Managing & Labeling Chemical Hazardous Waste

Hazardous Chemical Waste Disposal Overview

Tenants may contract with Clean Earth or Clean Harbors, two chemical waste management company. They are two different companies, despite the similar names!

Account Set-up Information:

Visit Department of Toxic Substances Control for more information on how to manage your hazardous waste.

Hazardous Chemical waste should not be in the building for longer than 180 days. 

Any quantity of acutely or extremely hazardous waste must be removed in 90 days (Title 22, CCR, section 66262.34(d)). 

See below an example of the California Hazardous Waste Labels. You should use these to label all your hazardous waste and always make sure you have the accumulated start date. Since the clock starts ticking as soon as you generate one drop.

Bakar Bio Labs supplies these labels in Room 202B. You may also fill out this online template, print and tape on your bottles or bags.  Follow this link for template: https://dtsc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2015/03/HW_label.pdf 

Hazardous Chemical Waste Pick-Ups

Thom Opal, Bakar Bio Labs' Departmental Safety Coordinator, schedules quarterly pick-ups with both vendors as a courtesy to tenants. About two weeks prior to the scheduled date, company Lab Managers will be contacted via email with an Inventory Sheet to fill out. We also provide a copy of this sheet at this link for company's to actively monitor drop-offs over the course of the quarter.

Instructions for Tenants

Collection of Hazardous Waste

1. Label the container in your lab (the 'satellite' location) with a Hazardous Waste Label. Ensure the following fields are filled out at the time of first addition:
   1. Company Name
   2. Cal EPA ID #
   3. Accumulation Start Date
   4. Contents (written out, no abbreviations or formulas) with percentages totaling 100%
   5. Hazards
   6. Solid or Liquid
2. Store the container in the appropriate containment in your lab (e.g. flammables cabinet if containing flammable solvents), ensuring the lid is closed except when actively adding to the container. Utilize a secondary containment tray.
3. Monitor the date, relevant to the timelines mentioned above. When your company is inspected by City of Berkeley Toxics Management, they will pay close attention to the age of containers.

Storage in Hazardous Waste Accumulation Room - 202B

1. When waste is 80% full, or nearing 90 days of age, you are advised to move the waste to the accumulation room, 202B.
   1. Use appropriate secondary containment to move the waste from your lab to the accumulation area.
2. Drop the waste off in Room 202B, either on a shelf or in flammables or corrosives storage. Set it inside a secondary container.
   1. If there are no available secondary containers, please reach out to LabOps.
3. Fill out an entry in the Inventory Sheet as mentioned above. 
4. When Thom announces the upcoming quarterly pick-up, you will be able to reply via email with your Inventory Sheet. The vendor will only pick up the items on the sheet.
   1. If your waste container will hit the 180- or 90-day limit (depending on hazard class) before the quarterly pickup, your lab manager should reach out to Clean Earth for a special pick-up of this item.

After a Pick-Up

1. The day after, your company lab manager should visit 202B and confirm that all containers were picked up as expected. If they were not picked up, please reach out to your vendor directly and inquire. There may have been an issue with your labeling, or the waste stream may not have been well-characterized. 

2. Hazardous Waste Manifests will have been left behind by the technician. LabOps will deposit these in your company's mailbox, but they may sit in 202B for a day or two depending on our capacity.

3. File these Hazardous Waste Manifests in a secure location, and maintain them for the lifetime of your business. When you are inspected by City of Berkeley Toxics Management Division, they will ask you to reproduce the manifests for the past 1-3 years, depending on the nature of the inspection.