Waste Management System. Procedure for the storage, collection and disposal of used chemicals, solvents and other hazardous substances Corporate Procedure: CP-WMS 011 Authorised by: Charlotte Winnert Issue number: Two Date of issue: 13 th September 2012 Purpose To define the University of Sheffield s legal obligations and procedures associated with the storage, collection and disposal of used chemicals, solvents and other hazardous substances. Scope This procedure applies to waste chemicals, solvents and other hazardous substances generated by the University, the Medical School and the Dental School. Legal framework Environmental Protection Act 1990 Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 Controlled Waste Regulations SI 1992/588 Duty of Care Regulations SI 1991/2839 Landfill Regulations SI 2002/1559 Hazardous Waste Regulations SI 2005/894 Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations SI 2009/1348 Waste Management Licensing Regulations SI 1994/1056 Responsibilities Department and employees responsible for identifying materials that need to be disposed of as chemical and solvent waste, and storing materials safely prior to collection by the appointed contractor. Environment Officer responsible for organising the collection and disposal of waste chemicals, solvents and other hazardous substances from departments; and for ensuring legal compliance and compliance with this procedure through regular audits at an organisational level.
Definitions Duty of Care All waste is subject to a Duty of Care. The Duty of Care applies to anyone who produces, imports, carries, keeps, treats or disposes of controlled waste. In particular, waste holders have a duty a) to take steps to prevent offences involving waste; and to b) prevent other people from disposing, treating or storing the waste without a licence, in a manner likely to cause pollution or harm to health or breaching conditions of their licence. There are also particular requirements placed on those storing and transferring waste. Storage of waste To comply with the Duty of Care Regulations the University must ensure that all waste is stored in such away as to prevent escape or leakage whilst on site, in transit or in storage. The University must act to keep stored waste safe against: 1. corrosion or wear of waste containers; 2. accidental spilling or leaking or inadvertent leaching from waste unprotected from rainfall; 3. accident or weather breaking contained waste open and allowing it to escape; 4. waste blowing away or falling while stored or transported; and 5. scavenging of waste by vandals, thieves, children, trespassers or animals. Transfer notes and written descriptions The Duty of Care regulations require written descriptions and transfer notes to be completed when waste is transferred between two parties. On the transfer of controlled waste, both the University and the waste carrier must complete and sign a transfer note, which must be kept for two years. The transfer note must contain the information given below. 1. the identification of the waste; and its quantity; whether it is loose or in a container; if it is in a container, the type of container; place and time of transfer; the appropriate six-figure code from the European Waste Catalogue. 2. the name and address of the transferor and transferee; 3. whether the transferor is the producer or importer of the waste; 4. if the transferee is authorised for transport purposes, which of those purposes apply; 5. the category of authorised person that the transferee (and the transferor, where applicable) comes under, or which exemption applies and why they are exempt. The description of the waste should mention any special problems and should include the type of premises or business from which the waste comes, the name of the substances, the process that produced the waste, and chemical and physical analysis. Hazardous waste and consignment notes Page 2 of 9
Where hazardous waste is being produced it is a legal requirement for the premises to be notified to the Environment Agency. Upon registration the premises will be issued with a sixfigure premises code, which must be renewed every year. Holders of hazardous waste are also subject to the Duty of Care Regulations and a system of consignment notes. However, the consignment notes fulfil the Duty of Care requirement for a written description to accompany the transfer of waste. Consequently a consignment note is the only document that needs to be completed when hazardous waste is collected for disposal. The consignment note may be completed by the transporter of the waste, however the University must ensure that the waste has been consigned correctly. A consignment note is divided into 5 sections, parts A to E. The University must complete section A of the note which should contain the following information: 1. consignment note code; 2. the address of where the waste was removed from; 3. the Premises Code; 4. details of where the waste will be taken to; and 5. the details of the waste producer if different from 2. The University should also complete section B of the note which should contain the following information: 1. the process giving rise to the waste(s); 2. the SIC for the process giving rise to the waste; 3. a written description of the waste including: the appropriate six-figure code from the European Waste Catalogue; quantity (kg); the chemical/biological components of the waste and their concentrations; the physical form of the waste (i.e. gas, liquid, solid, powder, sludge or mixed); the hazard code(s); the container type, number and size; the UN identification number(s); proper shipping name(s), UN Class(es); packing group(s); and details of any special handling requirements. Section C is completed by the waste carrier. This should include the following: 1. carrier name and address; 2. carrier registration number or details of exemption; 3. vehicle registration number (or mode of transport if not road); and 4. the carrier must also sign and date the consignment note. Page 3 of 9
Section D is completed and signed by the University. By signing Part D the consignor is certifying that: all of Parts A, B and C are correct; the carrier is registered or exempt; the carrier was advised of any precautionary measures regarding the collection; all of the waste is packaged and labelled correctly and the carrier has been advised of any special handling requirements Part E is completed by the consignee. The consignee should complete section E and verify that the wastes listed in Part B match the wastes received. The consignee must provide a return to the University to confirm that the waste has reached its final destination. This can either be a copy of the completed consignment note or a copy of the quarterly returns (which waste managers must produce for the Environment Agency). Three copies of the consignment note should be completed one for the consignor i.e. the University, one for the carrier and one for consignee. Consignment notes and returns must be kept for three years. To ensure that consignors provide hazardous waste returns, the University must also keep a Register of Hazardous Waste Consignment. 06 Wastes from Inorganic Chemical Processes EWC coding for chemical waste 13 01 waste hydraulic oils 13 01 01* hydraulic oils, containing PCBs 13 01 04* chlorinated emulsions 13 01 05* non-chlorinated emulsions 13 01 09* mineral-based chlorinated hydraulic oils 13 01 10* mineral-based non-chlorinated hydraulic oils 13 01 11* synthetic hydraulic oils 13 01 12* readily biodegradable hydraulic oils 13 01 13* other hydraulic oils 13 07 wastes of liquid fuels 13 07 01* fuel oil and diesel 13 07 02* petrol 13 07 03* other fuels (including mixtures) 14 06 waste organic solvents, refrigerants and foam/aerosol propellants 14 06 01* chlorofluorocarbons, HCFC, HFC 14 06 02* other halogenated solvents and solvent mixtures 14 06 03* other solvents and solvent mixtures 14 06 04* sludges or solid wastes containing halogenated solvents 14 06 05* sludges or solid wastes containing other solvents 15 01 packaging 15 01 10* Packaging containing residues of or contaminated by dangerous substances 15 02 absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths and protective clothing 15 02 02* absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths and protective clothing contaminated by dangerous substances Page 4 of 9
16 05 gases in pressure containers and discarded chemicals 16 05 04* gases in pressure containers (including halons) containing dangerous substances 16 05 06* laboratory chemicals, consisting of or containing dangerous substances, including mixtures of laboratory chemicals 16 05 07* discarded inorganic chemicals consisting of or containing dangerous substances 16 05 08* discarded organic chemicals consisting of or containing dangerous substances 16 05 09 discarded chemicals other than those mentioned in 16 05 06, 16 05 07 or 16 05 08 University schemes for bulking up solvent and oil waste To ease storage and disposal it is standard practice to bulk up solvent and oil waste; this involves collecting wastes together in large drums prior to collection for disposal. The University bulks up solvent and oil waste using the following categories; halogenated solvents, non-halogenated solvents and oils. The table below gives some examples. Halogenated solvents Hon-halogenated solvents Oils* Chloroform Trichloroethylene Ethylene chloride 1, 2 Dibromoethane Carbon Tetrochloride Genc1ene Acetone Alcohols (eg Iso propyl alcohols; ethan diol; absolute (ethyl) alcohol; methanol; n-propanol; n-butanol; 2-Butoxy-ethanol) Amyl acetate Benzene Butyl acetate Cyclohexane De Solve 8090 Dibutyl phthalate Dioxan Ethers (eg diethylether) Ethyl acetate Ethyl cinnamate Ketones (eg diethyl ketone; Ethyl methyl ketone) Paraffin Petroleum spirit Propylene oxide Tributyl citrate Toluene Tupentine Page 5 of 9 Mixed Lubricant Oils Oils Heating Fuels * Note that specific arrangements must be made for PCB containing oils. They must not be mixed with other oils. Labelling system for solvents Material Labelling protocol Department of Chemistry Corporate system Halogenated solvents A X Hon-halogenated solvents B Y Mixed solvents C Oils Z
Procedure 1. Bulking up and storage 1.1 The employee generating the chemical / solvent waste is responsible for identifying the correct disposal route. Solvents and oils must be disposed of using the bulking up collection and appropriate labelling system. Hazardous chemicals and other materials must be stored separately. 1.2 Solvents must be kept in separate categories according to type - see table on page five. Each drum must be labelled with its group letter or material type. 1.3 Waste solvents containing both halogenated and non-halogenated solvents, it must be disposed of as a halogenated solvent. 1.4 Waste oils containing PCBs must not be mixed with other oil waste: they must be clearly labelled, stored and disposed of separately. 1.5 Depending on the quantity of waste solvents generated, departments may use either 25l or 205l drums to store waste. Solvent drums must be made of metal and in good condition, however it is permissible to use plastic drums to store oils. If containers are re-used then all traces of previous labelling must be removed or obliterated. 1.6 Aqueous phases must be decanted whenever possible and contents of the drums must be as near to a neutral ph as possible. Where a potential corrosion problem is unavoidable, the waste must be decanted into the drum on the morning of collection 1.7 Reactive chemicals must not be mixed and must be kept separately. 1.8 Departments must develop and document local procedures for the storage of chemicals and solvents prior to collection by the specialist waste management contractor 1.9 Chemicals must not be stored in solvent stores. 1.10 Waste solvent containers must be inspected on a regular basis to ensure that they are in good condition. 1.11 Waste chemical and solvents must be stored in line with the Duty of Care Regulations (see page two) prior to collection. It must be stored safely and securely. If stored outside they must be bunded and protected from the weather. 1.12 Waste solvents and waste chemicals must not be stored for more than 12 months. 1.13 The following warning signs must be displayed on waste solvent store doors Yellow triangle EX sign Highly Flammable No Smoking 1.14 There must be a spill kit in all solvent stores. Page 6 of 9
2. Requesting collections 2.1 The collection and disposal of solvents, chemicals and other hazardous waste is managed corporately by the Environment Officer. Collections are made by a specialist contractor approximately every six weeks these have been booked in advance with the contractor see the table below. 2.2 Departments should book collections of waste as required (using the booking sheet) no less than 8 days before the scheduled collection see the table below for the relevant deadlines. Forms must be e-mailed to the Environment Officer; no additions can be made to the list once it has been sent. 2.3 If a chemist is required to catalogue chemical waste this will carried out prior to the scheduled collection dates are listed in the table below. The Environment Officer will accompany the chemist; however a departmental representative must be available at the time of cataloguing. No further additions can be made to the waste once it has been catalogued. Deadline for booking collections with Environment Dates for chemical cataloguing Collection dates Officer 15 Oct 2012 18 Oct 2012 23 Oct 2012 3 Dec 2012 6 Dec 2012 11 Dec 2012 18 Feb 2013 21 Feb 2013 26 Feb 2013 1 April 2013 4 April 2013 9 April 2013 13 May 2013 16 May 2013 21 May 2013 3. Collections 3.1 When all the chemicals have been catalogued the contractor will devise a collection round departments will be notified of collection times by the Environment Officer. If, due to volumes of waste, it is not be possible to collect all the waste on the same day, a second day of collections will be scheduled in the same week as the first. 3.2 The Environment Officer will oversee all collections of waste solvents, chemicals and other hazardous material; however a departmental representative must be available at the time of collection. 3.3 Departments must indicate the contents of the drum by either writing or putting a label on the drum. The waste contractor will provide labels for transport on the day of collection with unique reference numbers for audit purposes. 3.4 Replacement solvent drums will be delivered to departments at the time of collection. 3.5 Drums that are not labelled or are in a suspect condition will not be collected; neither will those which are over-filled, contaminated on the outside or with lids which do not fit properly. 3.6 Chemicals will be packed by the waste contractor at the point of collection. Departments that do not have dedicated chemical storage areas will be required to provide a safe, dry and secure location within the department for the chemist to pack the waste. Page 7 of 9
4. Transfer of waste 4.1 Waste can only be handed to an authorised person or to persons authorised for transport. Before transferring to a waste carrier for the first time copies of their carrier licence must be obtained and reviewed the document annually. 4.2 All premises that are producing hazardous waste will be notified to the Environment Agency annually by the Environment Officer. 4.3 All waste transferred from University premises by a waste carrier must be accompanied either by a waste consignment note (see pages two to four for further information). 4.4 Waste consignment notes can be completed by the waste carrier, however those overseeing the collection of waste must check the documentation to ensure the waste has been consigned correctly. 4.5 Copies of waste consignment notes must be kept for three years. A Register of Hazardous Waste Consignment must be maintained to ensure that consignors provide hazardous waste returns. 4.6 In addition to ensuring that waste is only transported by licensed carriers, the University is responsible for ensuring that waste generated by the organisation is disposed of legally. The licences of any waste contractors and sub contractors used for the disposal of waste must be periodically checked to establish that they are working within the restrictions of their licences / permits or exemptions. 4.7 The Environment Officer will periodically audit waste managers and their sites to ensure that the University s waste is not being treated illegally. 5. Spills 5.1 Spills must be cleared up immediately. 5.2 Spill kits or absorbents must kept within close proximity of storage areas. Used spill kits/absorbents must be disposed of a hazardous waste and must not be exposed to any potential sources of ignition. 5.3 Spills must only be dealt with by a trained member of staff. 5.4 All spills, incidents and near misses involving chemical and solvent waste should be reported to an appropriate manager and Accident/Dangerous Occurrence form should be completed immediately. 6. Training 6.1 All new workers will be given a Department Induction where the segregation and disposal of solvent and chemical waste will be covered in addition to other training topics. Departments will be responsible for keeping induction records. 6.2 Solvent store operatives must attend general fire training, which must be renewed on annual basis; and solvent store training which must be renewed every three years. Page 8 of 9
7. Audit 7.1 The procedures used for identifying and segregating chemical waste will be monitored and evaluated on a regular basis. Waste audits will be managed by the Environment Officer and undertaken annually. Feedback will be given to departments and corrective actions will be completed within agreed time scales. Associated Documentation EG 003 - Guidance for departments on the completion of waste assessments and identifying hazardous waste The Safe Operation of Solvent Stores. Notes on the Safety Services Training Session. COSHH risk assessments. Departmental Handbooks / Local procedures. Appendices Waste Consignment Note AX04 Solvent and chemical disposal booking form Page 9 of 9