Empty Containers
Procedures for the Disposal of Empty Chemical Containers
Key Takeaways
- Label must be fully covered/defaced to be considered “empty”
- Chemical residue must be gone from the container
- Seek recycling/reuse opportunities
- Acutely hazardous chemical containers must be triple rinsed
Empty Container Definition
Under the hazardous waste regulations, a container is generally considered empty if its contents have been removed by commonly employed practices such as pouring, pumping, or aspirating, and no more than 1 inch or 1% of residue remains on the bottom of the container (whichever is the lesser amount). If the container is greater than or equal to 110 gallons, no more than 0.3 percent by weight of the total container capacity can remain. Regulations allow some residuals for certain materials; however, university personnel should aim to remove as much residual as possible. This includes airing out empty solvent containers in chemical fume hoods and scraping the bottom of bottles that contain solids. Going beyond requirements is the goal.
Recycle your containers!
Empty chemical containers make excellent hazardous waste containers and laboratory personnel should make efforts to recycle them whenever possible. If you do recycle them, it is important that you ensure that the chemicals or hazardous waste collected in them are compatible with the container or any residuals that may remain. If you do not have a use for them there may be another laboratory or department that does. The OARS office often can take empty 4-liter containers for recycling in other laboratories.
Containers Containing Acutely Hazardous Chemicals
Containers that held acutely hazardous chemicals must be triple rinsed. Containers that are triple rinsed must have the rinse material collected and disposed of as hazardous waste. Please visit the Hazardous Waste website page for the proper procedures to dispose of hazardous waste. To determine whether the waste is hazardous or acutely hazardous please check the Hazardous Waste Determination resource. If rinse material is considered excessive, you may wish to dispose of the chemical container containing acutely hazardous chemicals as hazardous waste.
Compressed Gas Cylinders
Containers which held compressed gas are empty when the pressure in the container reaches atmospheric pressure (i.e. the cylinder is completely depressurized). Although the cylinder is considered empty, the valve must be removed in order for the solid waste disposal facilities contracted by Northeastern University to accept it as regular trash. Please refer to the factsheet on Unwanted Compressed Gas Cylinders fact sheet for more information.
Aerosol Cans
Aerosol containers must be completely empty of product and propellant to be considered completely empty. The spray mechanism or nozzles must be in place and functional. Aerosol cans formerly containing pesticides, flammable propellants, or acutely hazardous chemicals, even if empty, will need to be managed as hazardous waste.
Container Size
Containers larger than 5 gallons cannot be disposed of as regular trash. They are required to either be reused on site or you may call or email EH&S to have them picked up for recycling or proper disposal. Containers of 5 gallons or less can be disposed of in the common trash if they meet the other requirements in this fact sheet.
Defacing Labels
- Once the container has been emptied, the original label must be covered over or defaced before it can be put into the regular trash. Labels can use to cover over the original labels, and they could be found on the OARS/ECOS Hazardous Waste web pages.
- Covering or defacing labels will help the Building Services department and other personnel know the container is empty and has been properly managed in your laboratory. If you deface a label, use a good marker to ensure that all hazard-warning information is no longer visible, and “EMPTY” is clearly written on the container.
Disposal
- Prior to disposal, the cap or bung on the container must be removed. Once a container meets all the applicable requirements above, it may be placed in the regular trash for Building Services to pick up. If the container is made of glass and is broken, it must be placed in a “Broken Glass” box. If you do not have one of these available, then you can use any box with the words “Caution – Broken Glass” prominently placed.