5 WAYS TO MINIMIZE HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL WASTE

 

Chemicals are used in the production of various products and play an important role in the protection of human health. Chemicals also contribute significantly to the GDP and employment. On the other hand, good management practices must be in place to mitigate adverse effects of chemical waste. In urban areas, lower income households are exposed to hazardous chemical due to their polluted residential areas as well as working premises. Chemical exposure in rural areas results from wrong use of agricultural chemicals as well as pollution carried by waterways. These effect the natural resources on which the community is dependent. S Epichlorohydrin (67843-74-7) manufacturer India, Agex Pharma is an ISO 9001-2008 certified company, started 2 decades ago, mainly focuses on developing high quality of Bulk Drug Intermediates, Labchemicals, Pharma Chemicals, Fine Chemicals, Research Chemicals, Rare Chemicals Etc.Agex Pharma, located at Rampur, U.P., is a reputed name for its R&D capabilities.

Chemical waste is a waste that is made from harmful chemicals. It could be a solid, liquid, or gaseous material that displays either a “Hazardous Characteristic” or is specifically “listed” by name as a hazardous waste.

Chemical waste falls under regulations such as COSHH in the United Kingdom. To be considered hazardous, your chemical waste needs to display one or more of these 4 characteristics: Ignitability, Corrosivity, Reactivity, and Toxicity.

Any hazardous chemical waste must be categorized based on its identity, constituents, and hazards so that it may be safely handled and managed. Due to the potential risks associated with the improper handling of chemical waste, its correct management and disposal are vital.

There are strict regulations in place to prevent risks to both the environment and to human health caused by improper chemical waste disposal.

Below, we have outlined some useful tips to follow to safely managing the disposal of your hazardous chemical waste.

WASTE MINIMIZATION STEPS

The risks associated with toxic and hazardous chemical waste can be mitigated through effective management. Steps to minimize the toxicity and volume of chemical wastes generated must be taken by the  industries, institutions and communities.

1.                  Inventory Management

Chemical companies must keep their chemical inventory updated, which would help to know about the usage patterns and prevent repurchasing of existing chemicals. The amount of chemicals purchased should tally with the requirement in the short term. Bulk purchase of chemicals must be avoided as they pose risk of storage and disposal costs. Outdated or unwanted chemicals must be disposed of immediately as they become more lethal over time. Excess chemicals must be sold to other manufacturing companies and intermediate industries that would require them. All chemical containers should be labeled appropriately , which would make their disposal hassle free.

2.                  Scaling And Substitution

Experiments conducted must be small scale to reduce the amount of chemical waste generated. Unwanted dilutions in experiments must be avoided to minimize the amount of hazardous waste generated. Experiments can be conducted with less hazardous materials such as biodegradable detergents, chromium-based cleaners, latex paints and coatings and non-mercury thermometers. Toxicity and disposal costs can be reduced by preserving  specimens in ethanol. Metal  catalysts must be avoided , wherever possible. Premixed chemicals must be purchased with desired concentration to avoid unwanted chemical stores and irrelevant experimental steps. Substitution of methanol with ethanol in experiments can offer more options for waste management.

3.                  Recycling

Recycling hazardous chemical waste would lead to less water, air and soil pollution linked with these practices. Recycling of hazardous waste not only benefits the environment, but also can benefit a chemical company’s bottom line. Chemical waste recycling would reduce  the costs linked with waste management and buying raw materials as well as increase production efficiency.

 

 

 

4.                  Segregation

 

Chemical waste should always be segregated into hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Experiments which generate mixed wastes containing hazardous and radioactive chemical waste mustr be avoided, owing to the complexity of the disposal process.At present, there is a dearth of mixed waste disposal outlets. Before the generation of mixed waste, environmental health and safety must be contacted. Toxic chemicals such as cyanides must be collected in separate containers away from non-toxic waste.

Researchers  can reduce a significant amount of waste in their laboratories by the following segregation  guidelines:

●Hazardous waste and non-hazardous waste should always be segregated. When non-hazardous waste is mixed with hazardous waste, it creates a mixture that is considered hazardous waste.

● Avoid experiments that produce mixed wastes that contain both radioactive and hazardous chemical waste. Currently, there are no available disposal outlets for certain types of mixed waste. Environmental Health and Safety must also be contacted prior to the generation of a mixed waste.

● Keep organic wastes separate from metal-containing or inorganic wastes.

● Collect highly toxic chemical waste (i.e., cyanides, osmium tetroxide) and all other chemical waste in separate containers.

 

5.                  Mixing Waste Streams

The most effective economical waste stream to dispose of are flammable liquids. Mixing of flammable liquid wastes with metals, halogenated solvents and other hazardous chemical wastes must be avoided. Heavy metal and mercury wastes should not be mixed with any other waste streams.

6.                  Designate a hazardous waste storage area

Select an area of your facility that is: — Near where the waste is generated — Under the control of trained personnel — Out of the way of normal business activities Label the area with a “Danger — Hazardous Waste” sign and make the area easily accessible and recognizable for the traffic going in and out and for the external inspectors.

7. Store your Waste Properly

Harmful chemical waste must be stored in leak-proof containers that are compatible with the harmful nature of the material. Never mix toxic waste with non-harmful materials. This ensures that your waste disposal activities do not result in reactions or corrosion in the container. Once mixed, the entire waste becomes harmful. Mixing the materials also makes recycling very difficult. Do not store it in a way that may rupture the container or cause leakage. Choose leak-proof containers that have impermeable surfaces and keep them always in good condition. If necessary, transfer waste material to a container that can be securely closed. Keep waste containers closed except when adding waste. When disposing of, it advisable to label the containers ‘harmful waste’ to give a clear description of the contents. Secondary containment should be in place to capture spills and leaks from the primary container, segregate incompatible hazardous wastes, such as acids and bases.