STORAGE/DISPOSAL > Overview

This section of the EVC covers the topic of hazardous waste management in a medical area, specifically associated with amalgam. A college or university medical area or teaching department can generate amalgam waste containing silver and/or mercury at concentrations that meet the definition of hazardous waste.

As you may know, Amalgam is classed as a Hazardous Waste under the 18 01 10* amalgam waste from dental care European Waste Catalogue.

Not only is hazardous waste management one of the most common environmental issues at college and university campuses, but the specific requirements for hazardous waste are so numerous, the EVC has, as appropriate, split the content into three areas as follows:

• Storage/Disposal
• Record keeping
• Training/Other

The overall intent is to manage hazardous waste from generation to ultimate disposal. This "cradle to grave" approach has resulted in regulations governing hazardous waste generators, transporters, and treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities. Given that most university facilities do not themselves transport hazardous waste to an off-site hazardous waste disposal facility, treat hazardous waste, or operate a hazardous waste disposal facility, the regulations governing these activities are not addressed in the EVC. More typically, your facility would generate, store the waste and then have a contractor transport the waste off site for disposal. The specific hazardous waste management requirements a facility must follow depend on the facility's generator status and the types of waste it produces. In other words, the generator status of the college or university will determine the type of requirements individual departments may need to follow.

Continue further along the EVC tour and learn more about storage/disposal requirements.