials that can be managed as Universal Waste are:
Unknowns – Unidentified chemical waste resulting from lack of proper identification or labeling.
Waste Chemical – Any expired, spent or unwanted chemical or chemical mixture, or chemical product, including hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.
Waste Stream – Generic term for either specific waste generated by a continuous process, or for wastes that are similar, but come from various campus generators. Examples include non-chlorinated solvents, HPLC waste, used oil, etc.
The principal role of IUEHS is to serve as the primary University resource for all matters pertaining to occupational health, safety, and environmental management. IUEHS provides technical guidance, compliance assistance, quality assurance, remediation oversight, and training to the campus community.
For the purposes of waste management, the main role of IUEHS is to provide waste management oversight and services in conjunction with technical assistance, training, and support resources so that all IU employees are aware of their individual responsibilities in helping the University meet the following goals:
IUEHS will update this Guide as necessary to reflect any applicable changes in procedure or regulation.
Contact IUEHS for your respective campus with questions or concerns.
The success of the Waste Management Program depends on the conscientious efforts of all IU employees. When waste materials are mismanaged, they have the potential to threaten human health and pollute the environment. To ensure safety and compliance with the law, the first responsibility of all employees is to follow the procedures in this Guide. Additional individual responsibilities are to:
