Waste Management

All waste generated in Chemistry laboratories must be disposed of properly in order to prevent exposure or contamination to everyone else. 

In Chemistry teaching laboratories, there are four different waste receptacles as outlined in the table below. Research laboratories may have waste receptacles that look differently than these - please consult your faculty advisor about waste management in their research space.

Waste container Appearance Acceptable items
Landfill trash Tall metal can, or small plastic can with no lid Everyday trash - papers, food wrappers. No chemistry-related items at all
Laboratory trash Tall red or black plastic can with a swing lid Anything chemically contaminated and disposable - used gloves, weighing papers, paper towels
Glass trash Tall white and blue cardboard box Anything glass or sharp that is not a needle or syringe - broken glassware, broken porcelain, empty vials
Hazardous waste One gallon plastic bottle All leftover solid chemicals or solutions to be disposed of with the guidance of your instructor or laboratory assistant

Link to Mixed Waste Chemical Submission Webform:

Use this webform to submit a hazardous waste container for pickup by Environmental Health & Safety. Your Geneseo credentials are required.

Links to Blank Waste Management Binder Logs:

These forms are for the Hazardous Waste Management binder found in all teaching and research laboratories.

Important Reminders:

  • Hazardous waste containers must always be closed when not in use. Outside agencies will do surprise inspections and issue fines for open containers (>$40K).
  • You must complete the Mixed Waste Log before you leave the room.
  • Hazardous waste containers and any associated paper logs must never leave the room from the time the hazardous waste container is first used until it is picked up by Environmental Health & Safety (EHS).

  • Submit your hazardous waste containers for pickup in a timely manner:

    Person Deadline
    Laboratory Assistants (LAs) By the last day of classes, even if you plan to be an LA again next semester
    Faculty in teaching laboratories

    By your last day of obligation for the course 

    Note: while not recommended, if you will be teaching in the same room again, you may continue adding waste to your assigned hazardous waste container
    Faculty in research laboratories Whenever the hazardous waste container is full, or will not be used for three months, whichever is sooner

For more detailed information on hazardous waste management, please choose the appropriate menu below:

Hazardous Waste Training
  • All faculty, staff, and students involved in departmental research or who are LAs or Chemistry Stockroom employees must be hazardous waste trained once per academic year by the Chemistry Stockroom & Safety Manager.
  • Semesterly dates for this training are typically announced around the second week of classes, schedule permitting.
Creating a Hazardous Waste Container for Teaching Laboratories
  • The Chemistry Stockroom will create all waste containers that are needed for teaching laboratory classes.
  • If you current hazardous waste container is approaching full, please let the Chemistry Stockroom & Safety Manager know and a new hazardous waste container will be made for you.
Creating a Hazardous Waste Container for Research Laboratories
  1. Choose a hazardous waste container with a lid or cap that can tightly close and is compatible with the hazardous waste that you will be generating. 
  2. Permanently affix a label to the hazardous waste container with the following information at a minimum:
    • Laboratory owner or principal investigator's name.
    • Building and room number.
    • The phrase "Mixed Waste."
    • A unique identification number.
      • This is whatever code or numbering system you wish to use. This identification number is needed when submitting the full hazardous waste container for pickup by EHS.
      • The Chemistry Stockroom numbering system is semester and year, then counting up from one, e.g., S23-001 is the first hazardous waste container made for the Spring 2023 semester.
  3. Permanently affix a yellow SUNY Geneseo Hazardous Waste sticker to the hazardous waste container. 
    • These stickers are available in the Chemistry Stockroom, which are supplied by EHS.
  4. Tape over both the label with the required information and the yellow SUNY Geneseo Hazardous Waste sticker to prevent obscuring from drips and stains. 
  5. Fill out the heading of a blank Mixed Waste Log and store it in the Waste Management Log binder in the research space that the hazardous waste container will be stored in. 
  6. Store the hazardous waste container that you created in the designated Hazardous Waste Storage Area for the room.
    • This storage area must be clearly labeled as such and should be a secondary containment that is also compatible with the hazardous waste being generated in the event the hazardous waste container fails.
Filling out a Mixed Waste Log
  • Before adding materials to a hazardous waste container, ensure the hazardous waste being added is compatible with any hazardous waste present in the hazardous waste container already by referencing the Mixed Waste Log.
  • Each entry in the Mixed Waste Log must include the following:
    • Date generated.
    • Printed name.
    • Full chemical or solution name, specifying the solvent if other than water.
      • Do not use chemical formulas, abbreviations, or shorthand names, e.g., NaOH, EtOH.
    • Quantity of waste added, with units.
    • Note: you may use ditto marks (" ") or draw an arrow through subsequent rows (↓) if the entries contain the same information, e.g., writing your name on every line.
  • You do not need to complete the Mixed Waste Log the instant that hazardous waste is added to the hazardous waste container; however, you must complete the Mixed Waste Log before you leave the room for any reason.
  • Use as many Mixed Waste Logs as needed for the hazardous waste container until the hazardous waste container is full.
  • Once the hazardous waste container is full, or will no longer be added to, cross out any remaining empty rows of the Mixed Waste Log and write the date at the bottom of all of the Mixed Waste Logs associated with that hazardous waste container. 
Submitting a Hazardous Waste Container for Pickup by EHS
  • Navigate to the online Mixed Chemical Waste form.
  • Sign in with your Geneseo credentials, if prompted.
  • Complete the first section of identification information:
    • Your name and email address will auto-populate since you signed in with your Geneseo credentials. You will not be able to edit these fields.
    • Building name.
    • Room number.
    • Container number or ID.
      • This is the unique identifier that has been assigned to the hazardous waste container by the Chemistry Stockroom or you, if you created this hazardous waste container yourself.
    • Container size.
      • Plastic hazardous waste containers provided by the Chemistry Stockroom for academic laboratories are 1 gallon.
    • Totaled amount in container.
      • Total the volume quantities in the Mixed Waste Log, including units.
    • Physical state.
      • Select "mixed phase" if there is undissolved material in the hazardous waste container.
    • pH.
      • The Chemistry Stockroom can provide pH paper if there is none nearby the hazardous waste container.
    • Applicable hazards.
      • Hazardous waste containers should always be marked as toxic and irritant, at a minimum.
      • Choose other identifiers as appropriate. Typically, check the box for a hazard if 50% or more of the hazardous waste is that hazard, e.g., a hazardous waste container that is predominantly ethanol and acetone should also be marked as ignitable in addition to toxic and irritant.

  • Complete the chemical constituent section for every unique chemical entry in the Mixed Waste Log.

    Note: First, there is a prompt for "is this a continuation of a previous submission?" This answer is likely no.
    • This should only ever be marked as yes if you ran out of spaces in the webform for unique chemical entries in the hazardous waste container and you need to submit a second (or third) online request.
    • Write the full chemical name (do not abbreviate or use formulas), and any other information such as solvent if other than water in the first box. Then, the volume or mass in the second box. Finally, choose the appropriate units in the third box.
      • If you have multiple entries in the Mixed Waste Log that are the saem chemical, you may add them together and record them as one line item, e.g., three acetone entries for 500 mL each may be written as acetone, 1500 mL.
    • Click the green plus (+) symbol to add another blank entry line, or the red minus (-) symbol to remove the most recent line entry.
    • Continue transcribing the written Mixed Waste Log into the webform until all entries are accounted for.
    • If you run out of lines in the webform but have more entries remaining on the Mixed Waste Log, you will need to continue via another submission. Otherwise, skip these steps.
      • Click "submit form" at the bottom of the webform. You will receive an auto-generated email from EHS regarding the submission with the subject line "Mixed Chemical Waste Confirmation."
      • Open the webform again and complete the exact same identifying information as you did for the first submission.
      • Select "yes" for "is this a continuation of a previous submission?"
      • Continue filling out line entries until all entries from the Mixed Waste Log are accounted for.
      • In the comments box, write "this is a continuation of [[confirmation number(s)]]" for all previous submissions for this hazardous waste container, replacing the bracketed words with the confirmation number(s) found in the auto-generated email from EHS once submitted.
      • Click "submit form" at the bottom of the webform.
  • Click "submit form" at the bottom of the webform. You will receive an auto-generated email from EHS regarding the submission with the subject line "Mixed Chemical Waste Confirmation."
  • In the body of the confirmation email, there will be all of the information you entered into the webform, and also a confirmation number. 
    • Write all confirmation numbers for the hazardous waste container being submitted in the heading of the associated Mixed Waste Log.
    • Additionally, write all confirmation numbers for the hazardous waste container being submitted physically on the hazardous waste container in Sharpie.
  • Print three (3) copies of the Mixed Chemical Waste Confirmation email(s).
    • Staple one copy to the paper Mixed Waste Log(s) associated with the hazardous waste container and leave this in the Waste Management Binder for the room.
    • Roll up the second copy and tuck it in the handle of the hazardous waste container (or tape it to the hazardous waste container if it does not have a handle).
    • Bring the third copy to the Chemistry Stockroom & Safety Manager in ISC 329.
      • Research laboratories do not need to do this.
  • EHS will come pick up the hazardous waste container shortly. Do not move the hazaroud waste container from the room.
Neutralization
  • Chemicals that are safe to go down the drain with the instructor, laboratory owner, or PI's permission when neutralized may be flushed fown the drain with plenty of water when their pH is adjusted between 5.5 and 8.
  • Complete the Neutralization Log for the chemical being neutralized with the following information:
    • Full chemical or solution name, specifying the solvent if other than water.
      • Do not use chemical formulas, abbreviations, or shorthand names, e.g., NaOH, EtOH.
    • Quantity neutralized, with units.
  • Note: you do not need to record what you neutralized the substance with.
Regulated Medical Waste - Sharps

Governing information:

  • The storage, use, and disposal of needles and syringes at SUNY Geneseo is governed by 10 CRR-NY 80.133.
  • All needles and syringes must be stored behind two layers of locks in which no spring or combination locks are used.
    • e.g., a key-lock cabinet in a key- or electronically-locked room is sufficient.
  • A running inventory of all needles and syringes for academic laboratories in the department is maintained by the Chemistry Stockroom & Safety Manager. Research faculty are responsible for their inventory of needles and syringes.
    • Changes to this inventory are due June 30 annually.

Disposal of Regulated Medical Waste - Sharps

  • All regulated medical waste sharps should be disposed of in the red sharps container present in each laboratory, typically found in the Hazardous Waste Storage Area. 
    • Note: syringes should always be disposed of in this container despite being blunt without a needle attached.
  • All needles and syringes placed in the regulated medical waste container must be documented in the Regulated Medical Waste Log in the Hazardous Waste Management binder for the room with the following information:
    • Date.
    • Printed name.
    • For syringes:
      • Capacity (mL, CC, etc.).
      • Material (plastic, glass).
    • For needles:
      • Gauge (G, mm)
      • Length (in, mm)
    • Quantity.
  • To schedule a pickup of regulated medical waste, contact Bioserv at 1-800-378-8824 using the account number 5852455453.
Regulated Medical Waste - Biosafety Level Waste / Biohazardous Waste
  • Students should always consults with their research professor for proper biohazardous waste storage and disposal practices.
  • Biohazardous waste should be disposed of in a clearly and properly labeled biohazardous waste bag or container. Double-bagging is recommended to protect against punctures and leaks.
  • Once the biohazardous waste container is full, loosely tape the bag or container closed to prevent additional waste from being added while allowing any formed gasses from biological activity to escape. 
  • To schedule a pickup of regulated medical waste, contact Bioserv at 1-800-378-8824 using the account number 5852455453.
  • Once picked up, biohazardous waste is often autoclaved or incinerated, depending on the contents.