BEST PRACTICES

Toxic use reduction and waste minimization activities apply not only to wastes but includes the management of releases to air, water, and generation of solid and non-hazardous waste. Best practices for a number of environmental areas related to pollution prevention in laboratories are described below.

Air Quality

• Implement microscale chemistry techniques where possible.
• Make sure the caps and container lids on volatile chemicals are secure.
• Do not store chemicals in laboratory fume hoods.
• Substitute less toxic or less volatile chemicals in processes where possible.

Wastewater

• Review processes and procedures for opportunities to minimize wastewater generation.
• Implement microscale chemistry techniques where possible.
• Use organic dishwashing solutions instead of chromic-sulfuric acid mixtures when washing glassware if possible.

Hazardous Waste

• Minimize the amount of chemicals stored in the lab to the minimum quantities needed to avoid having to dispose of chemicals that expire or deteriorate during storage.
• Develop an inventory of chemicals no longer needed in your lab that could possibly be used by another.
• Where possible substitute less toxic chemicals where toxic chemicals are used in a procedure or process.
• Evaluate ways to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals used in lab procedures.
• Re-use or recycle spent solvent.
• Avoid contaminating non-hazardous waste streams with hazardous, radioactive or biohazardous material.
• If possible, small amounts of hazardous waste may be effectively treated in the laboratory, rendering it non-hazardous prior to disposal. (Note: This action may require a RCRA permit in some circumstances) On site treatment techniques may include:
  - pH neutralization
  - Treatment in accumulation containers, i.e., precipitation of heavy metals,
  - Onsite recycling
  - Burning in boilers or furnaces
  - Include detoxification or waste treatment steps in lab procedures

Radioactive and Mixed Waste

• Replace toluene based liquid scintillation fluid with non-ignitable fluid making a potential mixed waste into a radioactive waste.
• Use low volume liquid scintillation vials.

Non-Hazardous and Special Waste

• Use two sided copying
• Make procedures, MSDSs, manuals, etc. available electronically
• Use e-mail instead of hard copies
• Share trade periodicals rather than maintaining multiple subcriptions
• Use reusable containers
• Use rechargeable batteries