Hazardous Waste Standard

Waste will be generated regardless of the type of work. Whether this waste is hazardous or not, an integral part of planning new work is planning for the safe and responsible removal of the waste generated.

Do not begin new work until you have determined:

  • The types of waste you will generate
  • The amounts of waste you will generate
  • A plan to dispose of the waste

This page provides guidance on the proper segregation, packaging, and labelling practices for hazardous waste at the University. If after reading this page you still need assistance, contact your supervisor then the Safety Office.

On this page

Waste segregation and handling

All hazardous waste generated at the University is disposed of through the Environmental Safety Facility (ESF). For our personnel to efficiently and safely handle the wastes, they must be segregated where they are generated.

Segregation, packaging, and labelling instructions are provided for each type of waste you are likely to generate. Please do not bring household waste to the ESF. The ESF is strictly for the collection and handling of wastes generated at the University of Waterloo.

If you create, segregate, package or label hazardous waste, you are required to complete the Chemical Waste Segregation (SO2070) online training module in LEARN. All researchers, students, and faculty members working in research laboratories in the Faculties of Science, Engineering, and Health must complete this course.

Waste drop-off and pickup

The most efficient method of removing properly segregated, packaged and labelled waste from a laboratory is for the individual responsible for generating the waste to bring it to one of the waste drop-off locations on campus at a consistent interval. Do not store waste longer than it is needed, it can lead to dangerous situations. If you intend on removing six or more items of waste from your location, you will need to pre-arrange a waste pick-up, contact the ESF.

Waste drop-off procedures have changed. Please ensure waste bottles (liquids and solids) are accompanied by a Waste Profile Form. The form should mimic the label, indicating percentages and concentrations of materials within the containers. 

Download the Waste Profile Form (how to fill it out).

Locations, hours, bookings and contact information

Booking an appointment

Appointments are required to dispose of waste at our waste facilities. Use the waste booking calendar to book an appointment. Book appointments using the links in the table below. Bookings must be made using a WatIam address. Individuals without an appointment will be turned away. 

Labelling

All items must be fully labelled using a waste label and the Waste Profile Form must be filled out before leaving the lab to come to the waste facility. 

Fillable waste labels are provided by the Safety Office and may be picked up from your waste facility during your appointment, or from the Safety Office at COM 116.

Alternatively, labs can choose to fill out labels on a computer and print them themselves. If using the printable template labels, laboratories must use at a minimum water-resistant permanent adhesive labels to reduce the chance of label damage or loss of label during transport. Bottles with labels printed on paper or standard mailing labels will not be accepted. The following templates are available:

Transporting

All chemical waste must be transported in secondary containment. See the Transporting Waste Guideline for more details.

Lab clean-outs

Lab clean-outs require more resources than can be accommodated during a regular waste drop-off appointment. These must be scheduled outside of facility operating hours by contacting esf@uwaterloo.ca. 

UW Waste drop-off locations and hours of operation

Facility Hours

Environmental Safety Facility (ESF)

  • Located along the first floor link to the EIT and ESC buildings in room ESC 150
  • Main campus traffic flow guide (please review before coming to your appointment)

Monday - Friday: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Book appointments through the Chemical Safety SharePoint page

Pharmacy

  • Located at 10 Victoria Street South, Kitchener (Room PHR 1016) 
  • Do not leave waste unattended
  • Pharmacy traffic flow guide (please review before coming to your appointment)

Monday: 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Book appointments through the Chemical Safety SharePoint page

Engineering 6 (E6) 

  • Located in E6 (Room 1022)
  • Do not leave waste unattended

Tuesday: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Book appointments through the Chemical Safety SharePoint page

Douglas Wright Engineering (DWE)

  • Located in DWE (Room 1521A)
  • Do not leave waste unattended

Tuesday: 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm

Book appointments through the Chemical Safety SharePoint page

BMH, CPH, EC4, ERC, EV1, EV2, EV3, OPT, RAC1, RAC2

 Schedule a Tuesday pick-up through the Chemical Safety SharePoint page

 

Waste segregation

Anatomical wastes

The anatomical waste stream includes any identifiable body part and also includes pathological specimens, biopsy specimens, and tissue taken during surgery or autopsy.

Battery and E-Waste Recycling

Used electronic waste (e.g., computers, monitors, cell phones, mice, keyboards) and batteries (e.g., alkaline, lithium ion) can be recycled in designated recycling locations on campus.

See the Battery and Electronic Waste Disposal Guideline for more information.

Note: Vapes and e-cigarettes are not accepted.

Biological wastes

Biological wastes are wastes that contain or have been contaminated by a biohazardous agent. This includes:

  • Human, animal, or plant pathogens
  • Recombinant nucleic acids
  • Human or animal, blood, bodily fluids, tissues, cultures, cells, or other potentially infectious material
  • Contaminated materials include tissue culture dishes and flasks, petri dishes, centrifuge tubes, test tubes, pipettes, vials, absorbent materials, used gloves, face masks, soiled lab coats or clothing.

See the Biological Waste Segregation Guideline for details segregation requirements.

Chemical waste

Solids, liquids, or gases containing or contaminated with any of the following:

  • Flammable solvents
  • Leachable toxic materials (heavy metals, pesticides)
  • Corrosives (hydrochloric acid, potassium hydroxide pellets)
  • Reactives (oxidizers, cyanides, sulphides, explosives, unstable materials and water reactive materials – sodium metal, benzoyl peroxide)
  • Toxic materials including carcinogens, mutagens, teratogens, and other items that are considered chronically toxic
  • PCB’s
  • Non-returnable gas cylinders

Chemical waste segregation is outlined in the Hazardous Liquid Chemical Waste Flowchart and the Hazardous Solid Chemical Waste Flowchart. Chemical waste not in the original container must be accompanied with a Waste Profile Form (see How to Fill Out the Waste Profile Form) and labelled appropriately.

Commercial Products and Maintenance Waste

Commercial products (e.g., cleaning products, paints, stains, and aerosol cans) and maintenance waste (e.g., filter changes, coolant, mercy lamps, fluorescent tubes, ballasts) are accepted by the waste facility.

Note that construction waste is not accepted by ESF unless otherwise agreed upon by the contractor, Plant Operations and the Safety Office.

See the Commercial Products and Maintenance Waste Disposal Guidance document for more information.

Elemental Mercury

Elemental mercury has been phased out of the University as of May 1, 2025 due to its considerable risk to human health and the environment as well as its high disposal costs.

To dispose of elemental mercury, the Principal Investigator must submit the Hazardous Waste Billing Form (current rates can be seen on the form). Once the billing form has been submitted, the mercury waste may be brought to the ESF. Elemental mercury waste will not be accepted without a completed Hazardous Waste Billing form. Note that the billing form can only be viewed and submitted by the Principal Investigator or permanent staff as it requires release of accounting codes. Students and temporary staff (such as post-docs) should contact their supervisor to submit the form.

Only elemental mercury requires a form (e.g., mercury thermometers or equipment, liquid mercury, solids contaminated with liquid mercury). Mercury salts such as mercuric chloride or organomercury compounds such as methyl mercury do not require a form.

Mixtures

Mixtures include:

  • Biological and chemical wastes mixed: inactivate biological waste and segregate into it's own container
  • Biological and radioactive wastes mixed: inactivate biological waste and dispose of as radioactive waste
  • Chemical and radioactive wastes mixed: segregate and dispose of as radioactive waste

Contact the ESF at esf@uwaterloo.ca for advice.

Radioactive Waste

Sharps and Glass Waste

Glass and sharps are two distinct waste categories and are treated differently. See the Sharps and Glass Waste Segregation Guideline for more information.

Chemical bottles:

  • Empty chemical bottles must be cleaned/rinsed of any remaining residue and their labels defaced. The bottles may then either be recycled in any of the container recycling bins on campus (see commonly used locations) or brought to the ESF for reuse as waste bottles.
  • Bottles that cannot be cleaned will be brought to the ESF as contaminated chemical waste as per the Hazardous Solid Chemical Waste Flowchart.

Unknowns

If the components of the waste is unknown and the waste profile form / label cannot be completed, the Principal Investigator must submit the Hazardous Waste Billing Form (current rates can be seen on the form).

Once the billing form has been submitted, the unknown may be brought to the ESF. Unknowns will not be accepted without a completed Hazardous Waste Billing form. Note that the billing form can only be viewed and submitted by the Principal Investigator or permanent staff as it requires release of accounting codes. Students and temporary staff (such as post-docs) should contact their supervisor to submit the form.

Unknowns must be brought down to the ESF to be disposed off and not stored in the lab. This is especially important if the unknown has chemical residues, crystals, or other evidence of deterioration.

Contact the ESF at esf@uwaterloo.ca for advice.

Additional resources and information