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UCLA Home / Campus Safety / Environment, Health & Safety / Hazardous Waste

Article ID: 1002778         Send us your feedback about this article  View the print friendly version of this article
Unknown Chemical Waste
Summary: When liquids or solids are not labeled properly or the label becomes illegible, they can become unknown to the people responsible for it. If the contents of any container in a lab or shop area are not known, it needs to be labeled as such and disposed of as hazardous waste.

Unknown or unlabeled chemical waste requires analysis prior to disposal. In the event that you find an unlabeled chemical container, make an attempt to identify its contents. Consult with you laboratory Principal Investigator (PI) and others in your lab concerning any unidentified waste. However, never guess as to the contents of a container. Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) relies on accurate identification of chemicals to ensure safe and proper handling and disposal. If the contents cannot be identified entirely, label the container with a Hazardous Waste Tag. The "chemical constituents" section of the tag should be listed as "unknown."

Upon pick-up of the unknown, EH&S will need a department recharge to cover the cost of subsequent analysis. The normal cost for this analysis is $65. Print a recharge form online or get a paper version from your department administration or from the EH&S personnel at the hazardous waste pick-up location.
 
 

Hazardous Materials Manager
Email:hazardousmaterials@ehs.ucla.edu | Phone: (310) 794-5569

Hazardous Waste Line (to schedule a pickup)
Phone: (310) 206-1887

 

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