Chemical Waste
Firstly, consider Conducting an Audit to get your facts straight. Then:
Reduce:
- Consider re-engineering your process to use fewer or less hazardous chemicals.
- Where possible, select raw materials to reduce or avoid the production of waste, or to produce waste that is more readily disposable.
- Ensure that management and work practices are geared towards waste reduction - your production Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) should be accompanied by environmental KPIs, which are managed just as actively. Monitoring such KPIs can be useful to detect the expensive overuse of reagents.
- Order smaller quantities of laboratory chemicals to match needs. Unused chemicals can constitute as much as 40% of the hazardous waste generated from laboratories. This waste consists of chemicals still in their original containers, which have outlived or appear to have outlived their usefulness. Centralise chemicals storage, for safety and to ensure that multiple stocks are not accumulated.
- Try to purchase chemicals from manufacturers who will allow the return of unused portions.
- To reduce aging, use a "first in-first out" policy when removing chemicals from storage.
- Keep chemicals separate to avoid cross-contamination
Reuse:
- As a way of reusing chemicals, redistribute excess quantities to schools, colleges and universities for use in their science laboratories, prior to considering recycling or disposal options
Recycle:
- Some chemical wastes are suitable for recycling. This can be done by either installing distillation devices to recycle your chemical waste products or arranging for your chemical waste to be collected for recycling (Chemcollect will coordinate such activities free of charge for primary producers only)).
- If you are not a primary producer, investigate the option of reprocessing your chemical waste by other means. (Check our Services Guide.)
Make your aims as public as possible. Inform staff about your intentions and why. Offer further incentives to staff to show your appreciation for their efforts. But remember, "waste reduction is everybody's responsibility".