8/26/10 2010 ACS National Meeting and Exposition 1

Steve Brehio Northeastern University

Office of Environmental Health & Safety Boston, Massachusetts

o  National research university located in Boston, Massachusetts

o  World leader in practiced-orientated education

o  27,733 students o  Three suburban campuses

including Marine Science Center

o  41 academic buildings and 37 residence halls

o  400 research and teaching laboratories

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1.  Solvent recycling system 2.  RCRA wastewater treatment exemption 3.  Manage empty lecture bottles 4.  Chemical recycling list (chemical inventory

software also a great option)

5.  Packing lists vs. manifests (not reduction but a means to manage your generator status)

8/26/10 2010 ACS National Meeting and Exposition 3

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Features:

•  No water hookup (air cool)

•  Gravity fill system to eliminate open pouring

•  Automatic waste drain •  Vapor recovery system (activated charcoal filter)

•  Built-in spill containment

•  Internal safety switches

•  Regulatory compliance •  Safety of operations •  Training •  Purchasing cost •  Operational cost •  Maintenance cost •  Acceptable purity of recycled

product •  Supervision and ease of use

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•  Initial Purchase : $15,750 (cost sharing with Chemistry Department)

•  Projected annual savings: $7,200 (waste disposal as lab pack)

•  Payback approximately 2 years

•  Savings will vary depending on disposal: (lab pack, 5 gallon pail, or 55 gallon drum)

•  Other Savings: $3,000 annually not having to purchase new solvent

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FY 2000 dollars

o  Some wastes generated in laboratories can be managed under your wastewater treatment permit.

o  Acids in semiconductor laboratories are a good example.

o  Acids treated are converted into H2O, NaCl, NaF (drinking water additive), and Na2SO4.

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o  The U.S. EPA promulgated the exemption in 1980 to avoid imposing duplicative permitting requirements. Without this exemption, facilities could be subject to both a NPDES permit or a wastewater pretreatment permit and a hazardous waste permit for the same treatment unit. The underlying assumption EPA used in justifying the WWT exemption was that tanks used to handle hazardous wastewaters at these facilities would be provided with oversight under the CWA, thereby ensuring no significant decrease in environmental protection and control.

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o  Fits into many laboratory processes better. o  Safer and requires considerably less time. o  Wastes are managed on-site under your

wastewater treatment permit. o  Wastes not reported as hazardous wastes o  Avoid costs associated with disposal as a

hazardous waste.

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o  Many are not returnable. o  Some can easily be de-valved and recycled

for their metal. o  Can be done by researchers, EHS staff or by

certain hazardous waste vendors. o  Managing on site can be frequently less

expensive than disposal.

8/26/10 2010 ACS National Meeting and Exposition 10

o  Carbon dioxide o  Oxygen (D001) o  Carbon monoxide o  Many calibration

gases o  Inert gases o  Flammable gases

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o  Develop a fact sheet to provide guidance. o  Hazardous gases must be less than 25 psi

(RCRA empty) if they need to be purged. o  Purge flammable and hazardous gases with

nitrogen 3 times (try to have researchers do this). o  Some cylinders could require triple rinsing and

may not be worth managing on site. o  Do not de-valve pyrophoric or highly toxic

gases.

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o  Develop website. o  Mailing list. o  Keep it up to date. o  Best sources are lab

clean outs, lab moves or retiring faculty.

o  You will be amazed what people take.

8/26/10 2010 ACS National Meeting and Exposition 13

8/26/10 2010 ACS National Meeting and Exposition 14

Chemical Recycling List Last update: April 29, 2010

Chemicals Available

Chemical Amount Manufacturer Condition Status Date Posted

Methanol, HPLC Grade

4 L Fisher Unopened Available 5/10/08

Acetonitrile HPLC grade

4 x 4 L Spectrum Unopened Not available - recycled

12/15/08

Methanol - HPLC grade

3 x 4 L Aldrich Unopened Not available - recycled

5/10/05

o  Manifests on average can overstate the amount of regular hazardous waste you ship by up to 50%.

o  P listed waste can be overstated by 450% or more.

o  Don’t count the weight of the drum and vermiculite as hazardous waste.

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“Well, President Obama said today he’s going to use the gulf disaster to immediately push a new energy bill through Congress. I got an idea. How about first using the gulf disaster to fix the gulf disaster?” - Jay Leno

“Scientists say they have developed a car that can run on water. The only catch is, the water has to come from the Gulf of Mexico.” -Jay Leno

“This oil spill in the Gulf is affecting everybody. In fact, when I went to lunch this weekend and ordered the sea bass, they asked if I wanted it regular or unleaded.” - David Letterman

8/26/10 2010 ACS National Meeting and Exposition 18