NEW ENGLAND LABORATORIES PROJECT XL AWARENESS SURVEY

1. Which federal agency regulates the disposal of chemical wastes:

a. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
b. Environmental Protection Agency
c. Department of Transportation
d. National Institutes of Health

2. Ultimately, most chemical waste generated in laboratories is disposed of by:

a. incineration
b. sending to a landfill
c. release to a sewer
d. treatment to remove hazards

3. What are the main reasons researchers should keep containers of laboratory waste securely closed except when adding chemicals?

___________________________________________________________

4. Which costs more, purchase or disposal of laboratory chemicals?

a. disposal costs more
b. purchase costs more
c. costs are roughly the same

5. In the book, "Prudent Practices in the Laboratory", what is the method for pollution prevention?

___ Recycling/Reuse/Recovery
___ Land Disposal
___ Source Reduction
___ Treatment

6. What is the proper way to dispose of strong mineral acids?

a. Dilution with water
b. Neutralization with lime
c. Collection for pick-up by hazardous waste personnel
d. Mixing with organic chemicals

7. What is the maximum amount of acutely hazardous laboratory waste that your laboratory is allowed to accumulate ? ____ liter(s)

8. What emergency response equipment is available in your laboratory to respond to a hazardous chemical spill?

_____________________________________ _____________________________________

9. How is waste water from your laboratory buildings treated?

a. Purification before release to the sewer
b. pH is controlled by acid neutralization, then released to the sewer
c. Diluted with the rest of the building's water, then goes to the sewer for municipal treatment by aerobic digestion

10. In general, how are fume hood emissions controlled in your laboratory?

a. Filtration to remove particles
b. Carbon filtration to remove gases
c. Dilution with laboratory room air

11. The last time you needed health and safety information about a particular chemical, what resource(s) did you use?

____________________________________________________________

12. Typically, what is the largest environmental impact of laboratory work?

a. release of toxic chemicals through the fume hood
b. disposal of toxic chemicals with a hazardous waste disposal company
c. release of chemicals to the sewer system
d. energy use to cool or heat laboratory space

13. The last time you disposed of laboratory hazardous waste, what pieces of information did you put on the label?

_____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

14. What document(s) describes how to dispose of laboratory hazardous waste at your institution?

____________________________________________________________

15. What is your current role in your laboratory?

[ ] Faculty
[ ] Staff - Administrator
[ ] Staff - Lab Tech
[ ] Graduate Student
[ ] Undergraduate Student
Department: ______________________________

16. How many years have you been working in college or university laboratories?

___ less than 1 year
___ 1-2 years
___ 3-5 years
___ more than 5 years

ANSWER KEY

1. b - EPA
2. a - incinerated
3. multiple reasons (e.g., prevent spillage, prevent cross-contamination, prevent volatilization)
4. a - disposal costs more
5. Source reduction, recycling/reuse, treatment, land disposal
6. c - collection for disposal as hazardous waste
7. One quart or one liter
8. Multiple reasons (e.g., fire extinguisher, gloves, shovel/scoops, eyewash, container, spill kit, absorbent)
9. c - diluted with rest of the building's water...
10. c - dilution with laboratory room air
11. multiple responses (e.g., MSDS, web site, manufacturer, EH&S, chemical label)
12. d - energy use to cool or heat laboratory space
13. multiple responses (hazardous waste or chemical name, date, hazard, components)
14. Environmental Management Plan
15. Respondent question
16. Respondent question