Hazardous Waste Management

Hazardous waste exhibits at least one of four characteristics (corrosivity, ignitability, reactivity, or toxicity) or have been specifically listed as a hazardous waste by the Federal EPA, California EPA, or the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), all of which have established minimum requirements for the handling, storage and proper disposal of hazardous wastes.

Waste Disposal

EHS has developed detailed guides on how to manage and dispose of waste in the Laboratory Waste Disposal Guide [pdf] and in Workshop and Studio Waste Disposal Guide [pdf]. Contact your college/department safety staff or ehs@sjsu.edu to arrange a pickup of your waste. 

Labeling

All hazardous waste must be properly identified with a SJSU Hazardous Waste Label.  The label must include the following information: 

• Generator Information: leave the “Department's container ID number” blank (this will be filled in by the college safety technicians upon removal), the name of a contact person, a phone number for that person, the location of the waste, and the accumulation start date.
• General Description/Contents: specific full chemical name(s) without abbreviations, concentration, and approximate percentage (if part of a mixture).
• Physical State:, i.e. liquid or solid.
• pH (if known and/or applicable).
• Physical Properties which might help characterize the waste, e.g. flammable, corrosive, toxic, etc. 

Hazardous waste may not be accumulated for more than 270 days (9 months).