Chemical and Universal Waste Pickup

Hazardous Materials – Pickup Requests

*Now supplying disposal services for full sharps containers. Simply request a pickup at

Pickup Request for Environmental Services

Welcome to the online program for hazardous materials and waste pickup. The CCSD Environmental Services Department is here to pick up hazardous waste and materials no longer needed or unusable at your facility.

The proper disposal of hazardous materials and waste applies to all CCSD facilities. These instructions have been prepared to help teachers, administrators, and other staff members to understand and avoid circumstances where improper disposal of hazardous materials and waste might occur at a CCSD facility.

Items to be pickup for proper disposal include all biological specimens (preserved and dissected animals), chemicals, and other hazardous waste from your art, photography, science labs, auto shops, etc. Hazardous wastes are identified by Federal Regulation 40 CFR Part 261 and include:

• Heavy metal solutions
• Organic solvents (such as ethanol, methanol, isopropanol)
• Corrosive liquids
• Full sharps containers
• Used fluorescent lamps,
• Used projector bulbs, and
• Used photo chemicals.

Other hazardous wastes may include lead-containing art supplies (e.g. ceramic glazes), reprographic products (toners and developers), custodial supplies, and fleet and lawn maintenance supplies. Packing materials contaminated with hazardous materials should be disposed of as hazardous waste. Also, consider disposing of materials that have expired or are not expected to be used within a reasonable period, for example, 3-years.  Many items have a limited shelf life due to decomposition reactions.

Before submitting your request for pick up online, listed below are the instructions for proper packaging and labeling prior to pick up for disposal of all hazardous biological and chemical materials, and hazardous waste.

1. Packing Prior to Scheduling Pickup – All items must be properly packaged, labeled, AND readily accessible for pickup. Prior to scheduling pickup please ensure drums are at least ninety percent full, and that all boxes, drums, containers, etc. are properly packaged and labeled. Also, please…

Disposal Supplies – If needed call 799-0990 at least two weeks before required (unless otherwise noted) for delivery of the following supplies;

• Disposal containers (e.g. drums, boxes, etc.)
• Light bulb boxes (4 ft. or 8 ft. in length) (24 hours before required)
• Absorbent
• Puncture resistant container, such as rigid plastic container or corrugated cardboard box for broken glass chemical containers

1a. Material/Waste Specific Packaging/Labeling Instructions

Used Projector Bulbs and Fluorescent Lamps – Place used projector light bulbs and used fluorescent lamps (tubes) in SEPARATE boxes marked “Used Universal Waste Lamps”.  Put broken bulbs/lamps in separate boxes labeled as “Broken Bulbs”.  Once full, seal the box with duct tape or packaging tape only (DO NOT use masking tape), and mark the end flap and the side of the box with the date.

Preserved and Dissected Animals – Put only preserved specimens in 30- gallon or 55-gallon poly drums.  Keep preservative in original containers. DO NOT pour any liquids in drums.

Used Photo Chemicals – Pour used photo chemicals into drum using a funnel. If you spill while pouring chemicals into drum, please clean the top of the drum at that time. Prior to scheduling pickup please ensure drums are at least ninety percent full.  DO NOT lose the bungs.

Heavy Metal Solutions – Collect waste liquids containing heavy metals in a single large wide-mouthed container lined with a sliding lock plastic bag. Leave the bag open so most of the water can be evaporated in a fume hood. When the bag is full of settled solids, zip it closed and place it in a five-gallon bucket labeled “Used Chemicals Containing Heavy Metals” and snap the lid closed. When this five-gallon bucket is full of bags of sludge, dispose of it as waste. Keep a log sheet listing the name and amount of the waste solutions that are placed in the bags and the date they were added. An inventory of what the waste is made of can save the expense of testing for identification.

Organic Solvents – Collect used solvents in a glass or metal container with a tight-sealing lid. Label this container with the words “Used Solvents”.  Keep a log of the amount and type of organic compounds added to the container on a log sheet with the date they were added. If you have chlorinated solvent waste, store it in a separate container labeled “Used Chlorinated Solvents” to reduce costs. Waste solutions containing over 24 percent alcohol are ignitable hazardous waste and cannot be disposed down the drain nor evaporated in the fume hood.

Corrosive Liquids – Concentrated acids and bases must be disposed as hazardous waste. Dilute inorganic acid and base solutions (1.0 molar or less) can be neutralized to a pH between 6.0 and 11.0 and discharged to the sanitary sewer, provided they’ve not been contaminated with heavy metals. Keep a log sheet that tracks the amount of acidic or basic waste generated and the date it was neutralized on a log sheet. When the pH is correct, the solution can be drained to the sanitary sewer with a water rinse of 50 times the acid or base’s volume.

Empty Chemical Containers – Glass chemical containers must be triple-rinsed with water or other suitable solvent and air-dried to ensure that it is free of liquid or other visible chemical residue.  Intact containers (with caps removed) meeting these criteria may be placed in glass recycling receptacles.   If a suitable glass recycling receptacle is not available, place the containers in a box marked “recyclable glass” for pickup.  Broken glass chemical containers that are free of chemical residue should be placed in broken glass receptacles or placed in a puncture resistant container, such as a rigid plastic container or corrugated cardboard box.  The plastic container or box should be sealed and placed in regular laboratory trash.

2. Scheduling a pickup or supply delivery – Once your items are properly packaged and labeled you are ready to fill out your request for pick up form online at the link below. If replacement drums are needed, please include this information in the request form.