Rules and regulations laboratory waste
The government has rules and regulations regarding laboratory waste. The storage, collection, disposal and processing of chemical waste flows from laboratories must take place in a correct and controlled manner. Labs often have to deal with very dangerous and toxic substances, which have a negative impact on the health of humans, animals and the environment.
Knowledge of all waste releases and strict procedures for their collection are the most important aspects in the safe and responsible disposal of laboratory waste. On this page you can read more about the various safety, delivery and discharge regulations.
Laboratory discharge regulations
Detailed discharge regulations for laboratories are listed on Rijkswaterstaat's InfoMil website. On their knowledge centre, you can also see which types of laboratories are and are not covered by certain discharge requirements. The regulations are based on the principle that safe operational management is applied within laboratories to prevent the discharge of chemicals into the water. This is also known as ‘good laboratory practice’.
The regulations for discharging waste water from laboratories and practice rooms are described in Section 4.8.10 Activities Decree (AB). Briefly explained: A company/lab must prevent substances from entering wastewater at all times. For this purpose, source- and management-oriented measures must be taken. In addition, it is mandatory to draw up behavioural regulations.
Safety regulations for laboratory waste
In addition to rules surrounding the discharge of chemical lab waste, specific safety regulations also apply to laboratory waste. These are measures and procedures related to how hazardous waste is handled within the lab. Consider, for example, the disposal of contaminated personal protective equipment, the use of approved laboratory waste barrels and applying proper labelling of the waste. Care and vigilance are at the heart of these drafted safety measures.
Delivery terms lab waste
Special delivery conditions apply to the disposal of lab waste. Lab waste can be divided into various categories, such as organic and inorganic substances, extremely hazardous (liquid) substances and waste containing heavy metals. The right packaging should be used for each different waste flow. These can be drums, boxes or IBC containers, for example. The waste drums should be inspected, leak-proof and, of course, in good working order. In addition, use of labels and tags is mandatory when delivering lab waste.
Waste indicator laboratory
Preparing a waste guide or waste card for correct way of safe disposal of laboratory waste is recommended. In most cases, this is also part of the policy within the organisation. A waste guide is a detailed document describing all possible hazardous and chemical waste streams that may be released in the laboratory and how they should be handled. In this way, every employee is aware of the procedures for collecting these hazardous substances.
More information on laboratory waste regulations?
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