How you manage your waste depends on a variety of factors, primarily: 

• Where the waste comes from
• What the waste is

Location-specific guidelines

Laboratory waste

Waste generated in laboratories falls under special rules at the University. Locations that can be considered laboratories include: 

• Laboratories
• Laboratory preparatory areas
• Laboratory stockrooms
• Machine shops used for teaching or used in preparation of materials and equipment for laboratory experiments
• Photography studios used for teaching
• Art studios used for teaching
• Cooking, food preparation, and food science laboratories and facilities used exclusively for teaching
• Medical schools and supporting laboratories when used for teaching

Areas that do not qualify for management under laboratory rules include: 

• Building maintenance and repair
• Automotive maintenance and repair
• Clinics and medical facilities not used for teaching
• Commercial and tenant laboratories
• Photography and art studios not used for teaching
• Food service locations not used exclusively for teaching
• Machine shops not used exclusively for teaching

If you're in doubt about which set of rules applies to your waste, contact EHS. 

Non-laboratory waste

Waste that does not qualify for management under laboratory waste rules must be managed according to the specific type of material and its matching regulations. Outside of labs, follow these material-specific guidelines. Examples include: 

• Hazardous waste
• Used oil
• Universal waste
• Radioactive waste
• Biomedical waste (including sharps and biohazards)
• Pharmaceutical waste (including drugs and controlled substances)
• Wastewater (including grease, lint, grit, oil-water separators)

If you're in doubt about which material-specific set of rules applies to your waste, contact EHS.