Laboratory Waste Pickup Request

The RA-EHS Office will collect hazardous waste generated in laboratories as a result of research or academic (teaching) activities. Each lab is responsible for submitting a Hazardous Waste Disposal form (Chemical or Biological Materials) online and submit the request to the RA-EHS Office

Chemical Waste Pickup Form

The completion of this form is required. The following rules must be complied with for RA-EHS to arrange for pickup:

You must submit a pickup form online. Upon receipt, EH&S may contact the submitter if there are any specific questions regarding the material to be collected.

1. Each container must be properly labeled. Labels should clearly identify the contents with a chemical name (i.e. no abbreviations or chemical formulas).

2. Package materials in sturdy cardboard boxes, plastic waste containers, or other containers specifically designed for the material.

Incompatible materials shall be segregated in separate containers. Examples of incompatible materials are: acids/bases, organics/oxidizers, and flammable liquids/oxidizers. Unknowns and high hazard materials such as cyanides, organic peroxides, pryrophorics, water reactives and explosives shall be packaged separately regardless of quantity.

Biohazardous Waste Pickup Form

The management of biohazardous waste is administered by RA-EHS in accordance with State of Texas regulations and University policy developed in conjunction with the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). It is the responsibility of each researcher/units to properly dispose of any biohazardous waste that is generated as a result of research, teaching and other activities.

Biohazardous waste includes research-related wastes that are contaminated with recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids, agents infectious to humans, animals or plants, or fluids that may contain these contaminants. This waste needs to be collected, stored, treated and disposed of using practices that minimize spill and exposure risk for lab personnel, service workers and the general public. To support this principle, all biohazardous wastes need to be stored inside the lab while awaiting pickup.

This includes items which are sharp enough to puncture skin and contaminated with unsterilized biological materials. Example devices include:

• needles & lancets,

• scalpels & razor blades,

• glass slides,

• glass Pasteur pipettes,

• biologically-contaminated broken glass.

  This category also includes all sharps-associated medical devices (i.e., syringes).

  If you have specific questions on the proper disposal of hazardous materials or wastes, contact RA-EHA at vpantusa@tamusa.edu.