Information and Disposal Guidelines for Chemicals Used in
STC/MS鈩? Modules
鈥? Next, locate a waste removal vendor for removing
Carolina Biological Supply Company wants every STC/MS
your chemical wastes. Seek a vendor who is
learning activity to be safe for your students and for the
properly licensed. The vendor will need to know
environment. To help you determine the safety
what chemicals you have to be disposed of.
procedures that should be implemented for science class,
Carolina is providing additional information resources 鈥? Today, best practice in chemical waste disposal is to
about any chemicals used in this STC/MS module and accumulate chemical wastes in properly labeled
how those chemicals may be disposed of afterward. waste containers, as detailed in each lesson of this
Teacher鈥檚 Guide. Keep these containers closed at all
Information about Chemicals times except when waste is being added. Your
coordinator can tell you when and where to move
Carolina provides Material Safety Data Sheets* (MSDS)
the containers.
for all chemicals used in this STC/MS module. The MSDS
have been three-hole punched so the pages may be
A number of different resources are available that
conveniently stored in your Teacher鈥檚 Guide, to ensure
provide additional information about chemical disposal.
that this information is at your fingertips when needed for
The American Chemical Society publishes an excellent
reference or in case of emergency. Feel free to make
book, Laboratory Waste Management, A Guidebook
additional copies of any MSDS, particularly if you also
(1994). It is the best single guide to chemical disposal and
wish to keep them on file in another location.
is available from Carolina (catalog no. 45-1160); call
800-334-5551 for the current price or to order a copy.
Chemical Disposal Guidelines
At the state level, departments of environmental
With the ever-increasing interest in protecting the
management or environmental protection regulate
environment and the need for schools to serve as model
chemical waste disposal. Carolina鈥檚 STC/MS Web site can
global citizens, how classroom chemicals are disposed of
link you to a listing of these agencies鈥? phone numbers
should be a major concern to students, parents, teachers,
and addresses. Plus you鈥檒l find other helpful information,
other school district personnel, and members of the
such as a link to the EPA鈥檚 home page, which offers
community. It is irresponsible for anyone to suggest that
teacher resources and interesting things for students to
all chemical wastes can be simply poured down the drain
read and do. The STC/MS site also provides a current
or evaporated in a laboratory fume hood (or anywhere
list of EPA regional offices, addresses, and phone
else, for that matter).
numbers, along with the RCRA (Resource Conservation
In the United States, the disposal of chemicals from
and Recovery Act) Hotline, a federal center established
science laboratories, whether they are located in a
to answer questions about solid and hazardous waste.
middle school or research university, is regulated by
Other important information resources include your
federal, state, and local agencies. Following are some
state鈥檚 or county鈥檚 science supervisor, state science
guidelines from Carolina to help you find the information
teacher association, local college and university
you need to dispose of chemical wastes safely.
environmental health and safety specialists, and the
Laboratory Safety Workshop (whose Web site is accessible
鈥? We recommend that each school district appoint a through Carolina鈥檚 site, www.carolina.com).
coordinator to serve as a local advisor assisting with the
Carolina is teamed with science teachers, so please call
disposal process. (If your district does not appoint an
our toll-free number (800-227-1150) or check our Web
individual for this role, you the classroom teacher may
site if you have questions.
need to take on this responsibility.) The coordinator
should first obtain an EPA waste generator *A Material Safety Data Sheet is a page(s) of information about a
identification number for your school site, if this has specific chemical, designed to provide both users of the chemical
not already been done. Contact your state鈥檚 hazardous and emergency personnel with the proper procedures for handling
or working with that substance. MSDS include information such as
waste management agency or the U.S. Environmental
physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point, etc.),
Protection Agency (EPA) to obtain the generator
toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity, storage, disposal,
identification number. For a list of these agencies and protective equipment, and spill/leak procedures. These are
how to contact them, visit Carolina鈥檚 STC/MS Web site particularly useful if a spill or other accident occurs.
(www.carolina.com/STC.htm) or call 800-227-1150.
Carolina Biological Supply Company
2 7 0 0 Yo r k R o a d , B u r l i n g t o n , N o r t h C a r o l i n a 2 7 2 1 5
800.334.5551 w w w. c a r o l i n a . c o m
|