Safety Policy & Procedure Manual
Section 300: Laboratory Safety
Effective: 12/06/2005
Revised: 2/22/2012

Purpose

To ensure proper management and disposal of hazardous waste.

Applicability

Academic, research, and facility operations that use hazardous materials and subsequently generate hazardous waste.

Background

A comprehensive hazardous materials program is in place at OSU that provides guidelines for the use of materials that generate hazardous waste.  This program is designed to minimize the possibility of a threat to human health or the environment caused by fire, explosion, or any unplanned release of hazardous materials into the air, soil, or surface water.

Waste Categories
Hazardous waste can be broadly grouped into four categories: chemical, radioactive, biohazardous, and material that is sharp.  Each category has hazards that have an effect on safe handling and disposal practices, and a specific waste may have properties associated with two or more categories.  See SAF-Ex3: Waste Categories for an explanation of the different types of waste categories.

Policy

University faculty, staff, and students who generate hazardous waste must cooperate with OSU Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) to ensure the safe and proper identification, collection, accumulation, packaging, and disposal of hazardous wastes.  EH&S does not accept unknown or radiological wastes.

Procedure

Hazardous waste disposal procedures are maintained on the EH&S website

Online Hazardous Waste Pickup Request

Hazardous waste labels

Additional Information

Environmental Health & Safety provides technical assistance as well as emergency incident response services in the event of a chemical fire, explosion, and/or release.  For hazardous waste management consultation services, call EH&S at 541-737- 2273 or Radiation Safety (RS) at 541-737- 2227.