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INTEGRATED WASTE RESOURCE PAGE

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This page is intended as a reference for waste disposal for the Department of Materials Science & Engineering in Hearst Memorial Mining Building (HMMB). It summarizes the best ways to minimize and dispose of waste, organized by type. The information on this page has primarily been culled from

UC Berkeley Office of Environment, Health & Safety
Campus Recycling and Refuse Services

The University of California Offices of Environment, Heathy & Safety have compiled a comprehensive list of Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) online.

Food Related Waste

Packaging
Leftovers

Paper Products

Mixed paper
Newspaper
Corrugated cardboard
White paper

Plastic, Metal and Glass

Cans and bottles
Scrap metal
Packing Materials (Boxes, foam "peanuts", etc.)
Plastic

Equipment

Computers/Electronic Waste
Copier and printer ink and toner cartridges
Lab Salvage
Office Supplies
Batteries

Laboratory Waste

Chemical hygiene and hazardous waste
What can and can't go down the drain?
Paint and painting supplies
Household chemicals/Aerosols
Medical waste
Sharps

 

Food Related Waste

We all gotta eat, but we can reduce the amount of garbage that we produce. Keep in mind that the bulk of trash in HMMB is due to food packaging. Here are some ideas for reducing:

  • There are "wash stations" in the student bay stocked with soap, sponges, dishes and mugs

  • bring food from home in re-useable containers

  • avoid single-use & "disposable" items when possible (paper coffee cups, plastic cutlery, plastic cups, etc.)

  • purchase products with less packaging

  • decline offers for unnessary packaging ("Do you want a bag for that?")

  • bring a reusable mug for drinks

  • take only the napkins you need (napkins can't be recycled)

  • request "for here" when eating out - "to-go" commonly means a few more items of packaging

Also, keep in mind that HMMB has had some problems with mice. One way to help is to not leave food scraps and crumbs accessible to mice. Throw food scraps into garbage cans which are emptied daily, such as in the kitchen areas and the bathrooms.

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Paper

Much of our waste stream consists of paper products & much of this waste can be recycled in the blue bins provided in HMMB office spaces. Here is a brief listing of what can and can't go in these bins. Also check the Campus Recycling FAQ page (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~recycle/faqs.htm) for more info.

Yes - ok to put in blue bins

  • white paper

  • color paper

  • regular envelopes

  • window envelopes

  • soft & hardbound books

  • computer paper

  • glossy paper

  • junkmail

  • magazines

  • brochures

  • newspaper

  • catalogs

  • files

  • post-its

  • copy paper wrap

  • bound or spiral notebooks

  • phonebooks

  • carbonless forms (NCR)

  • flattened cardboard boxes

  • Staples, paper clips and other fasteners are ok!

No - not ok to put in blue bins

  • food-contaminated paper

  • non-paper waste

  • paper towels

  • tissues

  • toilet paper

  • paper cups

  • bottles and cans

  • plastic items

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Cardboard

Small boxes can be flattened and put in the blue paper recycling bins. Large boxes should be flattened and put in the cardboard recycling dumpsters between HMMB and Cory Hall.

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A special note about white paper...

Efficient use of white paper is encouraged, it will save money as well as reduce waste. Here are some ideas of how to do this:

  • avoiding printing & copying if possible (i.e. reading documents on-line)

  • printing multiple pages per sheet

  • re-using single-sided paper for notes & scrap paper

  • sharing printed documents with others

  • double-sided printing

Printing double sided requires a duplexer. If your printer has one, activating double sided printing requires different steps on different operating systems.

For Macintosh OS Classic:

  1. Select "Print..." from the File menu of the application you are using

  2. Click on "General"

  3. Select "Layout"

  4. Check "Print on Both Sides", and finally press "Print"

For Macintosh OS X (10.2):

  1. Select "Print..." from the File menu of the application you are using

  2. Click on "Copies & Pages"

  3. Select "Duplex"

  4. Check "Print on Both Sides", and finally press "Print"

For Macintosh OS X (10.3 and up):

  1. Select "Print..." from the File menu of the application you are using

  2. Click on "Copies & Pages"

  3. Select "Layout"

  4. Check "Long-Edge Binding" under "Two-Sided Printing", and finally press "Print"

For Windows XP:

  1. Go to the "Printers and Faxes" window in the Control Panel

  2. Right click the printer icon

  3. Go to "Properties"

  4. Go to the "Device Settings" menu

  5. Go to the bottom of the list, where you will find an option "Duplex Unit"

  6. Change the setting to "installed" and click OK

For *nix:

Use a duplex print command such as:

lpr -Pprintername -o sides=two-sided-long-edge file.ps

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Cans and Bottles

These are distinguished from general food waste becasue they can be recycled, re-used, or turned in for money. The MSE Graduate students have decided to collect bottles and cans in order to raise money for our social fund - please drop off eligible cans & bottles in the 3rd floor student bay. Around the rest of campus, elligible bottles and cans can be placed in marked outdoor receptacles or bins inside buildings The criterion of "elligible" is the same as for the rest of campus, see the Campus Recycling FAQ page (www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~recycle/faqs.htm).

Yes - elligible bottles & cans (4 KINDS ONLY)

  • aluminum cans

  • glass bottles

  • plastic bottles #1

  • plastic bottles #2

No - not ok to put in with eligible bottles & cans (campus wide rules)

  • aluminum foil, whether dirty or clean

  • any other plastic items, even though they may be #1 and #2

  • "tin" cans

  • anything else not listed in the "yes" list above

 

Scrap Metal

The machine shop has bins for scrap metal - this means large chunks of metal of definite composition (steel, aluminum, copper, etc.) as opposed to complex alloys or items containing other materials.

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Packing Materials

These materials can often be reused many times before their useful life is over. Some mailing/shipping stores will gladly accept these materials. Another idea is to offer it on Craigslist. Packing peanuts are collected both at LBL as well as on campus by the Re-USE student organization

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Computers/Electronic Waste

Contact Excess, Surplus, & Salvage (www-propmgmt.bsrvm.berkeley.edu/excess/intro.htm) at 642-1186, fax: 642-5936, or by campus mail, 6701 San Pablo Ave., Mail Code: #5604 to have your computer deinventoried and to arrange for a pick-up.

Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT's) from TV's & Computer Monitors

Cathode ray tubes (CRT's) are made of leaded glass (glass containing lead) and are thus considered hazardous waste. See the EH&S fact sheet on electronic waste (www.ehs.berkeley.edu/pubs/factsheets/55electronicwaste.pdf) for more info. To recycle intact CRT's, contact Excess, Surplus and Salvage (642-1186) for pick up. Chris Kumai has been coordinating these pick ups for our department. To dispose of cracked or broken CRT's, which can be a health hazard, refer to the EH&S fact sheetand contact EH&S (642-3073)for disposal.

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Copier and Printer Ink and Toner Cartridges

Copiers/Fax Machines/Laser Printers: Empty toner containers can be disposed of in the normal trash stream. However, it is better to recycle them as listed below. If you have a unneeded full container, note that it is considered hazardous waste. Please contact EH&S (642-3073) for proper disposal.

To recycle empty containers, please follow the directions as listed by Campus Recycling and Refuse Services. These directions (7/14/04 version) are reproduced verbatim here.

Copiers/Fax Machines/Laser Printers: Place the Campus Recycling & Refuse Services (CRRS)-provided mailing label on your boxed, used toner cartridge. Multiple cartridges can be mailed at once as long as they are in a labeled box. The original toner cartridge box or another box is OK. Remanufactured toner cartridges are not accepted. Give the box(es) to UPS for mailing.

Ink Jet Printers: Place individual used ink jet toner cartridges in CRRS-provided ink jet pouches. Put the pouch in the regular U.S. mail.

If you have more than 10 used toner cartridges, there are other options. Contact CRRS for mailing labels or ink jet pouches.

Note also that if toner and ink cartridges are not completely empty, they can usually be user refilled or refilled by companies such as Cartridge World at 2161 Allston Way. This can often be a significant cost savings over purchasing new cartridges.

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Excess, Surplus, & Salvage Items

Unwanted University propety should be disposed of through Excess, Surplus, & Salvage . These items are auctioned off periodically. Examples include furniture, computers, lab equipment, etc. In HMMB, contact Chris Kumai to dispose of excess, surplus and salvage items. He will arrange for the items to be picked up. Please do not place these items in the hallways as they create a fire hazard and your group may be cited by the fire marshall.

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Office Supplies

Many office supplies can be used by someone else; offer them around to other department members before disposing of them. Alternatively, organizations exist that redistribute used office supplies.

The student-run Campus Re-Use (www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~recycle/reuse/) organization currently accepts the following items:

  • binders

  • hole-punchers

  • calculators

  • bulletin boards

  • desk trays

  • books

  • file folders

  • clothes hangers

  • computer accessories

  • extension cords

  • readers

  • notebooks

  • folders

  • one-sided paper

  • pens, pencils

  • scisssors

  • toys

  • phone cords

  • desk lamps

  • clothes

  • moving boxes

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Batteries

Batteries of all types (including normal alkaline AAA, AA, C, D, 9V, etc.) are considered hazardous waste becasue of the heavy metals and corrosives they contain - they should not be thrown away in the normal trash. See the EH&S page on batteries for more info. Batteries used as part of work at UC Berkeley will be collected for disposal by Chris Kumai.

BATTERIES FROM HOME should be disposed on in your municipal hazardous waste collection, not brought in to campus for disposal. Contacts for battery disposal by county:

External link: http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/pubs/factsheets/59batteries.html EH&S: Help us keep batteries out of UC Berkeley's trash

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Chemical hygiene and hazardous waste

Hazardous materials require special handling and disposal procedures. The campus Office of Environment, Health, & Safety (EH&S) (www.ehs.berkeley.edu/) is responsible for setting rules & guidelines for these materials. Links to selected web pages are provided below.

 

What can and can't go down the drain?

This is a common question in laboratories, so the EH&S fact sheet "Summary of Guidelines for Drain Disposal of Chemicals" (7/14/04 version) is reproduced verbatim here. Please also refer to the guidelines at http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/pubs/guidelines/draindispgls.html and check for updated versions of both resources before proceeding.

 

Introduction

Disposal of chemicals into the sanitary sewer is regulated by federal and state laws and regulations, by East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) Ordinance, and by the EBMUD Wastewater Discharge Permit issued to UC Berkeley. These laws and regulations prohibit any drain disposal of hazardous waste and limit the allowable discharge concentration of a number of specific substances. EBMUD regularly monitors campus wastewater for violations of discharge limits. Failure to comply with wastewater discharge limits could lead to fines of up to $25,000 per day and/or restrictions in laboratory water use. The range of substances that can be considered hazardous is enormous. Indeed, almost any substance is a hazardous waste if it is disposed of in large quantities or in high concentrations. Hazardous wastes produced on campus are disposed of through the Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S).

Overview

Campus laboratory drain systems are connected to the campus sanitary sewer system, which in turn drains to the City of Berkeley sewer system and then to the EBMUD water pollution control plant for treatment and discharge to San Francisco Bay. Chemicals may be prohibited from drain disposal if they:

    Potential Problems at EBMUD Water Pollution Control Plant

  • (1) harm the biological processes of sewage treatment at the EBMUD plant

  • (2) are not digested in the sewage treatment process, but pass through treatment and are released as pollutants to the air or are released to San Francisco Bay where they are toxic to aquatic organisms

  • (3) can concentrate in the sewage treatment sludge, compromising EBMUD’s ability to use the sludge for beneficial purposes (such as a fertilizer)

    Potential Problems in Laboratory Sinks and Campus Sewers

  • (4) create hazards of fire or explosion

  • (5) can react with other chemicals in waste water to form hazardous gases

  • (6) can corrode laboratory and building plumbing

  • (7) can leak out of old pipes as liquid to pollute campus grounds

  • (8) can escape from sewer pipes as air pollutants

  • (9) can expose plumbers to contact or inhalation hazards

    Classification as Hazardous Wastes

  • (10) are classified as hazardous wastes

  • All hazardous wastes are prohibited from discharge into campus drains. Wastes are considered hazardous if they exhibit any of the following characteristics:

    • corrosivity

    • reactivity

    • ignitability

    • moderate or high toxicity

 

General Rules

At UC Berkeley, drain disposal of chemicals is limited to occasional disposal of small amounts of chemicals. Large-scale or continuous disposal of any chemical is permitted only with the written approval of the Hazardous Waste Management Committee. (EH&S should be contacted to obtain this approval.) The following general rules apply to drain disposal of chemicals on campus:

  • (1) Only water-soluble substances can be disposed of in the sink. Only dilute solutions of water-soluble flammable solvents that do not pose a fire hazard can be flushed down the drain to ensure complete transfer to the sewer.

  • (2) Acids and bases must be in the pH 5-10 range if they are to be discharged into the sewer system.

  • (3) Moderately or highly toxic, malodorous, or lachrymatory (irritating to the eyes) chemicals must not be disposed of down the drain.

 

Specific Guidelines

Detailed guidance on drain disposal of chemicals is available in the Campus Drain Disposal Guidelines (http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/pubs/guidelines/draindispgls.html). The Guidelines divide chemicals into three groups with regard to drain disposal:

  • Class A. Chemicals of little or no hazard in dilute aqueous solution.

    These solutions are suitable for disposal down the drain in quantities of up to about 100 grams (g) or milliliters (ml) of solute per laboratory per day. Class A chemicals include many simple organic and inorganic compounds, as well as common inorganic chemicals. This includes most normal biological metabolites and nontoxic cellular constituents (proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, soluble fats, simple alcohols, and their precursors and catabolites).

    •

  • Class B. Chemicals of moderate hazard in dilute aqueous solution.

    These solutions are suitable for drain disposal with excess water in quantities no greater than 1 g or ml of solute per laboratory per day. Class B chemicals include all of those listed as toxic (T) in the California Code of Regulations Section 22- 66261.30 et seq. that are water soluble, except for those listed as Class A chemicals or Class C chemicals.

    •

  • Class C. Chemicals that may not be drain disposed in any amount except by written approval of the Hazardous Waste Management Committee.

    Class C chemicals include all chemicals that are not water soluble; chemicals that cause unacceptable concentrations of offensive, toxic, or explosive vapors; and chemicals that are toxic or reactive at concentrations below 1 part per million (ppm) in aqueous solution.

    •

 

Resources

See also:

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Paint and painting supplies

Paint and solvents can potentially be flammable or toxic. For instance, paints may contain heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead or mercury. As such, excess paints and solvents must be dealt with as hazardous wastes.

External link: http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/pubs/factsheets/14surpluspaint.html EH&S: paint and painting supplies

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Household & Office chemicals

Empty chemical containers can be disposed of in regular trash. This includes items like correction fluid and furniture polish. Make sure that aerosol cans in particular are empty before disposal. Other chemicals must be disposed of properly by following the guidelines on this page or by contacting EH&S at 642-3073.

External link: http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/pubs/factsheets/60officesafety.html EH&S: office safety

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Medical Waste

Those working with medical & biological waste must undergo special training and follow stringent procedures. See the EH&S factsheet ( PDF ) for details and/or contact the campus Biosafety Officer through EH&S. The current Biosafety Officer is:


Sonia Rosenberger DVM, MSOH
317 University Hall #1150
srosen_manually_replace_with_"at"_symbol_berkeley.edu
(510) 643-6562.

External link: http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/pubs/factsheets/01medwaste.pdf EH&S: medical waste (PDF)

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Sharps

Items that are capable of cutting or piercing when handled are considered sharps, and must be handled separately from regular trash. Sharps include, but are not limited to:

  • Hypodermic needles

  • Scalpels

  • Razor blades

  • X-acto® blades

  • Broken glass

Details on handling & disposing of sharps can be found on the EH&S factsheet

External link: http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/pubs/factsheets/12sharps.html EH&S: Sharps

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