Waste

LCC's Downtown, West and Mason campuses are each considered to be a very small quantity generator (VSQG) of hazardous waste.

Divisions, departments and programs are responsible for:

• Identifying the types of hazardous waste produced
• Developing and implementing procedures to maintain VSQG compliance
• Minimize activities that produce hazardous waste in order to maintain VSQG status
• Conduct weekly inspections of containers and storage areas
• Training employees, students, visitors, contractor and vendors on proper handling and disposal of hazardous waste
• Work with the Occupational and Environmental Safety (OES) department for waste determination and disposal

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  Additional Resources

  • Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy - Very Small Quantity Waste Generator Guidance
  • Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy - Weekly Inspection Checklist

Certain LCC divisions, departments and programs generate medical waste and Sharps.

Types of regulated medical waste:

• Discarded cultures (bacterial, viral, tissue), stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals, specimens and vaccines that likely contain pathogenic organisms.
• Waste consisting of human blood, human blood products, and items contaminated by human blood.
• All human anatomical wastes and all wastes that are human tissues, organs, body parts, or body fluids.
• Sharps likely to contain pathogenic organisms and all sharps used in patient care or veterinary practice including hypodermic needles, syringes, pasteur pipettes, scalpel blades, suture needles, blood vials, needles with attached tubing, slides and cover slips which were in contact with infectious agents, and culture dishes.
• Any residue or contaminated soil, water, or other debris resulting from the cleanup of a spill of any regulated medical waste.
• Any solid waste contaminated by or mixed with regulated medical waste.

Divisions, departments and programs are responsible for:

• Identifying the types of waste produced
• Developing and implementing procedures for compliance
• Training employees, students, visitors, contractor and vendors on proper handling and disposal of medical waste and Sharps
• Work with the Occupational and Environmental Safety (OES) department for waste determination and disposal

LCC generates and stores universal waste and is considered a universal waste handler. LCC's Downtown, West and Mason campuses are classified as Small Quantity Handler (SQH).

Divisions, departments and programs are responsible for:

• Identifying the types of waste produced
• Developing and implementing procedures for compliance
• Training employees, students, visitors, contractor and vendors on proper handling and disposal of universal waste
• Work with the Occupational and Environmental Safety (OES) department for waste determination and disposal

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  Aerosol Cans

  Aerosol cans are a container in which gas under pressure is used to aerate and dispense any material through a valve in the form of a spray of foam. Common examples at LCC include paint, adhesives, lubricants, pesticides, cleaners, electronic dusting sprays, expanding foam sealers, and air fresheners.

  Aerosol cans must be collected in such a way to prevent accidental release. The most common way is to remove the nozzle on top of the can. Universal waste aerosol cans must be accumulated in a container that is structurally sound, compatible with the contents of the aerosol cans, and lacks evidence of leakage, spillage, or damage that could cause leakage. Containers must be protected from heat sources (e.g., open flames; lightning; smoking; cutting and welding; hot surfaces; frictional heat; and static, electrical, and mechanical sparks).

  Containers used to collect aerosol cans onsite must be labeled with the words "Universal Waste Aerosol Cans" and a start date. Accumulation onsite is limited to one year from accumulation start date.

  Leaking or damaged aerosol cans must be packaged separately and with absorbents.

  Puncturing aerosols should not be performed on campus.

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  Antifreeze

  Antifreeze is a mixture of water, coolant, and additives. The two most common coolants used in antifreeze are ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. Most antifreeze is nonhazardous and may be managed as a liquid industrial by-product. However, sometimes antifreeze becomes a hazardous waste because it contains:

  • Regulated concentrations of lead or cadmium that leached from a radiator.
  • Regulated concentrations of benzene from gasoline that leaked into the antifreeze.
  • Listed solvents from over-spraying aerosol products such as brake and carburetor cleaners that get into the antifreeze.
  • Other hazardous wastes that were missed with the antifreeze.

  If it is assumed or known that an antifreeze is hazardous divisions, departments and programs will manage it as a universal waste, it must be managed to meet the universal waste handler requirements, in addition to the requirements for managing liquid industrial byproducts. Containers and tanks must be labeled with words "Used Antifreeze."

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  Batteries

  Collect used batteries, segregated by type, in any container labeled with the words "used batteries" or "spent batteries for recycling." To prevent a buildup of heat or sparks, batteries larger than 9-volt or larger should be taped or stored such that the terminals are not touching.

  LCC's Facilities department collects batteries periodically for recycling.

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  Consumer Electronic (e-waste)

  Consumer electronics are devices run by electricity containing circuit boards commonly found in offices and homes such as computers, printers, fax machines, telephones, printers, televisions, etc. Cathode ray tubes (CRTs) from equipment like computers and televisions may be handled as either consumer electronics or electric lamps universal waste. Consumer electronics include intact devices. Dismantled electronics do not qualify for management as a universal waste.

  LCC'S IT department handles the disposal of the colleges e-waste.

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  Lamps and Ballasts

  A lamp is the bulb or tube portion of a lighting device specifically designed to produce radiant energy, most often in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

  Lamps must be managed in manner that prevents releases to the environments and must be stored in packages that are structurally sound, adequate to prevent breakage, compatible with the contents of the of the lamps, closed, and lack evidence of leakage, spillage, or damage that leakage or releases of mercury or other hazardous constituents to the environment. Do not crush or break the lamps. Once the lamps are broken, they cannot be managed as universal waste.

  Ballasts should be collected in containers labeled as used or spent ballasts. If ballasts are leaking, they should be individually wrapped in plastic to prevent a spread of any potentially harmful fluid.

  LCC's Facilities Department handles the disposal of lamps and ballasts at LCC.

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  Pesticides

  A pesticide is a substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest, or intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant. An unused pesticide becomes a waste on the date the generator decides to discard it.

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  Pharmaceuticals

  Pharmaceuticals are chemical formulations used in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, therapy, or prevention of disease in humans or animals. A pharmaceutical becomes a waste when it can no longer be administered to a patient and must be discarded. Universal waste pharmaceuticals must be accumulated in a manner that prevents release. They must be placed in containers that remain closed, except to add or remove waste and the containers are to be labeled with the words "Universal Waste Pharmaceuticals."

  If a release of pharmaceuticals or component of pharmaceuticals occurs, the release must be immediately cleaned up and properly characterized for disposal. Spill and clean-up waste cannot be managed as a universal waste pharmaceutical.

  LCC's Health and Human Services department handles the disposal of pharmaceuticals at LCC.

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  Additional Resources

  • Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy- Generator Resources
  • Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy - Universal Waste Guidance

Used oils such as engine lubrication oil, hydraulic fluids, and gear oils used in cars, bikes, or lawnmowers can pollute the environment if they are not recycled or disposed of properly. Used oil must be managed properly by divisions, departments and programs. Used oil filters pose similar waste concerns. If properly drained, they can be safely recycled or disposed.

Used oil in a liquid form CANNOT be disposed of by any of the following methods:

• Dumped down drains or sewers or into surface or groundwater, or onto the ground
• Disposed of in landfills,
• Burned in municipal solid waste incinerators or other incinerators without energy recovery, or
• Used as dust control or weed control

If oil is contaminated with a hazardous waste the used oil must be disposed of as hazardous waste.

Divisions, departments and programs are responsible for:

• Identifying the types of waste produced
• Developing and implementing procedures for compliance
• Training employees, students, visitors, contractor and vendors on proper handling and disposal of waste
• Work with the Occupational and Environmental Safety (OES) department for waste determination and disposal

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  Used Oil Container Management

  Divisions, departments and programs at LCC that create and store used oil must ensure they meet the following requirements:

  • Do not mix other wastes with oil
  • Store used oil in appropriately rated containers
  • Keep containers closed
  • Label containers with the words "USED OIL"
  • Ensure secondary containment to prevent potential leaks
  • Routinely inspect accumulation areas for leaks or potential problems
  • Train employees, students, contractors, vendors and visitors of the appropriate management of used oil
  • Ensure adequate spill kits are available in the approximate area with the appropriate materials to keep oil from entering a drain
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  Used Oil Filters and Absorbent Materials

  Divisions, departments and programs at LCC that create and store used oil filters and absorbents must ensure they meet the following requirements:

  • Store used oil filters and absorbents in appropriately rated containers
  • Filters should be properly drained prior to being placed in their appropriate disposal container
  • Keep containers closed
  • Label containers with the words "USED OILY SOLIDS"
  • Train employees, students, contractors, vendors and visitors of the appropriate management of used oil filters and absorbents
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  Additional Resources

  • Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy - Used Oil Guidance
  • Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy - Used Motor Oil Generator Requirements
  • Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy - Secondary Containment Guidance