Hazardous Waste Minimization

Federal law requires

“[W]herever feasible, the generation of hazardous waste is to be reduced or eliminated as expeditiously as possible.  Waste that is nevertheless generated should be treated, stored, or disposed of so as to minimize the present and future threat of human health and the environment.”  

Founded on the basis of this statute, both federal and state regulations mandate hazardous waste generators implement hazardous waste reduction and elimination efforts.  Furthermore, one of the conditions of the Hazardous Waste Part B Permit issued to UK  for the storage and treatment of hazardous waste specifically requires the establishment of a university-wide hazardous waste minimization program.  The regulations and Permit conditions do not provide specific actions necessary for compliance but instead leave it to each entity to establish their own hazardous waste minimization efforts.  To this end,  UK has available a Chemical Redistribution Program (CRP). 

Many chemicals that laboratories, healthcare facilities and facility management areas submit as chemical waste are excess chemicals that are actually reusable. The objective of the CRP is to collect these chemicals from locations that no longer have use for them and redistribute them for use by  others.  The redistributed chemicals are provided at no cost to any location that has need for these chemicals.  Chemicals available for redistribution are stored by Environmental Quality Management Department (EQM) at the Environmental Quality Management Center after they have been assessed to determine if they meet the following criteria:

• Unexpired,
• Original container in good condition,
• Original legible manufacturer’s label,
• The material container is in good condition,
• The chemical does not exhibit any visible signs of contamination or deterioration and
• The original owner can declare the chemical is in useable condition.

If you have a chemical that you would like to make available for the CRP or to request a chemical from the available supply log into E-Trax to view the most current list of chemicals available (a summary of which is also provided in the table below) and enter a request for a chemical through the Chemical Request Form. EQM will fill the order request on a first-come, first-serve basis and will deliver the chemical to your laboratory free of charge.  The inventory list will provide:

• Name of the chemical,
• Manufacturer’s name, grade (i.e., technical, analytical, ACS, etc.),
• Amount, and
• Indication a as to whether the container is sealed or not.
• Catalog number,
• Quantity available

Current Inventory as of August 17, 2021

If you would like to donate a chemical to the CRP, list each unused chemical on an E-Trax ticket, identify it as being surplus or for redistribution.  An EQM team member will arrange for the pick-up of the chemical.